San Francisco restaurant Caliente Bistro Kitchen faces uncertain future in Inner Richmond

Restaurants are taking a hit on all fronts, including rising meat, produce and utility costs, and news of establishments on the brink of closing this week underscores their plight. Broke-Ass Stuart recently profiled Manora's Thai Cuisine in SoMa as being at risk of closure. Now Mission Local reported on the (potential) closure of three-year-old Caliente Bistro Kitchen at 4828 Geary Boulevard. Chef and owner Raul Garcia-Antolin told the publication that he owes nearly $45,000 in back rent and may have to close his doors as soon as September. He's applied for business loans and city grants, but was rejected for both.

Garcia Antolin broke down his expenses and bills to the San Francisco Standard, saying his total income is $700 to $1,000 a day, but that rising ingredient costs mean he needs $1,200 a day to break even. Despite the food getting high marks and positive reviews, the restaurant struggled during the rainy season. Still, after learning of Caliente's possible closure, neighbors rallied together to generate a healthy daily income, the Standard noted. If business continues, he told the paper he'll be “back in the black” and able to last until the end of August.

Berkeley's Rialto Cinema Adds New Food & Drink Menu

It's not just the restaurant industry that's struggling; movie theaters are struggling too. According to East Bay Nosh, the Rialto Cinema in Elmwood is struggling and is now serving hot food, beer, and wine to stay afloat. In addition to popcorn and candy, moviegoers can indulge in a bagel dog, Impossible chicken nuggets, hummus with pretzel chips, and an “adult lunch” with prosciutto, mozzarella, Kalamata olives, almonds, and crackers. Beer, wine, champagne, and Golden State cider are also available.

Two celebrity-favorite pizzas are coming back to Square Pie Guys

While the Square Pie Guys is known for its Detroit-style pizza, they're also known for their long-standing celebrity pizza collaborations for charitable causes. To celebrate their fifth anniversary, the Square Pie Guys is bringing back two of their most popular celebrity pizzas: cookbook author and TV host Samin Nosrat's Sungold Tomato-filled pizza and basketball star Jeremy Lin's pepperoni- and Green Goddess-topped pizza. The Square Pie Guys will donate five percent of proceeds from Nosrat's pizza to Oakland International High School and five percent of sales from Lin's pizza to the Jeremy Lin Foundation.

Milk Cloud Bakery pops up at Bernal Cutlery

If you want to indulge in fluffy, sweet Japanese milk bread, or shokupan, while also shopping for kitchen utensils and knives, head to Bernal Cutlery on Saturday, July 27. Milk Cloud Bakery will be selling a variety of breads and sandwiches, including kaya swirl and chocolate shokupan, strawberry sandwiches with black sesame cream, cantaloupe with vanilla bean cream, and chocolate Basque cheesecake. But the highlight of the weekend will be the corn yuzu karin sandwich, created specially for the Mission shop. The sandwich contrasts summery corn with Bernal's yuzu karin seasoning (a combination of yuzu and chili peppers). The pop-up will begin at 11 a.m. on July 27 at 766 Valencia Street.

Milk Cloud Bakery