Asian Box—the lifestyle brand from executive chef Grace Nguyen, culinary director Chad Newton, and fast-casual innovator and CEO, Frank Klein—opened this week in San Francisco.  Located at 170 O’Farrell St. within Macy’s Marketplace at Union Square, Asian Box offers a customizable and health-conscious menu. This is the third location for the expanding lifestyle brand, which originally debuted in Palo Alto, California, in 2012 and later that same year in Mountain View, California. The team will open additional locations in Los Angeles by the end of the year.

“We have a well received product and a great team with which to grow,” says Frank Klein, CEO.  “We are excited about the opportunities on the horizon.”

Asian Box has been hailed as a Breakout Brand by Nation’s Restaurant News, highlighting its focus on ethnic cuisine, healthful cooking approach, and use of sustainable and local products. As a lifestyle brand that bridges the gap between a fast-casual and neighborhood restaurant, Asian Box has become the first Asian gluten-free dining destination of its kind. Offering a chef-driven, cooked-to-order menu with all house-made sauces and marinades, Asian Box aims to be operate transparently.

"Asian Box provides the perfect dining option for our local San Francisco shopper, with fresh, local, and natural ingredients," says Warren Wolfe, group vice president of food services. "Whether customers are looking for a quick bite to go, or a relaxing break during their shopping experience, Asian Box is a convenient and delicious option within Macy's Union Square."

Executive chef Grace Nguyen, formerly of Charles Phan’s Slanted Door and Out The Door, and Asian Box culinary director Chad Newton, collaborate on the menu, blending foods found in Southeast Asia with a Northern California approach to cuisine. Nguyen’s Vietnamese heritage and classic training, mixed with Newton’s experience in California restaurants, results in a menu that is full of local ingredients, with menu items starting at $7.25.