A Glamorous Ghost of the Golden Age.

Once among the most glamorous dining spots on the West Coast, Ernie’s was a San Francisco institution known for its red velvet décor, gold brocade, and old-world elegance. Located on Montgomery Street, it began in the early 20th century as a modest Italian trattoria and evolved under the stewardship of brothers Victor and Roland Gotti into a symbol of high society dining. By the 1950s and '60s, Ernie’s had become synonymous with fine French cuisine, impeccable service, and theatrical opulence. With its tuxedoed waiters, crystal glassware, and lavish multi-course meals, Ernie’s attracted celebrities, socialites, and power players who wanted to see and be seen in its plush, dimly lit booths.

Ernie’s earned a place in film history thanks to Alfred Hitchcock, who chose it as a key setting in his 1958 psychological thriller Vertigo. In the film, Jimmy Stewart’s character follows Kim Novak’s Madeleine to the restaurant, which appears in all its richly ornamented glory. Although Hitchcock recreated the interior on a soundstage, the film immortalized Ernie’s ambiance – sumptuous, mysterious, and steeped in old-world allure. The restaurant’s cameo in Vertigo only enhanced its mystique, turning it into a cinematic shrine for Hitchcock fans. Despite closing in 1995 after nearly 60 years of fame, Ernie’s lives on as a haunting symbol of San Francisco’s mid-century glamour.

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