Che Fico Is Back on Divisadero, Four Months After the Fire That Shut It Down
The NoPa Italian restaurant from David Nayfeld and Matt Brewer reopened Oct. 18 after a June 11 fire.
Food
83 STORIESBay Area food news: restaurant openings and closings, food halls, bakeries and dining guides, with links to the original reporting.
Lucania, From the A16 Team, Brings Southern Italian Food to the Ferry Building's Old MarketBar Space
The Basilicata-inspired restaurant fills the former MarketBar Cafe space and would bring the Ferry Building to full occupancy.
Mama Ji's in the Castro Will Close Oct. 31 After 13 Years
The Sichuan favorite at 4416 18th St. opened in 2013; the owners cite a rent hike and retirement.
Lutticken's Closed After 45 Years in Menlo Park. A Former Employee Hopes to Bring It Back
The West Menlo Park deli and caterer, open since 1981, served its last day Sept. 30.
Alameda's Admiral Maltings and The Rake Pub Have Closed
The craft malt house ran its last batch Oct. 2; its pub, The Rake, closed Oct. 18 after nine years.
San Jose's Hotel De Anza Gets the Hedley Club and Palm Court, With Tejer Coming in December
The Cal-India Collective team opened a bar and a courtyard restaurant in September; a third concept, Tejer, is due in December.
Coming to Westfield Valley Fair: Chubby Tan, CHAGEE, Izumi Revolving Sushi and Kajiken
A wave of Asian restaurant concepts is heading to the San Jose mall this fall and winter.
North Beach's 15 Romolo Is Now Aiming for a Mid-November Reopening
The alley bar, owned by Jon and Kelly Anne Gasparini since 1998, has pushed its return to mid-November.
Moonchild, the Bistro Taking Over Fog City's Embarcadero Space: What to Know
The husband-and-wife team signed a Port of SF lease for the landmark diner space and targeted a late-2026 opening.
Rich Table Alum Gizela Ho Will Open Good Morning 96 in the Old Ten-Ichi Space on Fillmore
The Guam-raised chef plans salted duck egg soufflés, stuffed chicken wings and a mezzanine dining room.
Jjamppong Zizon Opens a Second East Bay Noodle House in Downtown Hayward
Spicy seafood jjamppong and black bean jjajangmyeon come to A Street, with its own parking lot.
San Francisco Speakeasies: 11 Hidden Bars and How to Get Into Each One
Pawn a trinket, answer a rotary phone, find the puzzle shop: here's how to get into 11 of San Francisco's speakeasy-style bars, with addresses the venues and major guides list publicly.
Oakland's Hidden Bars in 2026: Moonglow, Clio's and What's Closed
Oakland's hidden-bar scene has shrunk this year. Here's how to get into the speakeasies still open, Moonglow in Uptown and Clio's near Lake Merritt, and which ones are gone.
Bay Area Supper Clubs: How to Get a Seat at Berkeley's Members-Only Dinners and SF's Hidden-Club Chef Series
Supper clubs are the Bay Area's quietest dining scene. Here's what's actually on the calendar this fall, what membership costs, and which clubs are between dates.
Pour Manners Izakaya Takes Over Uptown Oakland's Gold Palm for Three Weeks Starting Nov. 4
Pour Manners' izakaya pop-up takes over the Gold Palm space in Uptown Oakland for three weeks starting Wednesday, Nov. 4, serving yakitori skewers and small plates Wednesday through Saturday nights.
Gamsa Sushi Opens in Rockridge's Former Uzen Space, Bringing Omakase to College Avenue
Gamsa Sushi, a new omakase restaurant from chef Dahan Kim, opened last week at 5415 College Ave. in Rockridge. The space was home to Uzen for about 34 years.
San Jose's Hidden Bars: Alter Ego, S Bar, the Bowery Room and How to Find Them
San Jose has its own hidden bars. Alter Ego sits behind a curtain inside a downtown vinyl bar, S Bar is tucked behind Suspiro at Santana Row, and the Bowery Room is in the back of Five Points. Here is how to get into each.
Berkeley's Hidden Taproom: Tap In Is Behind a Bookshelf on Shattuck Avenue
Tap In, at 2012 Shattuck Ave. in downtown Berkeley, is a self-pour taproom hidden behind a wall of bookshelves. You pour your own beer by the ounce from more than 20 taps.
Levain Bakery's Famous 6-Ounce Cookies Are Coming to Santana Row in Summer 2027
Levain Bakery, the New York bakery known for its giant chocolate chip walnut cookies, will open its first Bay Area and Northern California shop at Santana Row in San Jose. It is set to open in summer 2027.
Zio Fraedo's Closes Its Vallejo Waterfront Restaurant After 20 Years, Citing a City Rent Increase
Zio Fraedo's, the Italian restaurant in the Tudor-style building next to the Vallejo Municipal Marina, closed after final service on Sunday, Oct. 25. The owners say a new rent from the city, their landlord, was more than they could pay. The Pleasant Hill location remains open.
Burlingame's 1941 Post Office Is Now a Restaurant, With Tableside Duck From the Village Pub Team
The team behind the Village Pub and Selby's has turned Burlingame's 1941 Art Deco post office into a restaurant. Dinner is a $120 prix fixe, and the bar has an a la carte menu.
Zephyr Grill & Bar Will Close in Downtown Livermore on Oct. 31 After 22 Years
Zephyr Grill & Bar on First Street in Livermore will close after service on Saturday, Oct. 31. Owners Lynn and Randy Tei said a planned sale of the business fell through.
The Old Clam House at 165: Mission Local's Bayview Review Praises the Chowder and Petrale Sole
Mission Local's new Bayview coverage started with a review of The Old Clam House, which opened in 1861 and reopened in 2022 after a two-year closure. The reviewer called the clam chowder some of the best she's had.
Jagalchi in Daly City: A $95 Pogu Tasting Menu, Kelp-Aged Sushi and a Wall of Instant Ramen
More than a year after it opened at Serramonte Center, Jagalchi is less of a spectacle and more of a regular stop. The SF Standard's new guide covers what to eat there and what to take home.
Saam, the SoMa Thai Debut From Bangkok's Chef Ton, Splits the Critics
Saam opened in July near Oracle Park. It's the first U.S. restaurant from Thitid "Ton" Tassanakajohn, whose Bangkok restaurants Le Du and Nusara hold Michelin stars. Two local food outlets came away with very different takes.
Scott's Seafood Turns 50: Oakland Honors the Jack London Square Restaurant and Its Longtime Chefs
Scott's Seafood Grill & Bar marked 50 years this fall. The Oakland City Council took up a resolution honoring the restaurant and owner Ray Gallagher, and East Bay Nosh profiled the chefs who have run its kitchen for decades.
Marina Beach, the 18-Seat Tamil Bistro Lurie Made Famous, Weighs Going Walk-In Only
Marina Beach opened in June with 18 seats and South Indian and Sri Lankan Tamil food. After a video from Mayor Daniel Lurie in July, its tables booked up through the summer. The owners say they may drop reservations entirely.
Olde Fashioned Brings a Victorian Parlor Bar to Nob Hill's Old Zhuzh Space
Harlan Records co-owner Will Herrera has turned the former Zhuzh space on California Street into Olde Fashioned. It's a neo-Victorian bar with a short list of classic cocktails.
Julius' Castle on Telegraph Hill Now Targets an Early-November Reopening After Nearly 20 Years
Julius' Castle at 1541 Montgomery St. closed in 2007. Owner Paul Scott, who bought it in 2012, now says the reopening is targeted for early November, after an earlier September target.
Black Jet Luncheonette Opens in the Old Trouble Coffee Space on Judah Street
The Bernal Heights bakery Black Jet Baking Co. has opened a second spot, Black Jet Luncheonette, at 4033 Judah St. That's the former home of Trouble Coffee. It sells pastries, toasts and sandwiches to go.
Lima Nikkei Brings Peruvian-Japanese Cooking to Mill Valley's Former El Paseo
A Nikkei restaurant now fills the old El Paseo space in downtown Mill Valley. Lima Nikkei, from founder Edwin Sandoval, serves ceviche, tiradito, maki rolls, robata skewers and pisco cocktails.
Chez Maeju Opens in Rockridge With House-Made Jang and Raw Marinated Crab
Chef Sujin Kim, who ran San Leandro's Maejoo from 2018 to 2022, is back with Chez Maeju in Rockridge. The menu is built around soy sauce, soybean paste and chili paste she makes herself.
Bruma Opens at the Ritz-Carlton on Nob Hill: Fog-Themed Cocktails and Tableside Nitrogen Martinis
The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco opened Bruma, a new 80-seat cocktail lounge inside its 1909 Nob Hill building at 600 Stockton St., on Oct. 12.
Athanor Opens on Sutter Street: Anomaly Chef Mike Lanham Returns With a $175, 10-Course Menu
Chef Mike Lanham closed Anomaly in June, citing burnout. He's back in the same space at 2600 Sutter St. with Athanor, a $175, 10-course tasting-menu restaurant.
Olive Juice Opens on Divisadero: A 'Pretty Healthy' Cafe in an Old Paint Store
Olive Juice, a health-minded cafe from designer Hannah Collins Tate, has opened at 354 Divisadero St. It's starting on the back patio, with indoor dining planned for early next year.
Frenchie Wine Bar Opens at 1007 Guerrero St., Pouring Biodynamic Wine Where Tuba Used to Be
Frenchie Wine Bar, from Natalia Morarasu and sommelier Joel Arias, has opened at 1007 Guerrero St. on the Noe Valley-Mission border, in the longtime home of Tuba.
Kaiyo Handroll Bar Brings Nikkei Hand Rolls and Late-Night Cocktails Back to Union Street
Kaiyo, the Japanese-Peruvian restaurant that closed its Cow Hollow original two years ago, is back at 1838 Union St. as Kaiyo Handroll Bar, open since Sept. 11.
Linea Caffe Opens Third SF Cafe at 3690 18th St., Next to Bi-Rite Creamery
Linea Caffe opened its third San Francisco cafe on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 3690 18th St. in the Mission, next to Bi-Rite Creamery and a short walk from Dolores Park.
Marufuku Ramen Opens in Downtown Burlingame at 225 Lorton Ave.
Marufuku Ramen, the Hakata-style ramen chain that started in San Francisco's Japantown in 2017, opened its Burlingame location at 225 Lorton Ave. on Sunday, Oct. 11.
Passport Cafe & Bar Opens in Redwood City's Former Chez Nous Space on Roosevelt Avenue
Passport Cafe & Bar soft-opened Oct. 2 at 2159 Roosevelt Ave. in Redwood City, taking over the space of Chez Nous, which closed in June. It serves breakfast and lunch daily.
Delage Reopens in Old Oakland Under Chef Kyle Itani, With a $140 Omakase and New Lunch Service
Delage, Old Oakland's omakase sushi restaurant since 2016, reopened Sept. 16 under chef Kyle Itani, of Yonsei Handrolls and Itani Ramen, at 536 Ninth St.
Souk Savanh Reopens in Albany: One of the East Bay's Best Lao Restaurants Lands on San Pablo Avenue
Souk Savanh, a Lao restaurant that closed in East Oakland in 2016 and again in downtown Oakland this year, soft-opened Sept. 28 at 745 San Pablo Ave. in Albany.
Top Dog Is Back in Downtown Berkeley, Inside The BreakRoom Pool Hall on Shattuck
Top Dog has returned to downtown Berkeley with a counter inside The BreakRoom, a pool hall and bar at 2021 Shattuck Ave. It's the chain's first expansion after years of closures.
Hoagie's World of Hoagies Opens on Telegraph Avenue With Philly-Style Subs and a 'World Hoagie of the Month'
Hoagie's World of Hoagies, a Philadelphia-style sandwich shop, opened Sept. 22 at 2618 Telegraph Ave. in Berkeley, in the former Kuboba Spot.
Lillie Coit's Is Open on Washington Square: Oysters Until 1 a.m., a Sign Made From an Old Bar Top and a Nod to Coit Tower
Lillie Coit's, a late-night restaurant and bar on the west side of Washington Square, celebrated its grand opening Oct. 8–11. It is open from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., seven nights a week, and takes walk-ins only.
SF's Pick-and-Mix Candy Boom: Plock, Lil Sweet Treat and Candy's on Haight
Fueled by TikTok and Swedish brands like Bubs, specialty candy shops are spreading across San Francisco. Plock in Cow Hollow sells all-Swedish candy for $18 a pound, and Lil Sweet Treat on Chestnut Street charges $22.40 a pound.
SF's Overnight Wholesale Produce Market in the Bayview Gets the Green Light to Expand
The market, which sells to Bay Area restaurants and grocers overnight six days a week, hopes to break ground in the first half of 2027.
Upstairs, the cafe in a former apartment above Oakland's Snail Bar, is finally pouring coffee
The space opened once before and was quickly shut down by the city. Creative director Sammy Chang says it is still 'really bare bones' while she learns what the neighborhood wants.
O2 Eatery on Solano Avenue is now a daytime-only brunch spot, and its sushi has moved to Albany
Expect omelets at $17–$19, a $22 goddess bowl and a $12 croffle. Weekdays take reservations by phone; weekends are walk-in only.
The Meyhouse team's Turkish bakery, Leyla, is taking orders now and plans a Santa Clara shop in early 2027
The 2,000-square-foot bakery will take over the former Copenhagen Crown Bakery space at 2079 El Camino Real.
Square Pie Guys closes its Palo Alto Cal Ave pizzeria after one year
Founder Marc Schechter said weekend and dinner business in Palo Alto was slow, and the car-free street played a part. The chain is eyeing the North Bay next.
Petaluma's century-old Volpi's gets its 'Check, Please! Bay Area' episode Nov. 5
The Volpi family has run the Washington Street business since 1925, first as a grocery that became a restaurant in 1992. The show airs Thursday, Nov. 5, on KQED.
Franko & Friends brings Ukrainian wine and syrniki to Cow Hollow, now open at night
Owner Iryna Nevozhai named the cafe after Ukrainian writer Ivan Franko. Evening hours run Wednesday through Sunday, 5 to 10 p.m.
Tadich Grill, California's oldest restaurant, began as a Gold Rush coffee stand on a wharf
Tadich started as a Long Wharf coffee stand, took its name from a Croatian immigrant who bought it in 1887, and has broiled fish over mesquite since 1925.
How a San Francisco bar on Hyde Street brought Irish coffee to America
Stanton Delaplane and Jack Koeppler worked through a night of failed attempts, and the cream wouldn't float. A trip to Shannon and help from a dairy-owning mayor fixed it.
It's-It: how a Playland at the Beach treat became San Francisco's signature ice cream sandwich
The It's-It, vanilla ice cream between oatmeal cookies dipped in chocolate, was invented at Playland at the Beach in 1928 and has been made in Burlingame since 1976.
Boudin Bakery: how an 1849 Gold Rush starter became San Francisco's oldest business
Isidore Boudin started his bakery in 1849, blending miners' sourdough with French technique. Boudin calls itself San Francisco's oldest continuously operating business. Here's the history behind the bread bowl.
Caffe Trieste: The North Beach Café That Brought Espresso to the West Coast in 1956
Giovanni "Papa Gianni" Giotta opened Caffe Trieste in North Beach in 1956. Seventy years later it's still roasting coffee and serving as the neighborhood's living room.
Original Joe's: From a 14-Stool Tenderloin Counter in 1937 to a North Beach Institution
Original Joe's served everyone 'from the head politician to the head prostitute' in the Tenderloin for 70 years. A fire forced it out, and it's been in North Beach since 2012.
The Last Swensen's in America Is Still Scooping on Russian Hill
A San Francisco ice cream shop by the cable car tracks became a global chain with hundreds of locations. Today the Russian Hill original is the only Swensen's left in the country.
SF City Attorney and FTC Sue Toast, Alleging Hidden Fees and Hard-to-Cancel Contracts for Restaurants
San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu joined the FTC, Los Angeles County and state attorneys general in a federal lawsuit filed in San Francisco against Toast, the point-of-sale company used by many Bay Area restaurants. Toast says it will fight the case.
The Cheese Board Collective: How a Berkeley Cheese Shop Became a Worker-Owned Institution
The Cheese Board in North Berkeley started as a tiny cheese shop in 1967 and has been 100% worker-owned since 1971. Heading over for Halloween? The pizzeria is closing an hour early on Saturday.
Fentons Creamery: Oakland's Ice Cream Parlor From 1894, Rocky Road Lore and Pixar's 'Up'
Fentons Creamery has been scooping in Oakland since 1894. It claims rocky road as its own, rebuilt after a 2001 arson fire and even turned up in a Pixar movie.
Zachary's Chicago Pizza Marks Employee Ownership Month: How a Rockridge Pizza Shop Became Worker-Owned
October is Employee Ownership Month, and Zachary's Chicago Pizza is celebrating. The East Bay stuffed-pizza favorite has been fully employee-owned since 2011.
Bi-Rite at 86: How a 1940 Mission Corner Grocery Became an SF Food Institution
Bi-Rite started in 1940 as a neighborhood grocery in the Mission. Now it has three markets, a creamery celebrating 20 years and a fourth store planned for the Richmond.
Philz Coffee: From a Mission District Corner Store to Nearly 80 Cafes
Phil Jaber spent more than 25 years running a Mission corner grocery before he and his son Jacob started Philz in 2003. The Bay Area-born pour-over chain looks very different today.
Gott's Roadside: How a St. Helena Burger Stand Became a Bay Area Favorite
Before it was Gott's, it was Taylor's Refresher, a roadside burger stand on Highway 29 in Napa Valley. Here's how two brothers turned it into a chain with a James Beard honor.
Corey's Pizza Brings Staten Island Slices to the Mission
A bartender who started selling pizzas out of his pickup truck now has a Mission storefront at 17th Street. Here's what's on the menu at Corey's Pizza.
Cook's Seafood Closes Both Locations After 98 Years
A note on the door says Cook's Seafood closed all its locations on Oct. 28. The Menlo Park fish market opened in 1928, and the Pleasanton spot was only about a year old.
Merchant Roots Lets Diners Pay What They Want for Its Tasting Menu
Merchant Roots' tasting menu usually costs $238. Once a month since August, diners can pay whatever they want for it instead.
Stereo 41 Turns an Old PG&E Station Into a Walnut Creek Supper Club
The team behind World Famous Hotboys turned a former PG&E service station in downtown Walnut Creek into a Southern restaurant with a hi-fi listening lounge.
Milk Cloud Bakery Brings Shokupan and Basque Cheesecake to Berkeley's Eighth Street
Liz Khuu taught herself to bake Japanese milk bread after a trip to Japan. Her Milk Cloud Bakery now sells shokupan, sandos and cheesecakes on Berkeley's Eighth Street.
Salt & Straw Opens Its First Oakland Shop in Rockridge Nov. 13
The Portland creamery's Rockridge shop will be its ninth in the Bay Area and its second in the East Bay after San Ramon. It takes over the old Ike's space on College Avenue.
Q Specialty Coffee Opens Tea-Focused SoMa Cafe on Nov. 3
The Laurel Heights cafe famous for its in-house roasting and matcha cloud drinks is expanding downtown. Its new shop in the Orrick building will mill matcha fresh.
Oasis Grill Closes Its 1st Street Shop Across From Salesforce Tower After Lease Loss
After nearly 30 years serving shawarma wraps to downtown office workers, Oasis Grill's 1st Street location has closed. The owners say they were blindsided.
Sergeant Ma Brings Shareable Asian-California Plates to Mission Creek
The waterfront restaurant near the Lefty O'Doul Bridge is a tribute to the chef's mother, with dishes like a taro-crusted chicken wing and duck pate with pineapple bun.
Handroll Hawker Brings Melbourne-Style Sushi Rolls to Polk Street
Owner Romi Trower, a former Melbourne filmmaker, built the Russian Hill shop around the grab-and-go sushi rolls sold all over Australia, with chef Tai Trinh on the menu.
T&T Supermarket Opens in San Francisco Nov. 5 at Geary and Masonic
The store at 2675 Geary Blvd. will be the first T&T in the U.S. with a cafe, and it fills a space that has been vacant since 2017.
San Francisco Coffee Festival Marks 10 Years at Fort Mason Nov. 7-8
Each day has a 9 a.m. VIP session, a 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. morning session and a 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. afternoon session, with a service break between.
San Francisco Fall Cider Fest Pours 30-Plus Ciders at Spark Social Nov. 7
This year's theme is Camp Spark, with camp games, fire pits and s'mores. The event is strictly 21 and over.
Flour & Branch Reopens in SF’s South Park With Brunch, Supper and Dessert Dim Sum
Flour & Branch, the bakery run by owner and baker Lauren Arnsdorff, has reopened in a new home at 155A South Park in San Francisco. A soft opening began Oct. 24, and the grand-opening weekend runs Oct. 30 to Nov. 1. The new space adds brunch, supper and dessert dim sum to the pastries.
Miss Ollie’s Chef Sarah Kirnon Cooks a Farewell Dinner at Burdell in Oakland on Sunday
Chef Sarah Kirnon, known for Miss Ollie’s in Old Oakland, cooks a final pop-up at Burdell on Telegraph Avenue on Sunday, Nov. 1, from 5 to 9 p.m. The six-course family-style dinner costs $114 per person and is part of Burdell’s Grandma Series. Kirnon plans to move back to Barbados in 2027.
Guerneville’s Lodge at Dawn Ranch Earns Three Stars From the Chronicle
The San Francisco Chronicle gave the restaurant at the Lodge at Dawn Ranch in Guerneville three stars. Critic MacKenzie Chung Fegan praised the seven-course, $175 “chef’s experience” from chefs Juliana Thorpe and Ignacio “Nacho” Zuzulich. SFist called it the Chronicle’s first three-star review since the paper brought back star ratings.