Julius’ Castle, Dark on Telegraph Hill Since 2008, Will Reopen in September
Julius’ Castle, the castle-shaped restaurant that has sat dark on the east slope of Telegraph Hill since 2008, is set to reopen in September. Owner Paul Scott told SFist in early July that a chef has been hired and the restaurant will return with dinner service, ending a closure of about 18 years.
The Building
Julius’ Castle stands at 1541 Montgomery Street, below Coit Tower and beside the Filbert Steps. Julius Roz began building it in 1923 with architect Luigi “Louis” Mastropasqua, and it operated as a restaurant for most of the following decades. The city designated it San Francisco Landmark No. 121 in 1980. The turreted, Gothic Revival and Arts and Crafts building has no parking of its own, and the surrounding streets are narrow and permit-restricted.
The Renovation
Scott, an attorney, bought the property in 2012 and has spent years on repairs and permits. According to ABC7 and SFist, the work included rebuilding a fire-damaged turret, stabilizing a hillside that had been sliding, and restoring original wood paneling believed to date to the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition. Designer Jon de la Cruz, who has worked on Wayfare Tavern and Che Fico, handled the redesign, drawing on the Nightingale House in the Lower Haight.
What Happens Next
Scott has said the restaurant will reopen with dinner service, and that reinstalling the oversized lettering and awnings will be among the last steps before guests return. He plans to first welcome neighborhood residents and the workers who helped restore the building, then open to the public. A specific opening date in September has not been announced.
Telegraph Hill sits at the northern edge of North Beach. For more on the area, see our North Beach neighborhood guide.
Photo: CommonUploaderBot, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
