12 years in, familial Spanish restaurant, Canela Bistro & Wine Bar, has become a Castro institution
Chef Mat Schuster opened Canela Bistro & Wine Bar in 2011 on ever-bustling Market Street in the heart of the Castro. I remember those early days when Canela was immediately a cozy, inviting neighborhood Spanish restaurant. This was before still-excellent Spanish spots like Bellota opened in 2016. And since, we’ve lost some of our best Spanish go-tos like Contigo and Barcino.
But Schuster has been holding strong, preaching the Spanish gospel, not just in food but via an extensive sherry, vermut (Spanish vermouth), sidra (cider) and Spanish wines and beers collection. In the worst of pandemic, he got creative with at-home paella and brunch kits, bright spots in a dark time. They still sell an array of take-home kits, from gourmet popcorn to fondue. Canela leads cooking classes for team buyouts and also operates as full-on gourmet shop selling Spanish foods, cookware, knives, wines, vermut and beyond.
Mat’s partner, Paco, is from Spain, certainly a key inspiration behind Canela. I had a brilliant time eating around the region of Andalucia in Spain this summer, where Paco’s mother hails…