Oct 3, 2025 - Food and Drink

Best thing I ate this week: Studio Aurora's grilled cheese

Nadia Lopez

Grilled sandwich cut diagonally with two yellow peppers pierced by toothpicks, served with a bowl of creamy tomato soup sprinkled with black pepper, on a metal tray with white paper. — The grilled cheese is garnished with piparras, a traditional mildly tangy Spanish pepper from the Basque region. Photo: Nadia Lopez/Axios

Studio Aurora's charm extends beyond its trendy interior and tasty sandwiches — it also doubles as a gathering place for San Francisco's electronic music scene.

State of play: The cafe, which opened in January, is owned by Dario Barbone of the Potrero Hill-based Italian deli Alimentari Aurora and serves as the headquarters to local radio station Fault Radio.

The community space regularly hosts DJ nights, record fairs and food pop-ups spotlighting local chefs.

Dig in: Homemade focaccia specials, panini and seasonal salads dominate the menu, which includes drinks like natural wine, vermouth and artisanal sake.

What I ate: I had the grilled cheese with tuna seasoned with vadouvan, a French-inspired curry spice blend ($12).

The sandwich, made with a thick-cut slices of bread from the South Bay-bakery Midwife and the Baker, has three decadent cheeses — cheddar, provolone and Grandamer — and pairs perfectly with a side of roasted tomato soup ($5).

😎 My thought bubble: You'll leave feeling stuffed and with a little extra music cred — and maybe just a tad cooler than when you walked in.

If you go: Open 11am-9pm Wednesday-Sunday and 3-8pm Monday and Tuesday at 302 Valencia St.

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Best thing I ate this week: Studio Aurora's grilled cheese

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