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Franko & Friends licensed for beer and wine at 2055B Union Street in San Francisco

Franko & Friends licensed for beer and wine at 2055B Union Street in San Francisco

Rule Changes San Francisco, CA local

Franko & Friends is serving coffee and brunch at 2055B Union Street and starts Wednesday-through-Sunday evening wine service on Oct. 30

Overview

Updated Oct 30

Franko & Friends has been serving coffee and brunch at 2055B Union Street, in the former Joyride Pizza space in Cow Hollow, and on Friday, Oct. 30 it adds evening hours. Wine and small bites such as spreads and caviar will be served Wednesday through Sunday, 5 to 10 p.m.

Owner Iryna Nevozhai stocks Californian and European wines, including Ukrainian bottles she said are hard to get because the war closed many wineries. The Standard described the shop as two months old on Oct. 29 and reported it uses Hedge Coffee beans. Nevozhai, who also runs Franko & Co. in Sausalito, plans rotating local art and events such as book discussions.

Why it matters

Union Street gets a Ukrainian-owned coffee shop that turns into a wine bar at night, adding evening foot traffic to Cow Hollow's main shopping strip.

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Key Indicators

Wed–Sun
Evening service
Wine and small bites 5 to 10 p.m., starting Oct. 30, 2026.
8 a.m.–3 p.m.
Daytime hours
Coffee and brunch served daily.
Type 41
ABC license type
On-sale beer and wine at an eating place, served with food.
~1,600 sq ft
Union Street footprint
Roughly 1,600 square feet at 2055B, the space Joyride Pizza left behind.

Voices

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People Involved

Organizations Involved

Timeline

July 2026 October 2026

4 events Latest: October 30th, 2026 · 1 week ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date
  1. Evening wine service begins

    Latest Opening

    Franko & Friends extends its hours to 5 to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, adding wine, caviar and small bites to its daytime coffee and brunch menu.

  2. California ABC license goes active

    Regulatory

    Type 41 license issued: on-sale beer and wine at an eating place, served with food. The shop has since used it for evening service.

  3. Franko & Friends begins serving coffee and brunch

    Opening

    The shop starts trading at 2055B Union Street. The Standard described it as two months old on Oct. 29, 2026; no source gives an exact opening day.

  4. San Francisco business registration filed

    Regulatory

    Franko & Friends registers with the City of San Francisco for 2055B Union Street.

Scenarios

1

Franko & Friends starts serving at 2055B Union Street

Likely Resolves by Q1 2027

Discussed by: WhatNow reported the owner's early-September opening target

This happened. The shop has been serving coffee and brunch at 2055B Union Street since late summer 2026, and evening wine service with small bites begins Oct. 30, 2026, per the Standard.

2

Franko & Friends holds license but hasn't opened

Unlikely Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: A residual risk noted in WhatNow coverage; the license alone doesn't confirm operations

The license is in use. The type 41 went active Oct. 14, 2026, and the shop opened rather than sitting dark, so the stalled-buildout risk did not materialize.

3

Franko & Friends hosts regular community events on Union Street

Possible Resolves by Jan 31, 2027

Discussed by: Owner Iryna Nevozhai, in the San Francisco Standard

Nevozhai told the Standard she wants rotating works from local artists and events such as book discussions, with something happening most Fridays. She has not announced a schedule, so the test is whether dated events appear for the address.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1999–2025

Turtle Tower's return (1999–2025)

Turtle Tower opened in San Francisco's Tenderloin in 1999 serving pho and grew to four locations. All closed during the pandemic by 2023. New managing partners Arash Ghanadan and Hilwin Wong revived the brand in February 2025 in the Financial District, then agreed to a Cow Hollow spot on Fillmore Street.

Then

The brand reopened at a California Street location and later added a second site.

Now

Established that a Bay Area restaurant with a following can return at new addresses with new partners.

Why this matters now

Like Franko & Friends, Turtle Tower brought an established concept to Cow Hollow rather than launching an unproven operation.

2019–present

Breakfast Little's expansion (2019–present)

Owner Andrew Martinez-Perez opened Breakfast Little on 22nd Street in 2019, moved to a larger space with more seating in 2023, and signed for a second location at 2223 Union Street, the former Gamine storefront.

Then

Expanded a breakfast-burrito concept with an existing Mission following to Cow Hollow.

Now

Showed that proven operators are filling Union Street storefronts this year.

Why this matters now

Another operator with an established customer base betting on Union Street, the same pattern Franko & Friends follows.

Sources

(8)