Popular Oakland Eatery Reem's To Open Location In San Francisco's Mission District
By Hoodline
Popular Oakland bakery-cafe Reem's is headed to the Mission. Owner Reem Assil confirmed that she plans to open a second location in the former home of Mission Pie (2901 Mission St., at 25th Street), which closed in September after 12 years of business.
Assil said she was approached for the location by the building's new owners, a Palestinian couple, who recently purchased it from Mission Pie's Karen Heisler and Krystin Rubin.
As part of the sale, the couple had agreed to open a business that reflected "the spirit of the neighborhood," and felt Assil would be a good fit, she said.
Assil, who had already been in the market for a catering location, said she's excited about the prospect of opening in the Mission. However, she declined to share further details, saying the project is still in a very early phase.
Assil, who grew up in a Palestinian-Syrian household and spent a decade as a community organizer, decided to switch careers in 2015, joining Mission-based food incubator La Cocina to develop her business. She opened the original Reem's (3301 E. 12th St., #133) in 2017.
One of only a handful of Arab bakeries in the Bay Area, Reem's quickly developed a following for its flatbread wraps, mezze, salads and sweets, all inspired by classic Arab street foods.
This spring, Assil's work at Reem's earned her a semifinalist slot for Best Chef: West in the James Beard Awards, considered to be the "Oscars of the food world."
In 2018, Assil opened her first full-service restaurant, Dyafa, in Jack London Square. However, she decided to part ways with the project — a partnership with chef Daniel Patterson's Alta Group — in August.
We'll have more info on an opening date and menu as the new location gets closer to opening.
