Scoma’s
Keeping a San Francisco institution relevant to visitors and locals alike
San Francisco, CA
SERVICES
Public Relations
Social Media
Influencer Marketing
Email Marketing
The Challenge
An iconic family-owned San Francisco restaurant, Scoma’s—located on a working pier in the heart of Fisherman’s Wharf—has been a destination for fresh pier-to-plate seafood since 1965. Having hosted innumerable athletes, actors, entertainers, celebrities, politicians, and heads of state over the course of its storied history, Scoma’s became famous for its warm hospitality, its effusive owner, the celebrity clientele, fresh seafood, and of course its sweeping views over the San Francisco Bay.
Despite its fame and success, the restaurant had difficulty attracting newer San Francisco residents, in part due to its fame and location. City residents less familiar with the restaurant assumed it was “touristy,” and the COVID-19 pandemic led to a drop in both tourism and foot traffic in the area. It was time to re-engage with a local audience, showcasing the restaurant's old-school atmosphere and classic cocktails along with the freshest, 100% sustainable seafood and amazing waterfront location—highlighting a restaurant that is both nostalgic and appealing to modern sensibilities.
Public Relations
As a famed San Francisco restaurant located in one of the city’s top tourist areas, Scoma’s faced a challenge: shifting the local perception that it was just a tourist spot. Carbonate’s PR strategy focused on reminding locals why Scoma’s is a beloved San Francisco classic. The team secured coverage in all major Bay Area outlets, landing the restaurant on lists like “Best Places for” Cioppino or Clam Chowder, “Restaurants with Spectacular Views,” and “Essential San Francisco Restaurants.” At the same time, the strategy highlighted what keeps Scoma’s relevant today—its commitment to sustainable seafood, modern takes on classic cocktails, and a focus on fresh, seasonal local ingredients, all while honoring its traditional roots.
Carbonate partnered with SF Travel and other iconic San Francisco businesses to launch a marketing activation celebrating the 150th anniversary of the cable car. The “Cable Car Crawl” invited both locals and tourists to ride the cable cars to a curated lineup of the city’s legendary bars and restaurants. The campaign earned extensive coverage across local, national, and international outlets—both digital and broadcast.
We also recognized the opportunity with Scoma’s unique vintage eggnog, and secured national placement through the Associated Press in a story that ran in newspapers and TV segments across the country, helping position Scoma’s as both a tradition-holder and a conversation-starter.
Thanks to the restaurant’s continued commitment to quality and hospitality—and Carbonate’s efforts to reinforce Scoma’s relevance in the city’s evolving culinary scene—Scoma’s earned a place in the San Francisco Chronicle’s Top 100 Restaurants list, landing at an impressive #43.
Over the course of 2.5 years, Scoma’s has been featured in over 160 stories in over 60 outlets in print, digital and broadcast media.
Social Media + Influencer Marketing
Scoma’s started with an existing audience that wasn’t fully engaged on social media. To change that, we focused first on boosting interaction with current followers, while also building brand awareness by reaching new audiences. The goal: position Scoma’s as a must-visit destination for both locals and travelers, and bring the brand to the attention of a younger demographic less familiar with its status.
We partnered with well-known local creators and food influencers, driving over 300,000 combined views in just the first two years and raising awareness specifically within the San Francisco Bay Area. To support our organic content strategy, we layered in a paid approach—boosting select organic posts and launching targeted awareness campaigns that aligned with seasonal priorities.
Over 2.5 years, these efforts added more than 5,700 new followers and delivered 6.4 million impressions, 283,000+ engagements, and over 325,000 video views across Instagram and Facebook.
Photography: Carly Hackbarth