Bini’s Kitchen

Bini’s Kitchen is the first brick-and-mortar outpost for immigrant entrepreneur Binita Pradhan, owner and chef, and native of Kathmandu, Nepal. Bini’s business launched in the shared incubator kitchen at La Cocina, a non-profit organization that empowers entrepreneurs to break into the food and restaurant industry.

This new 1,570-square-foot space represents a major physical upgrade for Bini’s 8-year-old business, which was based out of La Cocina’s incubator kitchen and a tiny downtown kiosk for many years. Bini’s Kitchen is now in a bright and cheerful permanent space with increased capacity in a high-visibility location.

DBA_Inside worked with a local contractor, artist, fabricator, and suppliers—all offering pro bono, at cost, or reduced-fee services—to help Bini realize her goal of an expanded restaurant space and place of community. The restaurant features an open kitchen, counter service, seating, high ceilings, custom display cases, and a standing bar looking out toward the SOMA neighborhood.

Local artist Radici Studios created an “ancestry mural” for the space, speaking deeply with Bini to learn about her life and path to create a personalized mural that highlights scenes and symbols central to Bini’s powerful story.

This mural frames a window at Bini’s desk in the kitchen, where her friendly face greets patrons, arriving employees, deliveries, and other visitors. Several panels are placed to be visible from the street, bringing art to the sidewalk and enticing people to come inside. Social connectedness and relationships are central to Bini’s values in her business, and this moment in the design is a celebration and facilitation of this.