Brown Sugar Kitchen
Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA
Brown Sugar Kitchen, a Black Female owned restaurant by Tanya Holland, recently opened up TWO new locations: one in San Francisco and one in downtown Oakland.
After the flagship West Oakland location closed, all of us in the Bay felt at a loss. Brown Sugar Kitchen was notoriously known for their incredible fried chicken and cornmeal waffles; so much so that people were willing to wait 2 hours for a seat at the table (including me–guilty!). I was lucky enough to eat Ms. Tanya Holland’s famous fried chicken and cornmeal waffles during her opening weekend at the Ferry Building and it fulfilled all expectations!
When I arrived at the Ferry Building, I immediately caught a glimpse of the Brown Sugar Kitchen sign. My heart leapt in my chest and my mouth started salivating. It was a Saturday afternoon and the Ferry Building was heavy with human traffic.
TIP: Don’t be scared by the amount of people near the BSK stand–the bathrooms are right next door and so is Blue Bottle, so it makes BSK appear busier than they actually are.
The fried chicken was incredibly tasty. With a hefty serving of two wings, the chicken was moist and the skin was crisp. You can bet I ate it down to the bone! The cornmeal waffle was different than any other waffle I’ve had in my life. The cornmeal gave it a much lighter and crunchier texture. I really enjoyed it, and would almost go so far to say it’s even better than traditional waffles! The apply cider syrup provided was VERY sweet, so word of caution before you pour it all over your meal (which I did and soon regretted…). The mac and cheese was a smaller portion than I imagined, it only filled about half the cup that it came in. Next time, I would opt for the biscuits instead!
Total including tax: $26
Overall thoughts: Really tasty meal that I highly recommend. I can’t imagine a better way to start my morning than with chicken and waffles and a view of the bay. The service was quick, and they even offer a pager that will go off when your order is ready. The dishes are a little pricey, but it is understandable for the Ferry Building. I’ve patroned at both the new downtown Oakland and the Ferry Building location, and I would recommend eating at the Ferry Building as to avoid the typical 2 hour wait at the brick and mortar. Thus sparing your dining mates any potentiality of hangry-ness.
Ferry Building Hours:
Tuesday – Sunday: 8am-2pm (closed Mondays)
