Benvenuti!
Welcome to The Joys of Luisa—the home of the Luisa Hanson fan club. Our mission is to pay tribute to one of San Francisco's most successful restauranteurs and entrepreneurs in the last half century.
When Ms. Luisa Hanson arrived on these shores shortly after the end of World War II, she brought only a fistful of dollars and her unfailing business instincts. Luckily, that modest baggage proved to be more than enough—today, Ms. Hanson is San Francisco's uncrowned but undisputed queen of family-style Italian cooking.
Even in a city reputed for its many fine restaurants and highly discerning patrons, Ms. Hanson has made a name for herself. It did not come easy, of course: long years of grueling toil formed the foundation upon which today's richly deserved recognition and substantial financial success rest. Never satisfied to rest on her laurels, Ms. Hanson has put her wealth to good use and tirelessly expanded her business empire in new and creative directions.
Generous to a fault, Ms. Hanson has enriched the pockets of local property owners by paying premium prices for real estate, selflessly taking upon herself the unenviable task of chasing out the hoi polloi running local bars and eateries. San Francisco's economy relies on a spiraling real estate market and Ms. Hanson is doing her all to ensure that this bubble keeps expanding.
As if sustaining pricey real estate wasn't enough, she also contributes to the ever-changing, fresh face of The City by rapidly closing her establishments and clearing the way for progressive businesses that add to urban diversity, such as nail salons. Ms. Hanson knows there are far too many upscale restaurants in town.
Alas, as so often is the case in socio-economically diverse communities, success leads to envy, persecution, and infinite scorn. The long and winding road to the mountain top has been paved with endless conflicts and confrontations with the small-minded and the unsophisticated; it is a testament to Ms. Hanson's perseverance and fair but firm practices that she has emerged victorious from all her many battles.
Over the years, many if not most of San Francisco's neighborhoods have benefited greatly from Luisa's sense of community and tradition. Building on her family recipies, passed along from generation to generation since the days of Marco Polo, she has enriched the culinary landscape of this town—a town previously starved for authentic Italian cuisine prepared with the love and caring that has become Luisa's trademark.
Luisa's contributions to the greater good far surpass her delicious dishes, of course. Leading by example, she has brought insight and experience to countless customers and small business owners thoughout the city, as well as to the legal system.
It is only just, then, that we speak up—belatedly as it may be—and express our respect and admiration for this magnificent member of our community. We trust you will join us in this effort; as has been so eloquently pointed out in the past, it is humiliating to remain with our hands folded while others write history.
Finally, we owe great thanks to the fine folks over at Eater SF for giving us permission to use the name The Joys of Luisa. Please note, however, that Eater SF is not affiliated with this site in any way whatsoever.