An Immersive & Experiential Tasting Menu With a Rotating Theme

Merchant Roots consists of Chef Ryan Shelton’s tasting menu, premised on a bold theme that rotates quarterly.  A wine pairing is available, which has been selected to complement the menu. A limited wine list is also an option for those wishing to select their own pours or bottles. We are currently accepting two parties per evening, Wednesday - Saturday and every other Sunday. Most of our experiences involve a portion outdoors in our patio, as well as an indoor portion in our curated dining space.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

If we have purchased 4 tickets, but bring only 3 guests, can we be refunded the unused seat? Can that ticket price be converted to a beverage pairing? Can the 3 of us share that extra plate of food?

In order to provide the most intimate experience we can, we have limited our reservations to only 8 guests at a time. The restaurant industry operates on a paper-thin margin and our staff depends on every ticket sold to keep our lights on at the restaurant, as well as in our homes. Once you’ve purchased your ticket, it is effectively “used.” Our tickets are fully transferable and your purchase of 4 seats entitles you to invite anyone you like to accompany you, even if your original intended party falls ill. Bring anyone else that you like!

We unfortunately cannot convert that ticket purchase to a beverage pairing. Imagine if you had bought two tickets to a baseball game and then were to show up solo and asking for complimentary beer due to the empty seat! It is incumbent on the ticket holder to fill their seats with guests, and we unfortunately do not have room in our margin to provide wine, at our cost, in their stead.

As much as we’d wish to serve you that 4th plate of food, we serve in a collective dining format and have to maintain a specific pace in our experience that is fair to all guests in attendance. If your party has a third again as much food to get through and the other guests are made to wait for each coming course, that would be a disservice to them and to the overall experience.

Have any changes been made to your communal dining format due to the COVID-19 pandemic?

The communal dining aspect of Merchant Roots is a thing of the past. We have evolved our singular-experience format to what we call “collective dining”. All parties are sat simultaneously in our dining room, much like most restaurants, at separate tables. In keeping with San Francisco Public Health mandates, all of our guests must be vaccinated. To minimize contact, we are allowing parties to pour their own water and we preset silverware only twice per meal, instead of with every course. On our end, we disinfect each dining area after every use.

Merchant Roots has heavily considered the current health climate due to recent variants and trends, as presented by COVID-19. We are ensuring that our staff continues to remain current with their vaccinations; and we are additionally requesting that all guests continue to do the same.

Our indoor tables remain separate with a minimum of six feet of space between guests and a maximum guest count of 8, as always. If you have not yet received a COVID booster, we recommend that you endeavor to do so as soon as possible, to ensure continued guest safety for all of us, during your dining experience.

As a guest, is there anything else to be aware of considering Merchant Roots’ “collective dining” experience?

Make sure you arrive on-time or five minutes early! We will begin service promptly at 5:30 or 8:00 PM and our small team is able only to curate a single experience at a time. Therefore if you, or a member of your party are late, you/they may miss a bit of the experiential portion of your dinner, and will have to catch up, enjoying a few plates in quick succession.

Why do you use pre-paid reservations instead of regular reservations?

Merchant Roots is a small space, and we want to create an intimate environment for our guests. Pre-paid reservations allow us to anticipate who is coming in and to give guests an all-encompassing experience at the best price possible.

Can I get a refund once purchased? Can I exchange my reservation for a different night?

No. Just as with attending a sporting event, concert or the theater, all sales are final. We cannot cancel your reservation or reschedule it for another night. If you cannot come, we recommend that you transfer your reservation to someone else. For any concerns about possible reservation conflicts or to inquire further about rescheduling please email info@merchantroots.com.

What if I have dietary restrictions?

In order to keep our staffing intimate and our experiences as detailed and evocative as possible, we prepare one set menu at a time.  Because of this, dietary preferences or requirements cannot be met.  Some menus/experiences we are able to reproduce without animal-based protein or gluten. We offer these specialized experiences on separate evenings, such that all of our guests always get the best experience possible and an equal amount of our focus.  The sooner we can be informed of your needs, the better.  Please contact info@merchantroots.com for further inquiry

What if I am lactose intolerant?

Lactose intolerance is an extremely common condition, in fact, it affects most of our global population.  Due to the pan-cultural background of cooking employed by Merchant Roots, it is very common to find a bit of bovine dairy in many components of our menus.  Products exist on the market to assist with the digestion of lactose, we recommend you consult your medical professional for advice.  Should Merchant Roots take on the responsibility of omission of bovine dairy, it may prove to be greatly compromising of the overall experience.  

Why can’t I find reservation availability for my party of 1, 3, 5, 7?

We have made an effort to streamline our reservation system with our new format, but that does not mean we cannot accommodate your party size. For larger or individual party sizes, please reach out to info@merchantroots.com.

What does my reservation include?

When you purchase a reservation to Merchant Roots, it covers your base meal, but it does not include supplemental food, alcoholic beverages, non-alcoholic beverages, coffee or tea.

Can I give my reservation away or sell it?

Yes. The reservation is completely transferable. Please note, however, that selling reservations for greater than face value may be illegal in your area. Anyone who purchases a reservation from another patron should take care to ensure that they have a received a formal transfer of the reservation through the restaurant’s official website. Any reservations purchased on the secondary market are at the purchaser’s risk. We cannot accept responsibility for forgeries or misrepresentations.

How do I transfer my reservation?

To transfer a reservation, log in to your Tock account and then select, “My Reservations”. Each reservation has a transfer button next to it.