First look: San Francisco’s Beloved Vietnamese restaurant Turtle Tower makes grand return

San Francisco - San Francisco's beloved Turtle Tower, which closed its doors in 2023, is making a grand return to the city, opening a new location in the Financial District. Known for its famous Northern-style pho, the restaurant hopes to attract both original fans and a new generation of diners.

"We’re excited for the new partnership," said Arash Ghanadan, managing partner of Turtle Tower. "When Turtle Tower shut down, I thought it was a significant loss for San Francisco. This could be a good milestone for SF’s recovery."

The original Turtle Tower, opened in 1999 by Steven Thang Pham and his family, grew in popularity over the years, expanding to locations in SOMA, the Outer Richmond, and SF State. However, the last remaining locations closed in the fall of 2023.

"I feel unhappy when I had to close my business, I feel bad for my customers," said Steven, co-owner and chef. "People really love Turtle Tower. Now I feel good because I could come back to serving people."

The restaurant’s closure was partly due to post-pandemic challenges in neighborhoods like the Tenderloin and SOMA. 

"Safety concerns, sanitary concerns throughout the neighborhood," said Kathy Pham, Steven’s daughter. "Visitors - they were reluctant to come to the city, even locals wouldn’t come through anymore because the city just turned so unbearable."

The new Turtle Tower is located on California Street in the Financial District, in a space previously occupied by Italian restaurant Barbacco. 

The Phams are teaming up with managing partners Hilwin Wong and Ghanadan, who are among Turtle Tower's devoted fans, to reopen the restaurant and preserve its legacy.

"We didn’t just want to reopen another restaurant; we wanted to preserve a piece of San Francisco," said Ghanadan.

The new location features a modernized experience, with new murals and photos preserving the restaurant’s history. 

"It'll be an elevated experience," said Wong. "The location alone fits Turtle Tower very well—along this iconic street, next to Tadich Grill, next to Perbacco."

The pair is betting big on the downtown area, which is working toward recovery. 

"We're San Francisco natives. We're hopeful, although it's still quite challenging post-pandemic," said Wong. "We believe in the new leadership of the city and the new mayor. We just feel their goals align with ours, and we're here to push forward."

While the pho remains unchanged, the menu will also feature new Hanoi street food items. 

"I cook with my heart, and I always think about the quality first," said Steven Pham.

The Phams are hopeful for the future of downtown San Francisco.

"We're looking forward to positive changes… just bringing back the life to the city again, said Kathy. 

Turtle Tower is expected to open in mid-February. 

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