Rize Up Bakery, a San Francisco sourdough bakery known for its colorful, globally inspired loaves, is preparing to open its first cafe at 1160 Howard Street.
The company’s new cafe will be created by converting its existing production kitchen in SoMa into a public-facing space, according to The San Francisco Standard. The location currently operates as the company’s wholesale bakery, but the new concept will introduce a retail cafe component where customers can visit in person. Founder Azikiwee “Z” Anderson aims to open the cafe by July 7, which is also his birthday. Customers can expect a menu centered on the bakery’s sourdough breads, along with coffee and simple cafe dishes.
Rize Up Bakery was founded by Anderson in 2020 as a home-based sourdough project during the early months of the pandemic. What began as an at-home baking experiment quickly gained attention and demand throughout San Francisco. Within a short time, the operation expanded beyond backyard ovens and into a production facility in the SoMa neighborhood. The bakery has since built a reputation for rethinking traditional sourdough with bold flavors and colorful presentations.
Today, Rize Up supplies bread to several Bay Area restaurants, including Palm City, Flour + Water, The Morris, and Sirene. The bakery also sells directly to customers at around 10 farmers’ markets throughout the region. These include the Ferry Building market, Clement Street, and locations across the North Bay. The company recently added a Sunday stand at Stonestown as well.
Rize Up produces a wide range of sourdough loaves with flavors such as sesame scallion, garlic thyme, masala, gochujang, and ube. One of its most recognizable products is the “O.G. loaf,” which sells for about $12. The bread is made using organic wheat, whole wheat, spelt, rye, and malted barley flours.
When the cafe opens, the menu will highlight Rize Up’s bread in different forms. Planned items include grilled cheese sandwiches, pastries, cookies, and open-faced toasts made with the bakery’s sourdough. The cafe will also introduce a full coffee program, though the roaster partner has not yet been announced.
