โExcelsior Buzzโ is a recurring column on changes, tidbits and other news from the Excelsior. Got news? Send us tips at xueer@missionlocal.com.
El Quetzal Grill Restaurant, a new Guatemalan restaurant, has recently opened at 4441 Mission St. near Avalon Avenue.
The restaurant recently put up its green โgrand openingโ sign after opening its doors to customers about six weeks ago on July 1. It replaced Fili-Taste Grill & Restaurant, a short-lived Filipino restaurant that opened in June 2024 and closed early this year. The site was previously another Filipino restaurant, Pampanguena.
So far, it’s been quiet, according to El Quetzalโs 33-year-old owner, Juan Castaรฑon, an Excelsior resident who runs the place with his wife Claudia and worker Jose. On the weekend, Castaรฑon said, he usually gets more customers who pop in for their handmade tortillas, churrasco and chicken soup.
Castaรฑon immigrated from Guatemala and has been living in San Francisco for 15 years. This is his first time opening a restaurant and operating a business.
โWe try, we try,โ he said.
El Quetzal Grill Restaurant opens daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Familiar with the towering naked woman sculpture at Embarcadero Plaza, or the dragon that blows bubbles through its nose at Golden Gate Park or the giraffe at Sunset Dunes?
The Excelsior area is getting its own versions of them.
These installations, including the three that will come to the Excelsior area, are part of Big Art Loop, a privately funded public art initiative launched in 2025 that places temporary large art pieces along a 34-mile trail around the city.
- Birdโs Eye View features two large hawk sculptures in mid-flight position at McLaren Park’s eagles overlook. Their feathers cast shifting shadows that spell out โBE YOUโ and โFLY FREEโ as the light changes throughout the day. It’s by Nicki Adani, a Bay Area multidisciplinary artist working across sculpture, painting and public art.ย
- The Pushers captures two people each pushing a big ball uphill at the McLaren Park overlook, showcasing the quiet and persistent effort of pushing through life’s challenges. It is by George Mubanga, a Zambian artist known for sculptures made from mixed recycled materials that explore the themes of self-motivation and resilience.
- Big Apple is a giant, walk-in red apple sculpture at Balboa Park’s Fairy Circle with inward-facing seating. It is by Nicolas Synnott, a multidisciplinary artist and manager partner of LeMonde Studio, a Montrรฉal-based public art studio working on interactive, community-centered arts.
Big Art Loop is aiming for a December 2026 installation for โThe Pusher,โ which has secured the required funding of $76,675, but โinternational shipping from Zambia is a major factor in timing,โ according to Meredith Winner, the co-founding partner of Big Art Loop and chief operating officer of Building 180, an art production company that runs Big Art Loop’s curation and operations.
The initiative is now actively fundraising for the other two projects: โBird’s Eye Viewโ needs $83,000 and โBig Appleโ needs $94,824. It plans to secure funding by the end of 2026 and install the two pieces in early 2027, according to Winner.
Big Art Loop currently has 25 art pieces displayed around the city and is estimated to have 15 more through the end of the year, according to Julie Richter, the publicist for Big Art Loop.
The Excelsior Night Market is coming back. Mark your calendar for the From the E: End of Summer Night Market for Friday, Aug. 21 from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m.
The free night market will take place at Ocean Avenue and Mission Street, and participants will be able to enjoy lei-making, hula dancing and local eats, and meet artist vendors.ย
If you register here, you will be able to enter a raffle for prizes, including a gift basket.
You might have seen flyers posted around the neighborhood: The San Francisco Marin Food Bank will be closed on Aug. 26 due to โa Food Bank conference.โ
Check their food pantry calendar and plan around it.
The first day of school is almost upon us as kids will return to class on Monday, Aug. 17. Mission Local has compiled a list of where to find free backpacks and other school supplies.
Check them out here.
