On a lovely Thursday night, I stepped into Dalida just as the soft light settled over the Presidio, a national park site in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The sky blushed, the Main Parade Lawn stood wide and still, and inside the former military building on its southwest corner, there was a pulse.
The warm clatter of glass, the flutter of napkins, and the smell of sumac and sizzling butter wafted toward the door. Within minutes, I sat down, sipping a cocktail that tasted like passionfruit, summer tomatoes, and a garden still warm from the sun.
That cocktail, “P.S. I Love You,” was the first sign that Dalida was going to be more than just a nice night out.
This place doesn’t just serve food; it unspools stories. Each dish carries a history, each room feels lived-in, and each glass of wine invites a conversation.
A Story in Every Plate
The chefs, Sayat and Laura Ozyilmaz, are a married couple who somehow make this whole place feel like a well-rehearsed symphony, yet also like a house party where you’ve somehow stumbled into the kitchen just in time to taste something incredible off the spoon.
They’ve taken their multicultural roots and funneled them into a menu that’s fearless, intelligent, and heartfelt. He is from Istanbul with Armenian heritage, and she is from Mexico City with a deep respect for tradition and freedom. It’s no wonder Dalida has earned praise from Esquire, Eater SF, and the James Beard Foundation. But hype fades. Flavor doesn’t. Dalida delivers both.
Take the Istanbul-style mussel dolmas: plump, cold, savory. They arrive like tiny edible envelopes, stuffed with spiced rice, pine nuts, and a whisper of the sea. Or the cube of nixtamalized butternut squash (soaked in an alkaline solution to enhance flavor, texture, and depth, like corn turned into masa), filled with goat cheese and a flash of preserved lemon. It’s not just beautiful, it’s curious, and it invites you in.
But it was the “Breaking Bread” that hooked me. A chubby pita ballooned to the edge of its limits, served with a trio of house-made spreads–smoked yogurt, bright muhammara, and a hummus so smooth it practically hummed. Add olives, pickles, and a sharp lemon edge. It was primal and elevated all at once.
A Scene That Moves
The main dining room buzzes with energy. Couples clink glasses on one side, while a family shares platters on the other, moving with the rhythm of a well-worn ritual. Beyond them, the wide-open Parade Grounds stretch out through the windows.
Dalida’s layout feels cozy without being cramped and elegant without being aloof. You can choose to dine in the main room, grab a seat at the chef’s counter to watch the kitchen’s controlled chaos, or tuck into the garden-toned private dining space, which features mustard accents and climbing murals.
The deep greens, sun-washed ecrus, and slate mustards echo the Presidio just outside. Indeed, the design constantly reminds you that you’re inside a national park—and a love letter to the Mediterranean.
A Wine List with Its Own Passport
Jerry, Dalida’s Wine Director, with wine from Iran. © Joelle Machia
Jerry, the wine director, appeared with the kind of confidence that doesn’t need to name-drop labels. He poured a 2021 Rasheh from Iran, a rare treat as the grapes are smuggled out of Iran and vinified in Armenia. It was elegant and mysterious, earthy in all the right ways. Later came a 2022 Clos Cibonne Tibouren rosé from Provence, briny, soft, and glowing in the glass like dawn.
The list here spans more than 400 bottles, many from places that don’t usually get space in the spotlight: Armenia, Lebanon, and Greece. Then it swirls back west, with low-intervention bottles from Oregon, Santa Barbara, and Paso Robles. Jerry curates like a poet, linking memory to terroir, and her wine list has been recognized with a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Every glass seemed to tell its tale. Some were punchy, some gentle, but all were intentional.
Cocktails, Rewritten with Local Ink
Bar Director Evan Williams and his team could easily sell a book of flavor pairings that would sound mad on paper but make magic in a glass.
There’s the Saturnalia, which feels like a piña colada that stopped flirting with a rose garden and then decided to add pistachio. Or the gazoz, a Levantine-style soda that might have yuzu one week and fermented peach skins the next. What grows in the Presidio shows up here: thyme, berries, flowers.
Even the non-alcoholic drinks earn their place: the tahini horchata spiced with Yemeni flavors, or the wild teas foraged by women’s co-ops from Georgia and Armenia.
A Return Visit to Dalida (Yes, the Next Day)
Rare is the restaurant that I visited again within 24 hours. I came back for lunch because I couldn’t stop thinking about that saffron rice, and it was worth it.
The Persian crispy rice arrived golden, freckled with tart barberries, and with just enough crunch to sing when the fork touched it. I paired it with the Efendi, a cocktail that I saw made dozens of times the night before, which is complex, herbal, and quietly bold. A silky and restorative cappuccino closed the meal.
The meal consisted of only three things, and yet somehow, it was perfect.
The People Behind the Food
I had the honor of meeting Laura and Sayat during my visit, and what struck me most, beyond their impressive resumes, was their genuine humility and passion. They spoke about their work with clarity and warmth, excited not only about the food but also about the community they’ve built around it.
Their presence in the dining room wasn’t about performance; it was about connection.
Laura and Sayat met at the Culinary Institute of America and went on to cook at some of New York City’s most renowned restaurants. They even honeymooned by “staging” at 25 restaurants—working briefly for free in other chefs’ kitchens to gain new experiences and techniques. Along the way, they cooked at Michelin-starred establishments like Saison, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Mugaritz, and Le Bernardin. In fact, Laura even made it to the final four in Season 21 of Top Chef.
That’s not just a job. That’s devotion. Yet Dalida doesn’t feel like a showpiece. It feels lived-in. Before opening Dalida, they brought their culinary perspective to life through Istanbul Modern and Noosh, two earlier ventures where they began layering their cultural influences into something personal. This isn’t just a menu; it’s an archive of creative genius.
The restaurant’s design feels honest and welcoming. Emily Parkinson’s murals soften the space, and the use of reclaimed wood and local art grounds it in place. A green onyx table anchors the lounge. The design softens the Presidio’s former military precision, adding a note of hospitality to the stone.
A Taste of the Chef’s Menu
Chefs’ Tasting Menu © Joelle Machia
I tried the chef’s tasting menu the night before my return lunch, and it’s where Dalida really stretches its legs.
The opening bite of a cube of nixtamalized butternut squash, a process in which the squash is soaked in an alkaline solution to enhance flavor and depth, was a surprise in texture and taste. Soft yet structured, its mild sweetness was balanced by creamy goat cheese and the brightness of preserved lemon. Then came a perfect oyster topped with buttery Ft. Bragg Sea urchin and a drizzle of Sonoma olive oil, briny and rich but light enough to disappear in a single, clean bite.
Next, the kuku sabzi arrived, a Persian-style herb frittata made with foraged greens from the Presidio. It came topped with silky taramasalata, vibrant trout roe, and the crunch of fresh herbs. The dish tasted like early spring: grassy, slightly tangy, and very alive. Moving on to a Turkish element, the Midye Dolma —an Istanbul-style stuffed mussel with currants and fresh dill —offered a beloved street food reimagined with elegance. Each bite was savory and tender, with soft pops of sweetness from the currants and the freshness of dill. Shortly after, a plate of thinly sliced octopus arrived, warmed by the gentle heat of house-fermented sujuk and complemented by a bright olive relish. Earthy, salty, and slightly smoky, it felt like a family recipe reimagined with a chef’s precision.
Main Course
The lamb chops were encased in seasoned ground lamb and wrapped in caul fat, which slowly melted during grilling, enriching the meat with deep flavor. They were plated over a smooth, velvety hummus and finished with a savory, jus-style reduction that brought everything into balance. The saffron rice, served alongside, was the kind of dish that stops conversation. Each spoonful was layered with the floral fragrance of saffron, the chewy pop of barberries, and a golden crust that shattered on contact.
Desserts continued the meal’s theme of balance and surprise. A strawberry rhubarb pavlova was crisp on the outside and cloud-like on the inside, paired with a sesame cream that added nuttiness to every bite. A vibrant strawberry-lemonade sorbet cut through the richness, followed by white chocolate halva with subtle tahini undertones. The final dish was a brûléed tavuk göğsü, a Turkish milk pudding that felt both nostalgic and fresh thanks to its delicately caramelized top.
Last Bite
Dalida lives where eucalyptus meets ocean, and the old Presidio barracks have become art spaces, cafes, and homes. The San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge are your backdrop. It’s a place to experience a crossroads of cultures, flavors, and time.
And it is not a place to rush through, to scan the menu, and settle. Dalida invites you to lean in, pass the plates, ask about the spices, order the weird wine, and let it surprise you.
It’s a restaurant where the food is poetry, the wine is story, and the setting is prose.
If you go, take your time. And don’t skip the saffron rice.
Because some meals aren’t just eaten, they’re remembered.
If You Go
Location: 101 Montgomery Street, on the Main Parade Lawn in the Presidio of San Francisco
Reservations: Recommended, especially for weekends and the chef’s tasting menu.
Menu Options: À la carte, prix fixe lunch (weekdays), chef’s tasting menu (evenings), weekend brunch.
Atmosphere: Upscale but welcoming, with views of the Parade Grounds and thoughtful, relaxed service.
What to Try: Breaking Bread, Persian crispy saffron rice, Cypriot lamb chops, any seasonal cocktail.
Good to Know: Ingredients are often foraged or sourced from the park itself. Many items rotate seasonally.
Website: dalidasf.com
Dalida hosted the author’s visit.
Read more from Joelle at Wanderers Compass.
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