







































Photo: Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle Image 1 of / 11 Caption Close Image 2 of 11 A view of the bay from Butterfly. A view of the bay from Butterfly. Photo: Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle Image 3 of 11 Kathleen Chaykowski and James Ingallinera from San Francisco have dinner at Butterfly. Kathleen Chaykowski and James Ingallinera from San Francisco have dinner at Butterfly. Photo: Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle Image 4 of 11 Guillermo Dacumos enjoys views of the bay from Butterfly. Guillermo Dacumos enjoys views of the bay from Butterfly. Photo: Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle Image 5 of 11 L-R, Susan Kimmel, and Sarah Gallagher, chat with Leslie Sbrocco, and Butterfly chef Rob Lam. L-R, Susan Kimmel, and Sarah Gallagher, chat with Leslie Sbrocco, and Butterfly chef Rob Lam. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle Image 6 of 11 Marlee Angeles and Helder Gil (left) visiting from Australia have lunch at Butterfly . Marlee Angeles and Helder Gil (left) visiting from Australia have lunch at Butterfly . Photo: Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle Image 7 of 11 Marlee Angeles and Helder Gil (right) visiting from Australia have lunch at Butterfly. Marlee Angeles and Helder Gil (right) visiting from Australia have lunch at Butterfly. Photo: Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle Image 8 of 11 The original Butterfly Restaurant in the Mission District of SF. 2000. The original Butterfly Restaurant in the Mission District of SF. 2000. Photo: Michael Macor / The Chronicle Image 9 of 11 The new Butterfly, upon its opening on The Embarcadero at Pier 33. The new Butterfly, upon its opening on The Embarcadero at Pier 33. Photo: Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle Image 10 of 11 Pier 33's Lapis, 2000. Pier 33's Lapis, 2000. Photo: Deanne Fitzmaurice / The Chronicle Image 11 of 11 Rob Lam, 2007 Rob Lam, 2007 Photo: Kat Raddatz / The Chronicle Butterfly to close after 15 years on the Embarcadero 1 / 11 Back to Gallery

Butterfly is closing after 15 years on the Embarcadero.

According to chef-owner Rob Lam, the last day of service will be Saturday, January 7.

“Our lease is up and it’s time to move on,” said Lam in a statement.

When Lam, once a Chronicle Rising Star, came aboard Butterfly (then located in the Mission) in 2002, he saved the restaurant from the brink of closure. And then when he moved it to the waterfront, he brought stability to the picturesque Pier 33 restaurant space that had previously been a revolving door for restaurants.

As noted in a 2013 Chronicle profile of the restaurant, Butterfly managed to navigate the tricky balance between being a forward-thinking chef restaurant and one that was accessible to the hordes of tourists on its doorstep. It’s a good restaurant, one wherein you can see the evolution of Cal-Asian cuisine in San Francisco, and one that is important to the narrative of San Francisco food.

“We’ve shared many bowls of garlic noodles and countless shots of Fernet together,” said Lam. “So it is with extreme pride that we can say we were a part of this San Francisco dining scene.”