This is a list of the Bay Area’s most notable restaurant and bar openings, with new updates published once a week. Did we miss something great? Please, drop us a line.

October 18

FIDI — The Barrel Room returns from its pandemic closure, reopening for dinner at 415 Sansome Street on Tuesday, October 18. It promises to be a wine-soaked affair with more than 1,000 bottles on the restaurant and bar’s list, plus some 50 options by the glass and the chance to explore specific varietals via a selection of blind wine flights. The food menu includes sharable plates, pasta, and entrees such as an herb-marinated rack of lamb and Dungeness crab cakes. Dinner will be served Tuesday through Friday from 5 to 10 p.m.

MISSION — As first spotted by Tablehopper, there’s a new Yucatan restaurant opening at 3224 22nd Street in the Mission. Chef-owner Javier León took to Instagram to announce the opening of Al Carajo on October 18. Fans may know León from his time running the business out of a trailer, but now he’s moving into a permanent space and serving from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The online menu includes tacos, ceviche, and Yucatean dishes such as panucho and salbute.

NOE VALLEY — Chef Tracy Goh has moved her popular Malaysian laska pop-up Damansara into a permanent space at 1781 Church Street in Noe Valley on Wednesday, October 19. Goh is a graduate of the La Cocina incubator program for food entrepreneurs and at Damansara’s first restaurant home, she plans to serve small plates including cereal fried chicken with salted egg sauce, a bak kwa sando filled with house sweet BBQ pork jerky, and larger plates including laska and vegan laska. Damansara will be open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m.

Aron Pruiett

Aron Pruiett

OAKLAND — Eater SF had the first look at Yonsei Handrolls, the new and unabashedly non-traditional Japanese restaurant from chef Kyle Itani (Itani Ramen, Nikkei Sushi). Itani says he’s not sticking to the classics with the menu of open-face sushi rolls, instead opting for combos like soy-cured tuna, seared albacore with black garlic compound butter, and even kimchi fried rice with Spam and egg. The restaurant, which opened on Wednesday, October 12, is located at 1738 Telegraph Avenue and serves dinner from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

OAKLAND — Tacos El Último Baile has been a beloved East Bay staple for more than half a decade and now has a restaurant to call its own at 3340 East 12th Street, #11, inside the Fruitvale Public Market. Chef and owner Dominic Prado opened the doors on October 15 and is now serving street-style tacos with grilled meats on handmade flour tortillas out of the former Nyum Bai space.

PALO ALTO — Per Palo Alto Online, 326 University Avenue is home to a new Peruvian restaurant called Lima Ruby. Owner John Lee was also behind Burma Ruby, which formerly operated in the space, and owns sister Palo Alto restaurant Rangoon Ruby and Ají Limo in Belmont. The Lima Ruby menu offers a range of ceviche options, plus various types of stir-fry called saltado.

LOS ALTOS — Georgian restaurant Bevri, a Palo Alto favorite, has opened a new restaurant in Los Altos, an Eater SF tipster shared. The second outpost is located at 325 Main Street in Los Altos and is already serving khachapuri adjaruli and khinkali dumplings Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 9 p.m.

October 11

CHINATOWN — Bartender Derrick Li opened his new bar Blind Pig in the storied Cathay House last week, with a drinks menu filled with his award-winning cocktails. The bar highlights the Chinese liquor, baijiu, in its mixed drinks, and includes some showier options like the smoked cocktail, Smoke Umami.

DESIGN DISTRICT — The newest restaurant from the Niku and Dumpling Time team is Rosemary and Pine, helmed by chef Dustin Falcon, who will be running the shows at both this new spot and Niku. Opening October 13, the menu is a more personal one for Falcon, who is folding in his East Coast roots into the offerings, such as roasted red gulf snapper.

UNION SQUARE — Japanese listening bars have become more popular stateside, and the newly opened Harlan Records is taking its aesthetic cues from the growing bar genre. The setup includes some serious speakers and a record collection that serves as both vinyl to spin and decor, with music-inspired cocktails to boot.

OAKLAND — Thee Stork Club is a music venue-slash-bar that reopened October 7 in Oakland under new ownership after shutting down permanently in 2020. Gone are the sticker- and concert poster-laden walls of its previous iteration; instead, the venue has gotten a campy glow-up featuring an all-red room and casino-style carpeting. Expect “old-school” cocktails on the menu, such as appletinis and Harvey Wallbangers.

CALISTOGA — Auro debuted October 7 at Four Seasons Napa Valley, led by chef (and Top Chef contestant) Rogelio Garcia, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Auro is the fine dining option at the hotel, featuring a “constantly changing tasting menu,” that will serve as the sister restaurant to the more-casual option, Truss (also led by Garcia).

SAUSALITO — Three new restaurants are set to debut at Cavallo Point on October 13 — Farley, Sula, and Sula Lounge — all led by chef Michael Garcia. The more-casual Farley will focus on comfort foods; meanwhile, Sula will center around small plates, while Sula Lounge will serve as a “sleek late-night accompaniment to Sula,” with its own menu.

ST. HELENA — The Meadowood resort has opened a new restaurant on its property, Forum, run by chef Scot Livingston (formerly of La Toque), the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Though it’s not the return of the anticipated Restaurant at Meadowood — which burned down in the 2020 Glass Fire — it is a more casual option comparatively, with a $98 four-course tasting menu.

CARMEL — Chez Noir made its debut in Carmel on October 7, powered by married couple and co-owners Jonny Black and Monique Black and influenced by their fine dining backgrounds. The menu is seasonal, and will focus on local ingredients such as squid from Monterey Bay and sea urchin from Santa Barbara.

October 4

CIVIC CENTER — On September 30 the LINE SF Hotel, at the intersection of Turk and Market streets, opened the doors to Tenderheart, the newest restaurant in the neighborhood. Chef Joe Hou dishes up Chinese American fare such as lionhead meatballs and sweet and sour quail (a dish he anticipates will be a crowd pleaser) to hotel guests and city-dwelling diners alike.

BERKELEY — Signal Coffee Roasters opened at 1707 Solano Avenue on September 8. Berkeleyside reports the Alameda-based coffee company opened in the former Brazilian Breads location, and owner Brendan Doherty told the outlet that exclusive coffee and pastry options will be available at the new shop.

BERKELEY — Trattoria La Siciliana closed up shop in the Elmwood neighborhood, and KaoKao Grill is the new tenant at 2993 College Avenue. Berkeleyside writes the same owners behind Huangcheng Noodles are running the new restaurant which offers items such as Applewood-smoked chicken and char siu-style pork.

TIBURON — Petite Left Bank, serving baked oysters and lobster frites to the North Bay, opened on September 22. Chef Roland Passot of French restaurant Left Bank in Larkspur is dishing up the seafood at this new Marin County restaurant.

SACRAMENTO — Dim Dim Food brings dim sum to the Greenhaven neighborhood of Sacramento. The Sacramento Bee reports California’s capital recently saw a whole slew of new restaurants and cafes open, and that the new dim sum shop offers everything from chicken feet to wife cakes.

September 27

UNION SQUARE — From the geniuses behind Pie Punks comes listening bar Harlan Records, which opened on September 23. Given the proximity to San Francisco’s jazz scene, circa 1950s and 60s, the bar takes over the former Bar Fluxus location to offer Hi-Fi vibes and vintage cocktails such as negronis and dirty martinis — all stirred, not shaken.

SOMA — The newest restaurant from the Alexander’s Steakhouse group, Afici is a choose-your-own adventure expedition into Wagyu and pasta. The luxurious outpost for fresh pasta and whole animal butchery opened on September 24; this restaurant is for fans of $183 caviar pairings, urchin-topped spaghetti, and a four-course prix-fixe menu running $125 per person.

SOMA — The St. Regis San Francisco, a 5-star luxury hotel, launched its newest signature restaurant Astra last month. The restaurant offers a swanky dining experience with cocktails to match. Each night a bottle of champagne is ceremoniously sabred — not to be missed.

MARINA — Causwell’s big time burgers, with a huge fanbase all on their own, are back as of September 27. Chef Adam Rosenblum spearheaded a menu expansion and interior redesign; now the restaurant offers Detroit cast iron crispy cheesy bread (which Rosenblum thinks will surprass his burger in popularity) alongside mixologist Elmer Mejicanos’ wide array of new drinks.

BERNAL HEIGHTS — After a temporary Hotel Zeppelin pop-up, Michelin-starred Marlena resumed service on September 26 in its revamped and redesigned restaurant at 300 Precita Avenue. Four-course tasting menus showcasing hamachi crudo and grilled beef cheeks run $65 per person. The interior is all new, however: a handsome bar and deep blue tables bring a modernity to the renovated 110-year-old Edwardian building.

MILL VALLEY — Having officially opened its doors on September 27 in Mill Valley, the newest Local Kitchens location will feature seven different restaurant concepts, including Oren’s Hummus, the Melt, Sushirrito, Proposition Chicken, the Plant, Wise Sons and Fiorella.

EL CERRITO — The former Nong Thon Vietnamese Restaurant space on San Pablo Avenue is now Tigon, sporting a host of Vietnamese food and drink. Berkelyside reports the change of the guard took place in mid-September.

September 20

NORTH BEACH — Richmond District fine dining restaurant Cassava has finally made its move to North Beach. The titan of the admittedly niche Japanese brunch scene in San Francisco will host a ribbon-cutting at its grand opening September 29. The new location is 401 Columbus Avenue, coincidentally the exact location of restaurant owners Yuka Ioroi and Kris Toliao’s first date.

MISSION — Cauliflower opened on 16th Street to bring a cozy, home-cooked vibe to the neighborhood. The owners of Lers Ros Thai are behind this lowkey restaurant, conveniently just down the street from one of the mini-chain’s locations.

EMERYVILLE — The Sunday, a new Korean American restaurant, is now open at 40th and Adeline Streets. Berkeleyside reports that there isn’t much to know just yet beyond the menu and address.

BERKELEY — State Flour Pizza Company is bringing even more square pizza to the Bay Area. Berkeleyside reports Derek Lau’s new pizza place is open ahead of schedule, currently serving pies Tuesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. (with expanded hours to roll out soon).

EL CERRITO — David Fan got the idea to start a boba shop when he visited San Francisco as a 10-year-old kid. Berkeleyside reports that his business, Lilikoi Boba, has locations all throughout California, and, most recently opening at 3080 El Cerrito Plaza.

SAN LEANDRO — Fieldwork Brewing planted its eighth flag in the Bay Area, this time an enormous one on West Juana Avenue. The new location boasts 32 taps pouring IPAs and stouts of all makes and flavors, including a creamy chocolate milk stout and a salted and sour blueberry gose.

September 13

SOMA — Claude the Claw, the famous fried chicken sandwich served with a full claw intact, is back: the couple behind Michelin-starred Birdsong opened their first fast-causal restaurant Birdbox in early September. It’s a fancy fried chicken shack featuring all organic and sustainably raised chicken, which can be enjoyed in sandwiches or with sides such as coleslaw, cornbread, and fries.

CASTRO — The former Nash Hot Chicken & Ramen restaurant space at 3970 17th Street is now home to Niji Japanese Sushi & Bar, Hoodline reports. It’s the same owners, who “kept much of the interior the same but added a fresh coat of paint, new decorations, and sushi bar seating.” The menu spans sushi rolls, nigiri, maki sushi, donburi, and temaki.

CASTRO — Say adios to Papi Rico as the storefront at 544 Castro Street is now Dumpling Kitchen, a second outpost from the folks behind the restaurant of the same name in the Outer Sunset. Dumpling Kitchen specializes in Shanghai cuisine, owner Michael Shao tells Hoodline, so look for handmade dumplings, of course, plus sweet vinegar spare ribs, Dongpo braised pork, Sichuan shredded pork with garlic sauce, and mapo tofu.

OAKLAND — Cafe Colucci has made the transition into its new space at 849 San Pablo Avenue in North Oakland, Berkeleyside reports. The Ethiopian restaurant has been open for more than three decades and will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner alongside cocktails and live music now that the owners have room to grow.

OAKLAND — There’s a new takeout and delivery-only dining option at Oakland’s Longfellow Food Hall, Berkleyside also reports. Jungdon Katsu offers a tight menu of fried dishes including pork tenderloin katsu, chicken katsu, and fried Spam.

SAN LEANDRO — Berkeley-born beer maker Fieldwork Brewing Company rolled open the garage doors at its newest and biggest location yet in San Leandro on September 9. Drinkers have thousands of square feet of outdoor space to spread out in and explore everything pouring from the beer garden’s 32 taps.

PALO ALTO — Ethel’s Fancy, the hotly anticipated Palo Alto restaurant from Hawaii-native and fine dining alum Scott Nishiyama, is finally open at 550 Waverley Street, the Mercury News reports. Despite the name, it’s not quite as fancy as some of the places where Nishiyama worked previously (including the French Laundry and Michelin-starred Chez TJ) but the menu offers griddled milk bread, pork ribs with Japanese curry, and strawberry kinako Pop-Tarts.

SACRAMENTO — Cocomilk Cafe, a Laotian dessert cafe, started serving “golden grams,” a dish made with mashed mung beans and coconut boiled in egg yolks and syrup, in the Little Saigon neighborhood in south Sacramento, the Bee reports.

September 7

EMBARCADERO — STK Steakhouse, a newly opened restaurant from One Group Hospitality, Inc., made its debut at 1 Market Street. It’s a self-described destination for “Vibe Dining at its finest,” according to a press release with “spectacular views and plentiful outdoor space to enjoy elevated culinary selections, world-famous cocktails and live music spun by renowned DJs.” As for the actual food, expect steaks, salads, seafood, cocktails, and happy hour specials.

MISSION — Those looking for a bar exploring Spanish wines and small plates should head over to the newly opened El Chato, which took over the space at 2301 Bryant Street. Owner Rafa Saenz is running the food menu, which offers pintxos, salads, and cured meats. Meanwhile, co-owner Erin Rickenbaker (formerly the wine director of Bellota) is running the wine program, which heavily features wines from Spain and a sprinkling of options from France, Portugal, and California. There will also be a selection of bottles to-go, and if you’ve ever wanted the porrón experience — you know, where the wine is poured directly into your mouth — El Chato is more than willing to oblige.

OAKLAND — Those who enjoy the fun vibes and aesthetic of Farmhouse Thai will want to head over to chef Kasem Saengsawang’s new spot in Oakland, Noka Ramen. As the San Francisco Chronicle notes, the restaurant will serve various types of ramen, from tonkotsu to showier options like the lobster shio ramen, which comes with a whole dang Maine lobster. The location will also serve whimsical cocktails alongside its “glam jungle” decor.

EMERYVILLE — Humphry Slocombe, known for its inventive (and occasionally boozy) ice cream flavors, is set to open its third East Bay outpost on Bay Street in Emeryville on September 13. The ice cream shop held a soft opening this past weekend, the Eville Eye reported.

EMERYVILLE — The Eville Eye also caught another opening on the horizon: The Sunday is moving onto Adeline Street, with plans to soft open September 15. The restaurant will serve up “contemporary Korean American fusion” for brunch and dinner.

UNION CITY — Those who’ve patronized Doughweime at local farmers markets will be pleased to learn that the business has opened a new bakery in Union City, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Expect more of the baked goods that popularized Doughweime — which incorporate Asian flavors such as ube, salted egg, and adzuki bean — to fill up the storefront, which is currently open Thursday through Friday.

SACRAMENTO — New pizza spot Frankie’s Pizza threw open its doors last month in Old Sacramento, sliding into the former 2 Grand Saloon location, the Sacramento Bee reports. The pizzeria’s “secret weapon” is apparently its high-quality cheese, and the shop serves a thin-crust style of pizza with plans to add deep dish in the upcoming months.

August 30

OUTER SUNSET — In the former Le Frio space at 2575 Judah Street, a new cafe quietly took over: It seems Judah Cafe opened in mid-May along the N-Line with a minimal, modern coffee shop look to it. Interestingly, a “Coffee Shop For Sale” sign is already hanging in the window.

BERKELEY — The day has finally come: Cafe Ohlone opens Thursday, September 1 for tea hour reservations, with dinner reservations available in October. The San Francisco Chronicle reports the new location of the much-anticipated restaurant is in the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology at UC Berkeley.

SACRAMENTO — Bodega opened in the former Riverside Sports Bar at 6401 Riverside Boulevard. Valley Community Newspapers sat down with one of the new Caribbean restaurant owners Chris Sinclair who spoke highly of the restaurant’s cubanos, empanadas, and mussels.

PALO ALTO — In downtown Palo Alto, the luxurious el PRADO Hotel just debuted its new Tapas Bar. Executive chef Enrique Michel curated the menu for the bar, nestled on the second floor, which centers primarily on small bites, Spanish wine, and custom cocktails like the Fresas del Prado with muddled strawberries, vodka, and fresh lime.

SAN JOSE — Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, a Japanese master chef known for his innovative and signature style of cuisine, will open his popular ramen concept, Momosan Santana Row on Friday, Sept. 2. Hoodline reports the restaurant, located at 378 Santana Row, one of San Jose’s mega malls, will feature the Iron Chef’s signature and newly developed take on Momosan dishes, plus a wide array of beer, wine, whiskey and sake.

August 23

MISSION — The 16th Street fixture Giordano Bros. wasn’t going to go down without a fight. Mission Local let readers know the bar reopened under new ownership as Rudi’s, as longtime fans Rudi Rughoonundon and Ollie Pender bought the spot with promises to keep the french fry-style sandwiches flowing into the Mission.

UPPER HAIGHT — Kezar Pub’s sister bar Mad Dog in the Fog is now open at a new spot, up the street from its former location in the Lower Haight. Hoodline reports the 30-year-old bar managed a phoenix-esque return on August 15 when it reopened in a renovated space across the street from Club Deluxe.

CASTRO — Ultra intimate and classy restaurant Poesia just expanded downstairs (into the former Cafe Reveille space) with Poesia Cafe. Hoodline broke the news that Naples-born Giovanni Liguoro joined the Poesia team to bake goods like cornetto, margherita pizza, and focaccia — all from a mother sourdough starter. At night, the cafe will act as an expansion to Poesia.

EMERYVILLE — Alice Walker must have a pretty good personal chef, right? Calypso Rose Kitchen is the first time the rest of us can be 100 percent sure. Nosh reports Verna McGowan’s restaurant opened on August 20 focusing on Caribbean dishes like Guyanese oxtail pepper pot with yellow rice and plantains.

OAKLAND — As of September 1 East Bay sandwich lovers can get OK’s Deli at 3932 Telegraph Avenue. SFGATE reports Albert Ok gained a quick following for his riffing on Asian American deli goods, like the Sichuan spiced Taiwanese-style fried chicken sandwich.

OAKLAND — The Rendez-Vous opened at 5526 Martin Luther King Jr. Way and, according to Nosh, husband-and-wife team Johnelle Mancha and Brian Hill are paying a trippy, artsy homage to France. The couple sourced decor made between the 1920s and 1970s to complete its look and serves dishes like beet-cured halibut with a bit of old-school class as of August.

SACRAMENTO — Sacramento born-and-raised Lucía Plumb-Reyes opened Moonbelly Bakery at 6511 Folsom Boulevard on August 19. The Sacramento Bee says to come for croissants, grissini bread sticks, fruit preserves, and much more. The name for the bakery comes from a family nickname.

August 16

SOMA — La Societe swings open its doors inside the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Downtown SOMA on Tuesday, August 16. It’s the first Bay Area project from TableOne Hospitality, the spinoff restaurant group from a cadre of Mina Group alums, and executive chef Alexandre Viriot has a whole host of French bistro and brasserie classics on offer including French onion soup, moule-frites, duck liver pate, and more. Take a first look inside and at the menu here.

MISSION — The Mochi Muffin magnates at Third Culture Bakery officially debuted their newest “showroom” at 1186 Valencia Street. Now you can stop by from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily for mochi everything and iced matcha.

WALNUT CREEK — Head to the newly opened European Delights Bakery, located at 2236A Oak Grove Road in Walnut Creek, for a menu of savory and sweet baked goods including “muffins, cakes, pretzels, sweet and savory brioches and hard-to-find treats, like eggplant pastries and a Romanian pretzel-wrapped hot dog called a covridog,” per the Mercury News.

SAN CARLOS — Byte Kitchen, a restaurant technology company, opened its second Noshery digital food hall on August 20 in San Carlos. Head to the food hall website to order from restaurants including Kasa Indian Eatery, Oren’s Hummus, the Little Chihuahua, Humphry Slocombe, and more.

PALO ALTO — As of August 9, there’s a new steakhouse open on the Penninsula, Palo Alto Online reports. Arya Steakhouse, from husband-and-wife team Mike and Fera Hashemi, relocated to 140 University Avenue after closing up shop in Redwood City. Reservations and menus are available online.

LOS GATOS — Oakland-based coffee roaster Blue Bottle put down roots at 29 University Avenue in Los Gatos, the Mercury News reports. The new coffee shop is the company’s 25th Bay Area outpost and fourth in Santa Clara County.

EL DORADO HILLS — Almighty Food Co., that “hyperlocal” restaurant from Bouchon alum Nick Dedier and partner Alexa Hazelton, has opened at 4355 Town Center Boulevard in El Dorado Hills. Check out the lunch, dinner, and brunch menus on the Almighty Food Co. website.

August 9

SOMA — Tablehopper spotted the newly opened Cafe Suspiro in SoMa, a new coffee shop that slid into the former home of Vega Cafe at 1246 Folsom Street. Pop in for the usual beverage options — Americanos, lattes, and good ol’ fashioned coffee — while owner Raul Sanchez, works on a fuller build-out, which he’s gathering financial support for on GoFundMe.

CASTRO — Also via Tablehopper comes confirmation of the Castro’s newest coffee shop and cafe. Poesia Cafe, from the folks behind the cozy Italian restaurant of the same root name, moved into the former Reveille Coffee space and is serving coffee and pastries.

HAYES VALLEY — The latest offering from Hat Trick Hospitality, the group behind the Bixton and Rambler, comes Hazie’s, a new restaurant and bar opening in Hayes Valley on Thursday, August 11. The menu spans the usual suspects like a burger, wings, and salmon while cocktails include sharable options designed for two or three drinkers.

DOGPATCH — The many fans of fast-casual Greek sensation Souvla will be happy to hear about the company’s latest location, which includes a new meze menu and expanded Greek wine selection. Souvla Dogpatch opens Tuesday, August 16 and in addition to the usual mix of salads and wraps, diners can sit down at the bar for a full-service experience, ordering plates like feta-brined rotisserie chicken, chilled octopus salad, and dolmades. Take a peek at the airy dining room and towering back bar here.

BERKELEY — Delirama opened its doors at 1746 Solano Avenue in Berkeley on August 8 and, as KQED puts it, the owners are “putting pastrami on everything.” The new deli comes from the same people behind pop-ups Pyro’s Pastrami and Psychedelic Pizza and at this new permanent outpost, they’re serving pastrami in sandwiches, tacos, and even bialys.

PALO ALTO — Taiwan-based boba tea shop Rabbit Rabbit Tea expanded its footprint in the South Bay with a new location at Palo Alto’s Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto Online reports. The shop opened last month and serves “boba tea drinks and soft serve ice cream inspired by their most popular boba tea flavors.”

SACRAMENTO — Though co-owners Rafael Jimenez Rivera, Chris Sinclair, and Emily Neuhauser initially planned to open a Puerto Rican restaurant, when Bodega Kitchen & Cocktails opens at 6401 Riverside Boulevard in Sacramento’s Greenhaven neighborhood it’ll be a “Californian-pan-Caribbean” restaurant, the Bee reports. Expect Cuban sandwiches, mojitos, Cuba Libres, and ham-and-cheese-filled pan de mallorcas.

August 1

SOMA — After two and a half years out of the game, Bar Agricole returns to the Bay Area cocktail scene Wednesday, August 3. Owner Thad Vogler tells Eater SF it was a long road and that “nothing was certain” about the bar’s reopening — but now he and a team that includes a number of original core staffers plus former Bar Tartine chef Nick Balla are moving forward under a sociocratic management model. Reservations for the bar and restaurant, which the team calls the “tasting room,” are open now on Tock.

TENDERLOIN — Azalina’s is back. Or at least, it will be as of September 1 when owner Azalina Eusope reopens her eponymous Malaysian restaurant at 499 Ellis Street in the Tenderloin. KQED reports the restaurant will be open for dinner only and will serve a 5-course tasting menu for $100 including beverage pairings, a significant departure from the plans she shared with Eater SF for the space back in 2020.

HAYES VALLEY — Get your popcorn fix at Fluff Nugget, a new snack shop in Hayes Valley that opened July 21. The menu includes sweet and savory popcorn topped with off-the-wall ingredients like smoked brisket, dried strawberries, and pesto.

SOUTH BEACH — Take yourself out to a ball game and don’t forget to swing by the new Underdogs Cantina, which opened last month just outside Oracle Park. The menu includes tacos, burritos, and margaritas in a family-friendly setting complete with Skee-Ball and other games.

EMERYVILLE — Naru Sushi is now serving sushi, bento boxes, and donburi at the Emeryville Public Market from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. the E’ville Eye reports.

BERKELEY — It’s dumpling time for the East Bay, which is to say popular dim sum mini-chain Dumpling Time will open its newest location in downtown Berkley on Thursday, August 4. The restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner starting Friday serving shrimp har gow, soup dumplings, and flaky Chinese doughnuts.

BERKELEY — KōL Juice Bar is now open at 1926 Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley. Expect a menu of drinks made with no added ice, sugar, or water; options include cold-pressed juice, smoothies, and “collagen boba” made with agar and collagen.

SACRAMENTO — The Bee brings good news for fans of deep-fried dough: Sacramento welcomed a new doughnut shop called Doughbot and it’s backed by the talents of Alison Clevenger, who spent time at some of the city’s best bakeries and restaurants including Ginger Elizabeth, the Kitchen, Ella, and OBO’ Italian Table & Bar. Pick up a dozen molasses pecan bars and Everything But The Bagel malasadas at 2030 10th Street.

July 26

SOMA — After shopping at everyone’s favorite tech mogul-owned grocer Whole Foods, SoMa residents can now head across the street for a wide array of Middle Eastern and Yemeni coffees and pastries at Delah Coffee House. The shop opened in late June and held a grand opening on July 15. Ownership says they’ve had a packed house until their late closing hour of 10 p.m. almost every night.

MISSION — Breakfast Little, the tiny restaurant that welcomed sister location Emmitas Cafe earlier this year, just moved into a much bigger space just up the street. As of July 9, fans of the breakfast burrito or decadent oatmeal can get their fix at 3275 22nd Street. On August 1, indoor dining will be available, but for now, a few tables and chairs decorate the sidewalk out front.

OAKLAND — The announcement of Miss Ollie’s closing was bad news across the Bay Area. But now chef-owner Sarah Kirnon has opened Holder’s House in the Forage Kitchen events space. According to Nosh, the name comes from the 17th-century plantation Holder’s House in Barbados. Kirnon told the outlet it’s “a pop-up, basically,” so diners need to check Kirnon’s Instagram for daily menus and hours. They’re looking forward to catering and always happy to discuss their arts preservation nonprofit Sanctuary.

SUNNYVALE — Southern California farm-to-table chain Urban Plates expands its Bay Area footprint with its newest location in Sunnyvale, which opened on July 11. Already in Pleasant Hill and Dublin, the South Bay expansion brings the salads, sandwiches, and paleo power to a whole new pocket of the region.

July 19

INNER SUNSET — Residents of the west side of San Francisco no longer need to wonder what will replace Pluto’s on Irving Street; El Rancho Grande opened its newest location this week in the former salad shop space. Whether it be on Divisadero or Haight Street, fans know this restaurant for its late hours and birria tacos.

INNER SUNSET — In case you missed it, food-truck-gone-restaurant Lomo Libre opened this month. Chef Jose Calvo Perez grew up in the city, and his latest restaurant is the continuation of his commitment to his family and his Peruvian culture. Drop by the restaurant, in the former Underdogs space on Irving Street, for ceviche, pisco sours, and mezcal.

MILL VALLEY — On July 21 fans of the salad-forward power lunch can head to the first Mixt in Marin County. Not only does this opening break ground for the chain, but it’s the only location in the area to offer beer and wine. A grand opening celebration will be held on Thursday, July 28, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

SANTA CLARA — La Casa Mia, a self-described Japanese inspired Italian restaurant, opened on July 15 with a Spanish name. Everything from wasabi French fries to fried oysters to custom pizzas is on deck. The owners also run Orenchi Ramen, Sumika, and Obaitori.

MILPITAS — In related news: Obaitori Ramen opened on July 16 with four different ramens and daily house-made noodles. The restaurant, along with sister business La Casa Mia, announced its opening on Instagram. The San Francisco Chronicle writes that the restaurant may fly under the radar, but to miss the dishes here would be a mistake.

SAN MATEO — Without a whisper, Chinese bakery Simply Cake opened in downtown San Mateo in the beginning of July. Curious diners can anticipate matcha toast, Hokkaido sponge cakes, pork floss buns, and a “Spirited Away”-meets-Bay Area mural on the wall.

SAN MATEO — The Chronicle writes that Ox 9 is maybe the first restaurant dedicated to Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles in the Bay Area. The menu is all about customizable bowls of soup at the third location of this popular Peninsula restaurant. The outpost opened at the top of July.

FOSTER CITY — The Bay Area’s newest location of Crumbl Cookies opens July 22. While not every chain restaurant location warrants an write-up, store co-owner Nezar Ateyeh’s childhood in San Mateo County, and degree from College of San Mateo and UC Davis, make this a sweet moment for hometown pride. He and co-owner and wife Nora Ateyeh will hold a ribbon cutting Thursday, July 28, at 5 p.m.

MOUNTAIN VIEW — Vinod Guduri and Madhu Salvaji are taking their more than 10 years of restaurant wisdom to Mountain View with the newest location of their restaurant Hyderabad Dum Biryani Indian Cuisine. Palo Alto Online reports the original locations in Milpitas and Fremont, as well as the new outpost, feature 10 varieties of biryani and plenty of smaller dishes, too.

LOS ALTOS — Palo Alto’s Bevri, one of the Bay Area’s few Georgian food options, opened in Los Altos in the beginning of July, the Chronicle reports. Georgian wines, cheesy khachapuri, and well-seasoned khinkali are all on the menu at the new location, just as they were at the first.

LOS GATOS — An entirely gluten-free Italian restaurant is a heaven send for the paisanos with celiac out there. Yvonne Khananis, owner of Polenteria, is well aware. The Mercury News reports she’s excited to offer polenta, yes, but also gluten-free bread, bruschetta, and, someday, her own pasta.

July 12

BAYVIEW — The Old Clam House lives once again: The 161-year-old restaurant reopened after a two-year closure that included a sale and change in ownership. Now, the new owners — also behind Mona Lisa restaurant in North Beach — quietly reopened the restaurant in recent weeks, which was spied by Tablehopper first. (And yes, there are clams aplenty on the new, updated menu.)

EMBARCADERO — With the news that 1 Hotel San Francisco opened along the Embarcadero early last month in the former Hotel Vitale spot, comes the fact that its “massive restaurant” Terrene has also thrown open its outdoor patio doors along with it. The San Francisco Chronicle covered the hotel opening, and wrote the restaurant promises to source all of its ingredients within 50 miles of the Bay Area; the outdoor rooftop garden should help with that.

INNER RICHMOND — Cantina Los Mayas is a new wine bar opening on July 14, with the mission of serving Mexican wines exclusively, the San Francisco Chronicle also reports. Although they probably aren’t the first in the country to run a Mexico-focused wine list, it will be a first for the Bay Area, and the new bar comes courtesy of the folks behind Taqueria Los Mayas. Expect the food menu to incorporate Mayan and Yucatecan dishes.

MISSION — The rebrand and makeover of Flour + Water Pizzeria is complete, and in its place Yellow Moto Pizzeria opened as of July 6. Owner David White parted ways with the Flour + Water Hospitality Group, redesigning his new pizzeria into “a very fun, tongue-in-cheek, not serious experience.” Much of the menu will remain from the changeover, albeit with more “lighter and vegetable-filled options” and a new bar.

MISSION — Ancora is the seafood-focused restaurant from sustainable seafood company Water2Table owners Andi and Joe Conte, and chef Nick Anichini. The new restaurant opened July 6 in the former Locanda spot with an obvious focus on fish and seafood, as well as the Bay Area’s abundance of produce.

SFO — Proper Food continues its expansion throughout San Francisco: the grab-and-go chain opened a new location in Terminal 1 of San Francisco International Airport on July 11, perfect for grabbing a salad, soup, or sandwich before heading onto a plane.

Proper Food

SOMA — A new farmer’s market is set to open at the new Eagle Plaza at 12th and Harrison streets, starting July 16 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and running weekly on Saturdays.

OAKLAND — The highly-anticipated Slug is set to open July 22, the San Francisco Chronicle reports, the second spot from the folks behind the ever-popular Snail Bar. Slug, much like its sister bar, will feature natural wines at its Frank H. Ogawa Plaza location, but will be much larger and feature DJs and dishes made by chef Spencer Horovitz, formerly of Itria.

OAKLAND — Oaklandia Cafe opened back in June 2020, but now the cafe is expanding into a second location at 555 City Center. The newer, larger outpost is set to open its doors July 18, and Berkeleyside has the charming backstory to the owners’ history at the new location.

OAKLAND — Transplants to the Bay Area who were raised around the Raising Cane’s fast-food chain can now partake in its fried chicken once again. The Louisiana-based company is opening its first Bay Area location at 8430 Edgewater Drive in Oakland on Thursday, the Mercury News reported (although there are locations in Vacaville, Stockton and Elk Grove, as well). Also on the horizon are two more Raising Cane’s locations set for Berkeley and Hayward, both expected to open this year.

July 6

GHIRARDELLI SQUARE — The new flagship location of popular Detroit-style pizzeria Square Pie Guys made its debut at Ghirardelli Square on Saturday, July 2. The San Francisco Chronicle has a first look inside the modern space, which offers views of Aquatic Park and the bay beyond.

MISSION — There’s a little silver lining to the dark cloud that is the closure of Cha Cha Cha’s Mission District outpost and that’s Kuba, the restaurant that opened in the space on July 5. The business is under new ownership, and while the name wasn’t included in the sale, the former owner tells the San Francisco Business Times the new proprietors plan to keep the menu and ambiance largely the same.

OAKLAND — Take a look inside Night Heron, the new bar open in Oakland with cocktails on draft and an artful space with murals and snazzy neon art. The bar takes over the former Here’s How space, the scene of a widely publicized NIMBY battle with neighbors who opposed the business’ presence in their residential building.

OAKLAND — East Bay residents looking for a lamb bowl or chicken pita have a new option in the newly opened Belladi Kitchen, Berkeleyside reports. The casual restaurant located at 378 Embarcadero West, near Jack London Square, comes from a trio of experienced food and beverage entrepreneurs.

SAN CARLOS — Mints and Honey, the Burlingame cafe known for its colorful tea drinks and artful toasts adorned with edible flowers, has opened a second location in San Carlos, the business shared on Instagram. Head to 1524 El Camino Real for your tea fix.

SEBASTOPOL — There’s a new bar loosely inspired by the famous children’s story of the three piggies that built houses out of various materials, the Chronicle reports. Third Pig Bar, located at 116 S. Main Street in Sebastopol serves cocktails, spirits, wine, and beer.

DAVIS — A new restaurant from the owners of Broderick Roadhouse and Anonimo Pizza debuted at 113 D Street in Davis, the Bee reports. Bones Craft Kitchen serves “burgers, sandwiches and shareable plates such as Gorgonzola/oyster mushroom fries,” per the Bee.

SACRAMENTO — The Butterscotch Den opened in early June in Oak Park, a new restaurant from the team behind hit spots including the Snug and Ro Sham Beaux natural wine bar. The retro, 70s-inspired steakhouse is bringing back the freezer martini and grill-your-own format.

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Dropping these requirements in San Francisco would “allow individuals to make their own decisions to protect themselves and their loved ones,” said Philip.

Berkeley’s announcement spoke about a “shift from requirements to recommendations” that reflected “the current phase of the pandemic, with hospitalizations and severe illness remaining low amidst an ongoing decline in infections.”

“Our COVID tools create a path to navigate the pandemic,” said Dr. Lisa B. Hernandez, Berkeley’s health officer. “As this latest surge fades, the safe path widens but the risks haven’t disappeared.” She urged residents to continue to get vaccinated and get their booster, and to wear a mask “when needed.”

We’ll update this story if further Bay Area cities or counties decide to roll back their proof of vaccination requirements. In the meantime, if where you live, work or study still requires proof of vaccination to enter bars, restaurants or gyms, here’s how to look up your California vaccine card online.

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As the sun spreads onto 18th Street in the Mission District, it’s not uncommon to see Rafael Garcia juicing grapefruits in the Tartine Bakery kitchen, and, as the moon rises that same evening, it’s not uncommon to see him bringing a power washer into one of more than a dozen restaurants in the city. He’s recognizable by his iconic look: diamond earrings on either side of his chinstrap beard, a smile so joyous it forces his eyes to squint. But few regular customers, or even fellow staff, realize Garcia has a robust cleaning business that works primarily with restaurants in San Francisco and Oakland. His client list, now at 14, includes some of the Bay Area’s buzziest and best restaurants: Frances, Octavia, Wahpepah’s Kitchen, Understory, and Reem’s.

Rafael Garcia, who works as an assistant general manager at Tartine, began his tenure at the bakery on Guerrero Street after working as a janitor at a sausage company in San Francisco. It was 2011 and, while the cleaning job was fun, he wanted to gain a new set of skills. He started working front of house at the bakery, stocking cups and doling out croissants. “At that time, my English wasn’t so good,” Garcia says. “I had to learn to communicate with other people outside of Spanish.”

Garcia is as standard a sight at the Tartine Bakery as the country loaf itself. Paolo Bicchieri

As he put in his six-odd years of working at Tartine, his wife Rosa Lopez was gaining skills in residential cleaning. It was her idea to launch Lopez Cleaning Services in 2017 when she decided to launch her own house cleaning business. Tartine was looking for a new cleaning contract at the time, and he suggested they start there. “Five or six months later, they noticed it was looking good,” Garcia says. “So they invited me to clean the Manufactory when it opened.” In no time, he was responsible for both businesses, the commissary kitchen, and the 9th Avenue Tartine location when it opened — not to mention the gigs at customers’ homes that his partner, in life and business, was also taking on.

If there’s a textbook example of the power of word-of-mouth community, it’s Garcia and Lopez Cleaning Services. In short order he picked up contracts at Smallworks, a framing shop, and Mr. Muggle’s, a pet-sitting service, both of which are in the same Mission District milieu as Tartine — geographically and socially. When Nick Beitcher, owner of Midnite Bagel, went out on his own, he asked Garcia to clean his commissary space in the Dogpatch. Lopez Cleaning Services will handle the new retail location in the Inner Sunset, too.

“Rafa was the guy,” Beitcher says. “He knew every nook and cranny of the [Tartine] space and could do anything — equipment to fix, recipes that needed to be translated to Spanish, he was just the guy.” He’d watch Garcia go from a full shift at the bakery to a cleaning job that wouldn’t end until three in the morning, and he says he is blown away by Garcia’s work ethic. “He’s an incredibly hard worker,” Beitcher says. “There’s never any doubt he’s going to do what he says he’s going to do.” Garcia is sheepish, but acknowledges it’s been these kind of personal reviews that have allowed his business to flourish.

Garcia and his wife Rosa Lopez. Rafael García

Garcia is considered the resident master of any and all equipment, gear, and repair. Rafael García

The work does add up. Garcia says he and his wife love it — the hustle and grind — and really loves having clients and customers from both his business and his job at Tartine. Organizing his life, though, and feeling a sense of control is a main motivation. “We wanted to have our own time, our own schedule, and also for sure to make more money,” Garcia says. “To be free. Not living month to month.”

It’s been a hard time for Tartine. But not so for Garcia, though he did lose about 40 percent of his clients in the first year of the pandemic. The cleaning company has two rotating employees now, and he just added carpet cleaning and moving services to his offerings. There’s no limit in sight, he says. “Me and my wife, we’re growing together,” Garcia says. “I cannot know, but I want to make everybody happy. If you have a new opportunity, you have to take it.”

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Restaurants that have survived two years of the pandemic are now facing rising prices and labor costs, with inflation expected to rise by 4% this year in the food industry alone.

“We have continued to see price escalation essentially across the board,” said Will Seppi, president and CEO of Costeaux French Bakery in Healdsburg. Seppi also operates Costeaux on the Go at Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport, two vending machines inside the airport terminal and a commercial baking plant nearby. “From packaging supplies and materials to food items, we continue to work at adjusting the business to accommodate for those price increases.”

To date, Costeaux has absorbed the majority of all cost increases, but is now looking at pricing changes, including raising menu prices between 3% and 10%, depending on the product, Seppi said.

Inflationary costs often get passed to the consumer, and it’s no different for Costeaux, according to Seppi.

“From our standpoint, we certainly don’t want to erode our quality, so we’re not willing to trade down on raw materials,” he said. “We need to continue to preserve what we’re known for and our commitment to the type of foods that all of our guests have come to expect from us.”

In general, inflation is at its highest level in 40 years. According to the Economic Research Service arm of the US Department of Agriculture, grocery store prices this year are forecast to increase between 1.5% and 2.5%, while restaurant prices are expected to rise between 3% and 4%.

The rates, however, are not unprecedented, according to the USDA. It states that between the 1970s and early 2000s, both grocery and restaurant prices grew at similar rates.

Managing more than food

Transportation costs also have skyrocketed for the wholesale arm of Costeaux, which delivers its products throughout Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Marin, San Francisco and the East Bay counties.

“The increase in gas prices is a big piece of the business,” Seppi said, adding that the cost of labor also is steep. “The continued upward pressures that we have on wages and the general cost of living in Sonoma County compounds matters further.”

In addition, the café in downtown Healdsburg continues to remain open just five days a week rather than seven, a move that was made during the pandemic and that won’t change anytime soon, he said.

Seppi has seen some turnover and labor shortages throughout the pandemic, but for the most part has been OK with staffing.

“By and large, we’ve been very fortunate to have a great core group that just continued to navigate the turbulent waters,” he said.

Staffing, supply chain headaches

Other North Bay area restaurants have not been so lucky.

John Ash & Co. at Vintners Resort in Santa Rosa has raised its hourly wages by between 15% to 20%, said Robin Ameral, food and beverage director.

But even higher wages haven’t moved the needle much in attracting qualified job candidates in an expensive county that has seen more people leave than arrive, let alone the mass exodus of hospitality workers since the pandemic began.

The resumes that do trickle in often don’t match the job qualifications.

“We are in the process of trying to hire a sous chef, and we’re just having trouble finding anybody with that skill set,” Ameral said.

A sous chef is typically second in command in a kitchen, right behind the executive chef. The sous chef opening that John Ash & Co. is trying to fill also is intended to help offset the restaurant’s ongoing shortage of line cooks.

And then there are the rising food costs and supply chain issues to contend with. Wine and liquor is mostly out of stock, Ameral noted, and food prices, particularly for beef and seafood, have become exorbitant.

“We used to have an add-scallops option, but scallops are so expensive we took it off the menu because we didn’t want people to have to pay $15 for a scallop,” Ameral said. “So we have a scallop dish, but it comes with prawns, too.”

Inflation’s biting impact

Inflationary costs have become part of everyday life for Felicia Ferguson, co-owner of Piazza D’Angelo, a family-owned Italian restaurant in Mill Valley in business for 40 years.

“I am getting every vendor that we work with saying they are increasing prices,” Ferguson said. The biggest hikes are in meat and imported goods, such as the wines she purchases from Europe.

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Alioto’s, the quintessential Fisherman’s Wharf seafood spot with a giant number 8 on its facade commemorating the fish stall that Sicilian immigrant Nunzio Alioto Sr. once ran nearby, is giving up the ghost after temporarily closing two years ago.

We all kind of knew that not all of tourist-centric Fisherman’s Wharf was likely to make it through a two-year pandemic. But now we learn that a big casualty is Alioto’s, the almost-100-year-old, stalwart restaurant at 8 Fisherman’s Wharf. The restaurant has been dark since March 2020.

The SF Business Times broke the news, after the restaurant’s landlord, the Port of San Francisco, revealed they had struck a deal to let Alioto’s out of its lease, which still had over 14 years on it. That was a 66-year lease that was signed back in 1970, by the way.

“The loss of Alioto’s — a renowned Fisherman’s Wharf icon — is heartbreaking for the Port and the generations of San Franciscans and tourists that have enjoyed the Alioto’s dining experience,” said Randy Quezada, the Port’s director of communications, in a statement. “Their contribution to the port and the city will not soon be forgotten.”

Alioto’s, sometimes called Alioto’s No. 8 because of the sign, life began as a fish stood in 1925, later moving to Stall #8 at the wharf and slowly growing into a full-fledged restaurant by 1938. Nunzio Alioto Sr., the proprietor, died in 1933, but the business was taken on by his children, including a daughter, Rose, who was instrumental in the restaurant’s expansion. A son-in-law of the elder Nunzio Alioto, Nunzio A. Alioto, married another daughter, Antoinette, and worked at Alioto’s Restaurant nearly until his death at age 88 in 2001. He was a “distant relation” of former SF Supervisor and mayoral candidate Angela Alioto, whose father Joseph was mayor of San Francisco in the 1960s.

As the Business Times notes, assuming that the lease termination agreement gets approved, this will avoid the messier fate of another longtime Wharf restaurant, Castagnola’s. The port south Castagnola’s in September after it ceased paying rent and did not seek any rent-relief program help either. Back in 2020, the port agreed to forgive rent for around 200 of its tenants, and was only requiring that restaurants pay a percentage of their monthly sales, as per existing agreements.

Thankfully, other Wharf stalwarts Scoma’s and The Franciscan are still hanging on and are back open.

Photo via Facebook

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CNN, KGO

By Travis Caldwell, CNN

San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said Tuesday that an incident last week when police officers were refused service at a local restaurant was “upsetting” and a disappointment.

Scott praised the officers’ professionalism at the Hilda and Jesse restaurant in the city’s North Beach neighborhood Friday when three uniformed, on-duty officers were asked to leave because employees were uneasy about their service weapons.

“We wear uniforms but we’re all humans,” Scott told CNN’s Michael Smerconish. “We get things done to us and said to us that are hurtful, but we have to rise above it and be professional. That’s what these officers did.”

In a since-deleted post reported by local media, the restaurant’s social media account stated that staff felt “uncomfortable with the presence of their multiple weapons” and the officers were asked to leave.

“We respect the San Francisco Police Department and are grateful for the work they do. We welcome them into the restaurant when they are off duty, out of uniform, and without their weapons,” the post said.

The restaurant’s stance sparked a fierce reaction online and it was subsequently inundated with negative comments on review sites such as Yelp.

The owners, Rachel Sillcocks and Kristina Liedags Compton, later apologized in another social media post, stating “We are grateful to all members of the force who work hard to keep us safe, especially during these challenging times. We hope this will be a teachable moment for us as we repair and continue to build bridges with the SFPD.

“These are stressful times, and we handled this badly,” they said.

Scott said he spoke with the owners over the phone on Tuesday and has accepted their apology.

“One of the things that we have to do, and this was said by the owners of the restaurant, is we have to sit down and have conversations,” Scott said. “We know that there are sometimes opposite sides of conversations about police officers and policing. But we sit down, we have conversations, and we can agree to disagree, but there has to be some civility in this process.”

The CNN Wire
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA — The reviews are in: San Francisco still has some of the best food in the country.

OpenTable, a restaurant reservation and review website, just released its Top 100 restaurants in America in 2021. The rankings are based on analysis of over 10.5 million reviews of restaurants across the country submitted by OpenTable diners.

Diners voted three San Francisco restaurants as some of the best in the state and the country. Click on the restaurant links below for reservations, reviews, hours, and contact information:

1. Terzo: 3011 Steiner St., San Francisco; Mediterranean, Italian, tapas, small plates
2. House of Prime Rib: 1906 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco; Steak, American food
3. Kokkari Estiatorio: 200 Jackson St., San Francisco; Mediterranean, Greek, contemporary European

Diners seem to be impressed with California in general: 12 California restaurants made the list. That is more than any other state – including New York, which has nine. Four restaurants were located in Orange County, twice as many as LA’s two. Orange County also beat out San Francisco, and San Diego, which had three. Here are the nine other California restaurants that made the grade:

Los Angeles

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Proof of vaccination will be required at indoor bars, restaurants, clubs, theaters and entertainment venues, as well as indoor gyms and other fitness establishments. This does not include individuals ordering or picking up food or drink to go.

RELATED: Hundreds of SF city workers push back against COVID-19 vaccine mandates

San Francisco’s order also creates a new proof of vaccination requirement for large events at indoor venues, requiring attendees who are age 12 or older at events with 1,000 people or more to provide proof of vaccination.

Under the new order, a negative COVID test will no longer be considered an exemption to being fully vaccinated.

“We are not out of the woods as it relates to COVID, we are still going through it,” said San Francisco Mayor London Breed. “Of course, we’re sick and tired of it, but it’s not sick and tired of us.”

The health order will extend vaccination requirements to certain health care providers — including workers at adult day centers, residential care facilities, dental offices, home health aides and pharmacists, who are not included in the state health order on vaccinations.

The mandate does not include children under 12 who are not yet eligible for the COVID vaccine or people picking up to-go food orders.

“We don’t want people to think, a family of four with two kids seven years old that you can’t go to a restaurant – you can,” said Breed. “We know that your children cannot be vaccinated, but the parents will need to be.”

The requirement for patrons goes into effect on Aug. 20 and for staff on Oct. 13.

VIDEO: San Francisco Mayor London Breed announces new vaccination mandate

However, some say they are not prepared to serve guests and check their vaccination status because they are short-staffed.

Danielle Reese owns Queen’s Louisiana Po-boy Café on the Embarcadero.

She fears enforcing the mandate will mean a loss in tourist business.

“We don’t want confrontation with anybody on their political views as far as vaccines go, I’m just here to feed people,” said Reese.

Enforcing the rules is up to the business owners, and as Reese puts it, “We have enough going on as it is now.”

VIDEO: SF restaurant owner fears loss of business over vaccine mandate

As far as the mask mandates, that will remain in place. The health officers’ put the mask mandate in place to deal with the rapid spread of the delta variant, so they will continue to assess the indoor mask mandate.

County health officials say the city’s COVID compliance team, also known as CERT team, will be reactivated on a smaller scale to help with educating businesses. But enforcement on verifying vaccines and exemptions will fall on the individual business owners.

“It’s going to be a little unclear how to deal with an exemption situation,” said Laurie Thomas, the executive director of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association. “Each restaurant owner or business might have different legal advice.”

Businesses will be required to check a person’s ID and vaccination card match before allowing anyone indoors.

“If there’s six people in the party and one or two of them don’t have a vaccine card, they’re going to be asked to sit outside,” said Thomas.

RELATED: Fake COVID vaccine card sales are ramping up online, cybersecurity expert says

dr Grant Colfax says vaccinations are strongly recommended but not required for outdoor ‘mega’ events — where 5,000 or more people are attending. For example, vaccinations won’t be mandated for Giants games, but will be mandated for anyone dining indoors at the stadium.

The city is reporting 263 new daily COVID cases and have at least 107 people in the hospital as of Thursday, according to the mayor’s office.

The announcement couldn’t have come soon enough for MX3 Fitness co-owner Dave Karraker.

VIDEO: San Francisco business owners say they’re on board with latest vaccine mandate

“We’re already a health-driven industry and this gives our clients that one more piece of assurance that they are going to be safe when they go into a gym to workout,” said Karraker.

Karraker says his number one priority is the safety of his employees and members.

“We need to take every precaution possible to stop the Delta variant in its tracks.”

Restaurant Owner and Executive Chef Mat Schuster says his business Canela Bistro & Wine Bar started requiring proof of vaccination for customers indoors two weeks ago.

“We saw the writing on the wall and we wanted to be part of the solution,” said Schuster.

Customers will have the option of showing their actual vaccination card or a photo of it. You can also register your vaccination with the state.

Both Karraker and Schuster say they’ll do their best when it comes to verifying what they’re looking at is legit.

“As of now we are asking for pictures and for photo ideas but hopefully that process will get a little bit easier as it becomes more prevalent,” said Schuster.

“I think we really need to trust each other on this,” said Karraker.

VACCINE TRACKER: How California is doing when you can get a coronavirus vaccine

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As 2021 rapidly comes to an end, more Bay Area restaurants bid adieu after years in service.

Among the closures was Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael, a live events space and restaurant owned by Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh and his wife, Jill. “We explored all possible options in an attempt to keep Terrapin at its current location, but after carefully considering a number of various partnerships and collaborations, we decided that the best thing for us, and for Terrapin, was to bid farewell,” the owners wrote on their website.

There was also news that two popular East Bay businesses will close in the weeks and months to come. The owners of the Italian restaurant Oliveto in Oakland, best known for its seasonally focused dishes, announced they would be permanently close by the end of December as they plan to retire. Berkeleyside first reported the Oliveto closure. In Berkeley, the longstanding Nordic House marketplace, famous for its deli sandwiches, shared that it would also shutter by January 2022.

Below is a list of Bay Area restaurants that closed in November. To read more about local business closures in October, click here.

Blue Bottle Coffee

Blue Bottle Coffee closed its original headquarters at 300 Webster St. in Oakland after 11 years, as first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. (SFGATE and the San Francisco Chronicle are both owned by Hearst but operate independently of one another). In a statement shared with SFGATE, Blue Bottle CEO Karl Strovink shared that the reason behind the closure was in cooperation with the landlord. “We appreciate our landlord allowing us to operate month to month until a successor tenant for the entire building was identified.” Read more.

Rented patisserie

Tablehopper first reported that the popular bakery was evicted from its location at Jack London Square. According to the publication, Miette negotiated rent reduction during the pandemic with its landlord, CIM Group, which subsequently affected its lease term. One of those changes included re-listing their business space, which was unknown to Miette, Tablehopper wrote. The pastry shop eventually relocated to Montclair Village in Oakland and continues to have other locations across the Bay Area.

Reveille Coffee

Réveille’s Castro location has closed after seven years, as first reported by Hoodline, but it’s not all bad news. Its other Réveille locations around San Francisco and Berkeley will remain open.

Rocky Point Restaurant

The seaside restaurant, located just south of Carmel, has permanently closed after 75 years and sold for $8 million. The property will continue to operate as a new restaurant concept sometime in the future led by Justin Cogley, executive chef at Aubergine in L’Auberge. read more

sweetbooth

After 28 years of serving boba inside Oakland’s Pacific Renaissance Plaza, Sweet Booth has permanently shuttered. Owner Calvin Tong told the San Francisco Chronicle that business had been challenging during the pandemic and ultimately decided that the time was right for them to retire.

Venticello Ristorante in Nob Hill is closing after 29 years in business.

Andrew D./Yelp

Terrapin Crossroads

The live event and restaurant space in San Rafael, owned by Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh and his wife, Jill, has closed. While the owners shared that closing was the best move for the business, they hinted that Terrapin could potentially open “in some form, somewhere down the road.” read more

The Cheesesteak Shop

The Cheesesteak Shop quietly closed its doors after 39 years in Berkeley, as first reported by Berkeleyside. According to its business website, the closure was a result of the business losing its lease. Customers can still visit its other Bay Area locations around San Francisco, Oakland, and more.

The Oriental Restaurant

Decades after The Oriental Restaurant first opened in Berkeley, the Chinese and Vietnamese restaurant has permanently closed its doors, as first reported by Berkeleyside. Owners Ba and Nhung Nguyen told Berkeleyside that they were stepping away from their business so that they could retire.

Venticello Ristorante

The Italian restaurant in Nob Hill announced its permanent closure following a lack of tourists amid the pandemic. “At the moment, COVID has made it impossible to keep the doors open,” co-owner Mike Deeb told the San Francisco Chronicle, which first reported the closure. The restaurant had been a fixture of San Francisco since 1992. Read more.

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Concerned that the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus could wreak havoc on San Francisco’s economic recovery, Mayor London Breed announced Thursday that the city will require proof of full vaccination in indoor restaurants, bars, gyms and entertainment venues, to keep business open.

“This is to protect the children, to protect those who cannot be vaccinated, to make sure we don’t go backwards, to make sure that I never have to stand up in front of you and say, ‘I'” I’m sorry, I know we just reopened and now the city is closed again because too many people are dying, “said Breed.

The mandate will be stricter than announced last week by New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio. San Francisco requires proof of a full COVID-19 vaccination for all customers and employees, while New York requires proof of at least one dose for indoor activities.

It goes into effect on August 20, but companies still have two months to review employees’ vaccination status “to keep jobs while giving time to comply”. The mandate does not apply to individuals who are ineligible for vaccines, including children under the age of 12.

The Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors basketball team, responded to the news by asking ticket holders for a rock concert on September 15 to provide proof of vaccination. AEG Presents, the giant concert and live events promoter, also announced Thursday that as of October 1st, proof of vaccination against COVID-19 will be required to attend its shows and festivals.

In addition to the paper cards from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention people get vaccinated, California has set up an online registration with a barcode that people who have been vaccinated can use to prove their status. Breed said a photo of the CDC card was sufficient and it was up to companies to enforce the requirement. Vaccination certificates from foreign governments are also permitted.

The aim is to increase the vaccination rate in a city where 78% of the eligible population are already fully vaccinated, she said. San Francisco was among the first to ban large gatherings and close schools at the beginning of the pandemic, and was on the forefront of other COVID-19 restrictions, including requiring all city workers to be vaccinated without the option of regular testing.

Los Angeles is considering a similar vaccination requirement, with people needing at least one dose before visiting indoor restaurants, bars, gyms, movie theaters, and other venues. The leaders there voted on Wednesday to ask the city’s lawyers to work out the details.

On Wednesday, Governor Gavin Newsom said all public and private school workers in California are required to provide evidence of vaccination or weekly tests.

Breed announced the mandate on Thursday at the historic Vesuvio Cafe in North Beach, a popular hangout for beat poets. The cafe is one of many San Francisco companies that already require a vaccination card indoors.

“Most people were really happy that we started politics. It took patience from everyone. The people who were impatient or didn’t like the policy just walked away, ”said Janet Clyde, co-owner of Vesuvio.

“The weight of the government in the back, science, the Ministry of Health” makes enforcement easier, she said.

Bar owners who are already struggling to find enough staff want to protect their employees and stay open, said Ben Bleiman, president of the San Francisco Bar Owner Alliance.

He said he was forced to close his bar one night after the bartender got infected on another job.

A group representing nearly 100 gyms said the mandate would help avoid the capacity limits or further possible closures that had hurt their businesses over the past year.

“We support the city’s indoor fitness vaccination policy as it provides our customers with greater confidence that they will experience the mental and physical benefits of fitness in a safe, healthy environment,” said Dave Karraker, board member of San Francisco Independent Fitness Studio Coalition.

Thursday’s ordinance also extends vaccination requirements for certain health care providers, including adult daycare workers, nursing homes, dental offices, home nurses, and pharmacists who are not covered by the state vaccination health ordinance.

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