Breadbelly Marches to the Beat of Its Own Drum 

By Sean Rinn

In vibrant teal walls just west of Park Presidio Boulevard on Clement Street lies a cafe creating a unique blend of flavors derived from the Asian heritage and Northern California upbringing of the chefs involved. Those familiar with the Richmond District know those teal walls are home to Breadbelly. 

Breadbelly seamlessly blends different cultural flavors. The cafe’s overall foundation is a team effort among three chefs: James Wong, Clement Hsu and Katherine Campecino-Wong, who were all nominated for James Beard’s Outstanding Baker award in 2022. 

The three chefs met in the early stages of their careers working in fine-dining restaurants in San Francisco. All three were dedicated to their craft and kept in touch with each other before reconnecting, believing that they should pool their talents. 

 “I think a bakery cafe was something that sounded a little different than the fine dining world for us to apply things that we’ve learned.” Wong said. “They have been trained to do a more casual, approachable setting. We knew we didn’t want to do something high end. We wanted something more neighborhood based and approachable.”

Breadbelly’s signature Kaya Toast – which Wong credits his wife Campecino-Wong with inventing – inspires many customer visits. It is a blend of cultures working together to form a symphony of flavors. 

“It kind of just melded together, where it’s like this Singaporean jam on this Japanese milk bread, but it’s griddled with condensed milk and lots of butter, kind of French American, and finished with French salt,” Wong said. 

Originally, Wong and the Breadbelly team considered their theme as Bay Area Asian American cuisine but have now evolved what their flavor identity is into what Wong terms “New American.” 

“New American” cuisine is considered to be a fusion of American cooking techniques with foreign ingredients that are fresh, local and seasonal. It is part of the farm-to-table movement, under which Breadbelly’s ethos was born. 

Part of the identity Breadbelly wanted to create with the name “Breadbelly” was to put a smile on the face of anyone who heard it. It is a name with a warm connotation that feels like they are taking care of the customer, aligning perfectly with their farm-to-table ethos. 

The story of the farm-to-table movement began in the 1940s, where more Americans were moving from rural farmlands into urban areas. As a result, processed and packaged food exploded in popularity, dominating the food scene through the 1960s and ‘70s. The hippie culture’s yearning for more natural and organic options caught on, and in 1971, Chef Alice Waters opened legendary restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley which was one of California’s first farm-to-table restaurants. Fast forward through the 1990s and 2000s, the movement has become a permanent part of American cuisine today. 

“I think the ‘90s was a really predominant time in San Francisco as far as the farm-to-table movement, and all of the New American cooking that was happening then,” Wong said. “That was a very inspiring time to be a chef in San Francisco.”

The farm-to-table movement was built on the idea that locally grown food tastes better and is fresher for the consumer. The fresher the meal, the better the meal. 

“I think we keep that spirit alive at Breadbelly right now, as far as being inspired by the seasons and the Bay Area and all the diversity that’s within the region here,” Wong said.

San Francisco’s rich history of diversity and experimental attitudes are perfect for a place like Breadbelly to thrive. The City’s appreciation for creativity in general, not just within the culinary scene, has allowed Breadbelly to find fulfillment in the process of creation. 

Creatively, Breadbelly works great in San Francisco, Wong said. “I’m sure Breadbelly will evolve, and I always think it will be creative. But the creative part for us now is: ‘How do we continue to be interesting but approachable at the same time?’ We have to be creative in figuring out what’s best for business and what’s most fulfilling to us, too.” 

After years of popularity in the Richmond District, Breadbelly is set to expand. Brookfield Properties, which has purchased space at Pier 70 in the Dogpatch area, has signed a new Breadbelly location. Wong hopes that the Pier 70 location will be open early next year. 

“The potential of the Dogpatch area, and the growth and the neighborhood – we really love to be a part of that pivotal point of San Francisco development in that area,” Wong said. “Things are starting to move quickly in the construction world. It’s getting there. We’re getting there.” 

On expansion for the future, Wong said that he and the team “always dream big but are focusing on what’s in front of us right now and the opportunities that present themselves.” 

Wong also noted that if all went well with Pier 70, the next steps would be “finding little Breadbelly’s around the Bay Area.” All of Breadbelly’s energy is on maintaining the excellence of the Richmond location and opening in Pier 70.

While many have gone to Breadbelly to try the Kaya Toast among many other delicious and creative menu items diners would be hard pressed to find elsewhere, Wong and the Breadbelly crew are especially proud of their croissant program because it took them a couple years of testing and tasting to master viennoiserie. 

Breadbelly offers an array of unique pastries, savory and sweet, along with sandwiches and croissants. 

Breadbelly is located at 1408 Clement St. Learn more at https://www.breadbellysf.com.