S.F.’s charming Family Cafe, one of the city’s best Japanese restaurants, is closing - San Francisco Chronicle

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Co-owner Jessica Furui, who runs the cafe with her ex-husband and executive chef Tadayuki Furui, said the business wasn’t financially healthy due to inconsistencies created by the pandemic.

Family Cafe opened in the fall of 2019 inspired by kissatens, traditional Japanese cafes where people gather for tea, sweets and quiet conversation. Jessica, who was previously the beverage director at San Francisco sushi destination Akiko’s, whisked ceremonial-grade matcha by hand and decorated the sunny space with flowers. She hosted people for lunch, bringing out vegan Japanese curry and sandwiches on fluffy milk bread. The cafe gained acclaim and has been named one of the Bay Area’s best Japanese restaurants by Chronicle critic Soleil Ho.

But to get more business, the restaurant needed to expand into the evening hours. Logistically, it was tough because the pantry and dishwashing stations were on the ground floor while the kitchen sat upstairs, with diners spread throughout. It was also challenging for Jessica and Tadayuki emotionally, physically and mentally to manage everything on their own, Jessica said.

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“Neither of us had it in us to hustle that nighttime concept,” she said. “We’re just so tired. We’re physically in pain.”

Even after the pandemic hit, there were beautiful moments at Family Cafe. Jessica started making vegan sushi platters that showcased the bounty of the farmers’ market, and the results earned a reputation for being among the top sushi offerings in the city. Jessica called it “soul sushi,” named after the first Japanese restaurant she worked at, in Truckee in 1999. It was an ode to that restaurant’s owner, Gary Flood, a mentor who died in 2008.

“Some of the most incredible sushi rolls he made were vegetable sushi rolls that were so incredibly balanced in flavor, texture and color,” Jessica said. “He was the one who made me want to pursue becoming a sushi chef.”

The vegan sushi from Family Cafe in North Beach found many fans during the pandemic.

Provided by Family Cafe

She also started offering custom chiffon cakes in flavors such as matcha coconut and strawberry with preserved cherry blossoms, always decorated with fresh flowers. She made a few every month in 2020 and found joy in knowing people were still celebrating something.

Family Cafe may return as a new concept later this year from co-owner Ray Lee of Akiko’s, according to Jessica. But she and Tadayuki won’t be involved. Jessica plans to move into horticulture, while she described Tadayuki as “a master craftsman” who is looking forward to more time for sewing and embroidery. It’s possible, however, that Jessica will continue making vegan sushi platters on a small scale.

She’s been thinking about something a mentor once told her, about how people only have a short period of time together to do the best they can.

“It’s a fleeting moment,” she said. “It’s like a cherry blossom in the spring, then boom, it’s gone. Appreciating what we have and what we created is enough for me.”

Family Cafe. Closing Jan. 29. 362 Columbus Ave., San Francisco. https://family-cafe-sf.square.site/

Tadayuki Furui, Jessica Furui and Ray Lee run Family Cafe in North Beach. The restaurant will close at the end of the month.

Janelle Bitker / The Chronicle 2019

Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: janelle.bitker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @janellebitker

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