The Pub Where It All Began
Magnolia opened 20 years ago at the storied corner of Haight and Masonic Streets in the Haight Ashbury district. Built in 1903, our building has seen a lot over the years, from its decades as Schumates Pharmacy to its role in the birth of the Haight Ashbury hippie movement in 1964 as the Drugstore Cafe, one of the original hippie hangouts in the neighborhood. In the late 60s, it became the famous Magnolia Thunderpussy's, named for its proprietress, a larger than life San Francisco legend still talked about today.
Beer from the Basement
Many visitors to the Magnolia pub on Haight Street might not even realize that there’s a brewery there. It isn’t visible from inside the restaurant, or from the street. In fact, back in 1997, when the whole place was being constructed, the basement was dug out to lower the floor enough to shoehorn in a small, but still meaningfully sized 7-barrel brewery. As of now that brewery has produced over 3000 batches of beer from hundreds of different recipes, many of which are only available through the taps at our two pubs.
Pub Fare: Traditional, Modern, and Inventive
You’ll find some traditional pub fare on our menu—fish and chips, sausages, cheese, charcuterie, and burgers, but be assured—we take them as seriously as we do our beer, and make it a point to know where it all comes from and who makes it. You’ll also find salads and other vegetarian items to satisfy the health-conscious and meat-averse.