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Michael Mina and Ayesha Curry Close International Smoke in Downtown San Francisco

The Mina Group says the space will be remodeled into a rotating Neighborhood Test Kitchen to respond to lower downtown traffic and refocus the group's local strategy.

Smoked bone-in short rib with furikake rice and cucumber kimchi at International Smoke.
King crab, shrimp and oysters at International Smoke in San Francisco in 2022. The restaurant, operated by Michael Mina and Ayesha Curry, has closed.
Ayesha Curry and Michael Mina in 2017, before they opened International Smoke together.
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Overview

  • The downtown International Smoke location has been closed since Wednesday, May 20, and the owners publicly announced the closure on Thursday, May 28.
  • The Mina Group cited post-pandemic declines in Financial District foot traffic and ongoing construction at the Millennium Tower as key factors in the decision to shut the nine-year restaurant.
  • The space will reopen as Neighborhood Test Kitchen with four- to six-month chef residencies, family-style service, guest feedback sessions, and expected meal prices around $55 to $65, with a relaunch targeted for the fall.
  • Gerald Chin will lead an American brasserie-style kitchen for the project and Ayesha Curry is expected to participate as one of the rotating chefs.
  • The change is part of broader Mina Group portfolio moves that include recent restaurant transfers and new openings elsewhere and revives Mina’s earlier popular test-kitchen pop-up model used before 2019.