San Francisco Restaurant Plays Grateful Dead for 78 Days to Honor Bob Weir

Cotogna restaurant is paying tribute to the late Grateful Dead co-founder by playing the band's music for 78 consecutive days.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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Cotogna, a popular Italian restaurant in San Francisco's Jackson Square, has begun playing 78 consecutive days of Grateful Dead music in tribute to the band's co-founder Bob Weir, who passed away at the age of 78. The restaurant's chef-owner, Michael Tusk, is a longtime fan of the band and sees the tribute as an honor to a local icon who meant a lot to the community.

Why it matters

The Grateful Dead helped define San Francisco's cultural identity, and Bob Weir, a San Francisco native, was a co-founder of the iconic band. This tribute at Cotogna, a restaurant located in the shadow of the band's legacy, highlights the enduring impact the Grateful Dead and its members have had on the local community.

The details

Cotogna began playing the Grateful Dead's catalog on January 10, the day Weir died at the age of 78. The music will continue through Day 78, a tribute to Weir's age, which will run into late March. Chef-owner Michael Tusk, who runs the restaurant group that includes Cotogna, Quince, and Verjus, is a loyal fan of the band and sees the tribute as a way to honor a local icon who meant a lot to many people.

  • Cotogna began playing Grateful Dead music on January 10, 2026, the day co-founder Bob Weir died.
  • The music will continue through Day 78, a tribute to Weir's age of 78, which will run into late March 2026.

The players

Cotogna

A popular Italian restaurant in San Francisco's Jackson Square, part of the restaurant group run by Michael and Lindsay Tusk.

Michael Tusk

The chef-owner of Cotogna, Quince, and Verjus, who is a loyal fan of the Grateful Dead and sees the tribute as an honor to a local icon.

Bob Weir

The co-founder of the Grateful Dead, who passed away at the age of 78 and was a San Francisco native.

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What they’re saying

“I am a loyal fan. We are lucky to be a restaurant group located in the hometown of the Grateful Dead. Their music makes the locals truly happy. When they dine or walk past the speakers outside, we can see the smiles and the bobbing heads. Paying homage to a local icon who meant a lot to so many people - it is an honor to do it.”

— Michael Tusk, Chef-owner, Cotogna (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

The tribute at Cotogna is scheduled to continue through late March 2026, marking 78 consecutive days of Grateful Dead music in honor of Bob Weir's age.

The takeaway

This tribute at Cotogna, a restaurant located in the heart of San Francisco's cultural landscape, underscores the enduring legacy of the Grateful Dead and the deep connection the band and its members have with the local community. By honoring Bob Weir, a co-founder and San Francisco native, the restaurant is celebrating the band's lasting impact on the city's identity.