Marina with boats docked, including a sailboat and a small motorboat, with a sign for 'Scoma's' restaurant and mountains in the background, under a partly cloudy sky.

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.

A digital poster celebrating the return of San Francisco Dungeness crab, featuring a picture of cooked Dungeness crabs and text mentioning crab cocktails, crab Louie, crab cakes, Cioppino, roasted crab, chilled crab, and shelled seafood.
A table set for a meal with a blue and white checkered tablecloth. There is a plate of oysters on ice, a cocktail with a celery stalk, lime wedge, and olive garnish, and empty white plates with silverware wrapped in black napkins.
Circular label with a blue background, orange border, and white decorative outer edge. Text reads 'Crab Season is here' in white cursive font. A cartoon crab with large claws and eyes is centered below the text.
Table set for outdoor meal with seafood, wine, bread, and salad overlooking water.
A cartoon illustration of a red crab holding a pink heart-shaped sign that says 'BE MINE' over a blue striped background.
A plate of mussels with tomato and herbs on a white dish, a glass of white wine, and a slice of lemon cake on a blue and white checkered tablecloth.

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.

Red and black sign with the words "ENTER" in large red letters and "SAN FRANCISCO" underneath in smaller black letters.
A person standing on a surfboard in the water, holding a paddle, with a cloudy sky in the background.
A logo featuring a stylized meat cleaver with sound waves coming from it, and the words "The Infatuation" written next to it.
The logo of the streaming service SFGate in black text on a white background.

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.

  • "It may not be S.F.’s oldest restaurant, but this 60-year-old institution is still a classic"

    SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

  • "The 38 Essential Restaurants in San Francisco"

    EATER SAN FRANCISCO

  • "The Best Clam Chowder In SF"

    THE INFATUATION SAN FRANCISCO

  • "Eggnog lifts holiday spirits as Americans embrace boozy beverage”

    ASSOCIATED PRESS

  • "Where To Find Outstanding Cioppino In San Francisco"

    SFGATE

People dining and socializing on an outdoor patio by the harbor at sunset, with boats and mountains in the background.

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.

A plate with two crab cakes, lemon wedges, a side salad with mixed greens, shredded carrots, and yellow bell peppers, and a small container of dipping sauce. There is a black cloth napkin, a knife, and a fork on a blue and white checkered tablecloth, with a small bowl of cream and bread in the background.
Hands reaching for baked oysters on a salt bed, set on a wooden dining table with various plates of bread, a fork, and a glass of water visible.

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.

Four cocktails on a wooden table with a view of a waterway and buildings outside the window.
Hand squeezing lemon over a seafood platter of oysters on ice with a small dish of cocktail sauce and lemon wedges in the foreground.
A plated gourmet meal featuring a piece of grilled steak topped with lobster meat and cream sauce, served over roasted potatoes and green asparagus.

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.

Outdoor dining area with tables covered in blue-checkered tablecloths, set for meals, overlooking a harbor with boats and ships, and mountains in the distance.

Photography: Carly Hackbarth

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