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The room is dramatically centered around a 24-seat chef’s stage and island, where Ray, head sushi chef Shinsuke Hayashi, and the team of chefs will unfold the omakase show. Ray is continuing to use dry agers on his exquisitely and sustainably sourced, single line-caught fish like he’s doing at Friends Only for optimal flavor and texture. The omakase tasting (for dinner, it’s $250, while lunch service is an abbreviated menu for $150) begins with a selection of otsumami (appetizers), such as dry-aged and smoked sashimi; chawanmushi with snow crab, black truffle, and roasted scallion oil; Hokkaido wagyu beef dumplings wrapped in puff pastry with aged Parmesan; and shokupan, grilled milk bread topped with toro and kaluga caviar. The nigiri selection can include zuke—a 10-day, dry-aged, soy-cured bluefin tuna—to kamasu (young barracuda), to akamutsu (a favorite, deep sea perch), followed by housemade, seasonal ice cream for dessert. Ray is always innovating and working on something (Friends Only is his R&D lab), so his regulars can count on a new experience every time they visit.

The design is so visually pleasing and quite stunning, with warm and gleaming wood planks throughout, drawing inspiration from the 1970 Osaka Exhibition, as well as Frank Lloyd Wright, with geometric shapes and unexpected components, like when the chefs open drawers within their stations, a pop of color will be exposed. There are 46 seats total, with a curtained, semi-private dining room.

It’s pretty wild to remember the intimate counter and dark Akikos room when it was downtown (Ray’s parents opened the business in 1987, and he took over in 2009), and then to look at this spacious, dramatic, custom-designed room, outfitted with the best of everything, and a full bar. You’ve come a long way, baby! Open Tue-Fri 11:30am-1:30pm for lunch and Tue-Sat 5:30pm-8:30pm for dinner. 430 Folsom St. at Fremont.

The concept is non-traditional, Taiwanese-inspired cuisine, taking inspiration from dishes you’d find in night markets but made with local ingredients, and also freewheeling enough to include their favorite Asian comfort food dishes and flavors (Chris loves wings, and Marcelle loves barbecue, so she is way into their mala BBQ pork ribs). The food reflects their way of doing things, and making the kinds of dishes they love to eat, so you may find some Korean ingredients or Japanese influences on the menu, too.

The really appetizing menu includes honey walnut shrimp and pork toast (shokupan), rice porridge, chashao pork ssam, and Chinese-style steamed fish (Mt. Lassen trout with ginger-scallion relish). It’s designed to ideally be a meal you share with friends and family: if you got a four-top together, you could order and try all the dishes on the menu. Coming out of the pandemic, they know many people who want to be dining together again.

You may recognize the couple from their pop-ups (and meal kits!) the past three-four years, like El Chino Grande at numerous breweries, and Hén-zhì. El Chino Grande will reappear (with its famed tacos and burger) at future festivals, like Outside Lands.

When they host their grand opening on January 28th, they’ll be launching their family banquet menu plus a few more à la carte dishes, and Sunday brunch is coming February 5th (10am-2pm). Their beer and wine license should also be coming in February. The space has around 40 seats, with 10 at the bar. The décor reflects things they love since they plan on spending a great deal of time at the restaurant (including Bruce Lee on the TVs). The “& Co.” part of the name is in honor of all the community and folks who have helped them bring this restaurant to life.

Open for dinner Wed-Sat. (Book on Resy.) 2170 Mission St. at 18th St.

The menu of starters includes Vietnamese classics like chả giò (crispy imperial rolls) and bò tái chanh (beef carpaccio), plus special dishes like bánh khọt (mini savory pancakes) and bánh cuốn (steamed rice noodle rolls), and street seafood dishes, plus chef’s original creations, like marrow cracker with pork belly. There are multiple bowls of specialty phở (I really want to try the wok phở), including soft-shell crab bun rieu and bun bò hue, and the much-hyped/grammed big Gao phở ($33), with a huge beef short rib that sticks out of the bowl, plus filet mignon, marrow, onion, and 24-hour marrow broth. (There’s also the phozilla, which is ridiculous and $95 and built for social media, but go for it.)

Larger courses include shaking beef, five-spice chicken garlic noodles, pork ribs, bún chả (grilled pork belly and grilled fatty pork over rice vermicelli noodles). Family-style is the way here, so come with some dining partners, but be prepared to wait—chef has a lot of followers on the ‘gram. The space has two levels, a full bar, and is open Wed-Thu 4pm-10:30pm, Fri-Sat 4pm-11pm, Sun 4pm-10:30pm. 1900 Irving St. at 20th St.

Back in March of 2022, I mentioned ~SURAGAN~, a higher-end tasting menu of royal Korean dishes and luxury ingredients from chef Jongmoon Choi that was popping up in Sushi Sato. Eater reports the restaurant has now open in its own location at 250 Hyde Street. The 12-course tasting menu is $135, served Tue-Sat (two seatings nightly). 250 Hyde St. at Eddy.

Over in the Marina, there’s a new Cal-Moroccan spot the just opened, ~L’MIDA~, from the owners of Khamsa in the Mission (WhatNowSF reported last year it was opening in the former Chestnut Bakery). It has a stylish interior, with dishes coming from the pizza oven, like lahm ajin (minced meat with green peppers and tomatoes) and another flatbread with goat cheese, honey, dry figs, and walnuts. There are maakouda (potato fritters), tagines, mixed grill or fish dishes, and baked-to-order baklawa for dessert. Open nightly 5pm-10pm, and open for bar bites Mon-Thu 1pm-5pm and weekend brunch Sat-Sun 11am-2:30pm. 2359 Chestnut St. at Divisadero.

A friend mentioned a new dim sum spot that recently opened in SoMa in the former and longtime B & M Mei Sing Restaurant, ~VILLAGE TEA HOUSE~, with a varied menu of siu mai, sheng jian bao, boiled dumplings, and dishes like dan dan noodles and beef brisket noodle soup. Open Mon-Sat 11am-2pm and 5pm-8pm. 62 2nd St. at Jessie.

I am totally curious about this new TenderNob Venezuelan-Chinese restaurant, ~CANTOO LATIN ASIAN ROTISSERIE~, serving spicy garlic-fried calamari, chili oil pork dumplings, empanadas, and Venezuelan rotisserie chicken with fried rice, coleslaw, and two kinds of sauces (cilantro cream sauce and sweet and sour sauce, both housemade). Open daily 11am-11pm. 572 O’Farrell St. at Leavenworth.

A tablehopper reader let me know they saw a sign for ~PRINCESS BAKERY~ opening right next to Cinderella Bakery on Balboa (you can’t make this shit up). This is a second location of the Excelsior Chinese bakery known for its egg tarts, pork floss rolls and buns, chashu bao, pineapple buns, and more. 448 Balboa St. at 6th Ave.

Over in the Mission is ~GYROS AND TZATZIKI~ in the former Ritu from Turkish refugee Cem Bulutoglu. You should read Mission Local’s piece about this inspiring and hustlin’ entrepreneur, it will make you want to visit. Open daily 10am-9pm. 3111 24th St. at Folsom.

Out on a walk in my neighborhood, I noticed the former Oakside Café is now ~BELUNA CAFE~, with a bright blue sign, door, and walls (there’s also a mezzanine). The menu includes a variety of coffee drinks and some pastries and snacks. Open Mon-Fri 8am-3pm and Sat-Sun until 4pm. 1195 Oak St. at Broderick.

I’m so happy to see ~1601 BAR & KITCHEN~ has been opening for their regulars off and on the past few months, offering their Californian/Sri Lankan-influenced tasting menu for weekend service, as well as opening for private dining and events. (They also continue to prepare food for SF New Deal.) Just this past weekend, chef Brian Fernando put together a special Sri Lankan crab curry feast in honor of our local Dungeness crab season, and let me tell you, this crab curry was a wonder. (It was also a delightful mess to eat.) I’ll be sharing more on @tablehopper on Instagram when tickets for the next feast go live.

Meanwhile, ~EIGHT TABLES BY GEORGE CHEN~ is now offering a more-approachable, prix-fixe, five-course menu for $150 (launching on January 17th). The new, hyper-seasonal menu by chef de cuisine Floyd Nunn will change monthly—look for this month’s menu to include exciting dishes to honor the Lunar New Year/Year of the Rabbit. There will also be special à la carte supplements, and world-class wine pairings from sommelier Genaro Gallo, formerly of Restaurant Mugaritz. Dinner Tue-Sat.

Some news at ~SONS & DAUGHTERS~ (which opened in 2010 on Nob Hill): owner and chef Teague Moriarty has announced Harrison Cheney as the new executive chef to lead the kitchen team and menu development. Moriarty will be stepping away from the kitchen completely. Cheney has worked at Quince, two Michelin-starred Gastrologik in Stockholm, The Square in London, and at The Ledbury at Notting Hill, and will be showcasing modern, progressive dishes with Nordic influences and locally sourced ingredients.

New dishes include Laurentian rutabaga with cured wagyu fat; sprouted and toasted buckwheat with chestnuts and white Alba truffle; and cured Mt. Lassen trout with seasonal barigoule. He is joined by pastry chef Michelle Fried, previously at Eleven Madison Park and Saison. Desserts include koji ice cream with passionfruit and pink peppercorn; and Royal Tioga cherries with chocolate mousse, chocolate shortbread, fig leaf ice cream, and absinthe. The menu at Sons & Daughters is priced at $225 per person, served over the course of two and a half hours, with an optional beverage pairing for $165 per person.

In 2021, Moriarty sought to ensure his staff was compensated with higher salaries to align with the cost of living in the Bay Area, offer benefits to include two weeks of paid vacation, unlimited sick pay, fully paid health insurance, and split 50 percent of the profits. Tipping was replaced with an 18 percent service charge, which contributes to these salaries and benefits. The restaurant was also updated in 2020, with a new interior design with a larger stove, new flooring, painting, tables, banquettes, and increased wine storage. 708 Bush St. at Powell.

January is in full swing, with so many Lunar New Year celebrations and special menus and treats for the holiday—be sure to check my Instagram @tablehopper Lunar New Year Highlight for updates! Of course, the hopper is excited for the Year of the Rabbit. I’m also just starting to add Valentine’s Day offerings here for all you lovebugs—there will be more in a week or so.

Another thing I’m really looking forward to is this weekend’s annual FOG Art + Design fair at Fort Mason, featuring art and design from 45 leading international galleries—it’s always so inspiring, and offers great color therapy (and people watching, too!). It’s running Thursday January 19th-Sunday January 22nd. Get your ticket in advance and save! Bonus: A16 will have their full-service restaurant there, with exclusive A16 dishes by executive chef Yosuke Machida (book your reso here), custom cocktails, and wines, and there’s a takeaway counter.

Another thing on my list: swinging by Turntable at Lord Stanley for some more Pecking House! Eric Huang has returned to SF with my favorite damn spicy chicken, available for takeout Tue-Sat 12pm-9pm through January 28th. Preorder here, and don’t forget the dirty fried rice.

I have a few pieces for you to read. First, did you see this humdinger of an article about how the National Restaurant Association charges cooks and servers mandatory ServSafe fees and classes, which they actually use to fund their lobbying against minimum wage increases? Whoa. It’s so twisted.

On a happier note, I recently wrote this addendum piece for Visit Oakland’s Vegan Trail on vegan products made in Oakland that you can find at Oakland farmers’ markets. I had such a good time touring six of Oakland’s incredible farmers’ markets, including the new West Oakland farmers market, which is conveniently right by Kowbird, but there’s a lot you’ll want to eat at the market! Come hungry.

And, I want to be sure you didn’t miss the return of this year’s bore, my annual list about 10 things I don’t want to see in restaurants in the new year.

Lastly, you could accuse me of burying the lede here, but tablehopper is for people who read, soooooo… Anyway, I just want to say this will be the last time you read tablehopper in this trusty but ancient layout! (I know, you’re going to miss the small images, LOL.) Yup, big changes are coming, sweeties, and I can’t wait to tell you more! I’m going to be sharing some major and exciting news next week, so watch your inbox for a personal message from moi! Exciting times for the hopper are happenin’, and you’re invited to join me. Thanks for all your support.

Now, I gotta boogie, I’m shooting a video this evening and someone needs to pick out some caftans! Things are pretty bonkers over here, so ciao for now!

Love,

I saw ~WHITECHAPEL~ was advertising their space for private events, and it ends up they’re staying closed during these sleepy wintertime months through March. Hoodline caught their Instagram post, outlining the challenges they’re facing and why they need to stay closed. Support your local bar! 600 Polk St. at Turk.

Have you wanted to expand your wine knowledge? Always! Pamela Busch and The Vinguard are starting a wine school on January 23rd, with a ten-week Introduction to Wine Series. The classes will be held on Monday nights at 6pm at Fig & Thistle Wine Bar (313 Ivy St. at Gough) and will end at 8:15pm. Read more at the link!

After four years at Ghirardelli Square, ~THE CHEESE SCHOOL OF SAN FRANCISCO~ has moved to ~DAILY DRIVER~’s spacious (7,000 square feet!) flagship location in Dogpatch, where they will share their spacious facilities to host classes, events, and lead farm tours, while also focusing on catering and a virtual tastings program. Jeanine Egan, owner of The Cheese School, is excited about access to Daily Driver’s built-in creamery (the only commercial cheesemaking facility in San Francisco), and the wood-fired ovens, plus all the great space for classes and events, like cheesemaking and pizza classes! It’s pure kismet because they even have opposite schedules: Daily Driver makes bagels and serves breakfast and lunch from 8am-2pm, while The Cheese School’s events are in the afternoons and evenings. Talk about a win-win!

The Cheese School’s upcoming classes (through June) just went live. They can also host parties, meetings, and team-building events and classes. Love seeing this kind of collaborative solution during these challenging times for business. 2535 3rd St. at 22nd St.

I’ve been looking at an ABC license transfer in the window of the now-closed ~ ZAYTOON~ on my neighborhood walks, listing a new business called La Sarrasine. SF Business Times tracked down incoming owner Kamel Bouzidi, who will be moving his downtown business (previously Cafe Med, and recently the Tunisian Dar Fatma, which I wrote about when it opened at 215 Pine Street) to Zaytoon’s space, reportedly offering Northern French buckwheat crêpes, plus kebabs, and other Mediterranean dishes. Here’s hoping the shakshuka and merguez sausage with tastira (peppers and eggs) and fries come over! Stand by for updates. [Thanks to Hoodline for the deets since I can’t afford a Biz Times subscription, LOL.] 607 Divisadero St. at Hayes.

A quick note that Lindsay and Michael Tusk of ~QUINCE~ have temporarily closed the restaurant until summer to do some renovations and redesign the dining room and bar, all in Quince’s 20th anniversary year. The post further says: “During the renovation, we will continue to host your private dining and events at Cotogna and Verjus and are available for catered events at locations of your choosing.” You can read a few more details in this Eater update.

1. Horrible QR menus. Come on, you knew this was first. I honestly don’t mind the technology when it works, especially when you think about the environmental impact, and after I heard how much a restaurant was saving in annual paper menu printing costs, it makes total sense. But if I can’t read your cocktail list easily, or the ingredients in your $48 entrée, or I can’t scan the damn plywood QR tile (those really are the worst), let’s just say it’s a frustrating first impression. (And if you’re taking your parents out to dinner, just ask for a paper menu, don’t even attempt it.) Bar and restaurant owners, have you looked at your menu on your phone? Just keep an eye on it.

2. Outdated info. Since we’re talkin’ technology…. Restaurants and bars, have you looked at your hours listed on your website, Google listing (we know, it’s a pain), Yelp page, and Instagram bio? Do they all look the same? No? Please fix it. We have no idea which one is correct, and most places don’t have a phone number we can call to confirm. (I totally understand closing time may happen earlier if things are dead.) But for the love of goddess, please add your hours to your Instagram bio, it’s the most important thing we need to know. (An address is also nice.) And if you can get your custom location/geotag working, it will help us promote your business and location in our posts, for free! Magic! Not really. Here’s how.

3. Tinned fish. Trust me, I have quite a collection at home of tinned sardines, spicy tuna, smoked mussels, octopus, and razor clams, just waiting for me to crack into them as a last-minute snack when I’m trying to rustle up something tasty to eat. But they’re not what I go out for. Thanks for opening the tin (Fancy Feast!) and I appreciate the toasts and condiments on the side, but really, it’s like eating nuclear bunker rations in a restaurant. We’re getting out of the bunker, it’s time to eat something fresh.

4. Awkward sharing. OK, sooooo, it’s great that we’re back to dinner with friends and work colleagues and first dates, but we don’t necessarily want them serving us a portion of our shared salad with their used fork, or splitting the burrata appetizer with my dirty spoon. There are a LOT of germs swirling around us, please serve share plates (and dessert!) with clean silverware so we can each take and enjoy our own portion in a hygienic fashion.

5. Oversized cutlery. Since we’re talking utensils, enough with the bulky, heavy, awkward silverware that slides to the middle or falls off the edge of the plate (or to the floor, the worst). Restaurant owners: have you tried eating with your silverware and plateware … and then clearing it? I don’t need to feel like King Henry VIII with an enormous knife as long as my forearm. Clankity clank clank! Fee-fi-fo-fum! Where is my chalice?

6. NFTs and anything to do with restaurants. Haven’t tech bros ruined things enough?

7. Robots. Please, no more robot servers—times are already so dystopian. Hard no. Beep. And do not expect a 20 percent tip for Twiki.

8. Boring $13 desserts. I know, I know, you can’t afford a pastry chef right now, it sucks. But is panna cotta, olive oil cornmeal cake, bread pudding, or ice cream the only thing you can come up with? Give us a reason to order dessert!

9. Dry ice presentations. I get it, it makes for a fun Instagram Reel, but enough already. I’m beginning to feel like I’m on an endless Pirates of the Caribbean ride or in a vampire movie. Save it for Halloween.

10. Cocktails with huge ice cubes. I’m seeing way too much liquid displacement in my beverages lately. A tiny vintage glass with big ice sloshing in it means my $16 cocktail is done in three sips. Save the big chonk for an old fashioned.

I could call out caviar, alllll the pizza, espresso martinis, and Aperol spritzes, but I’m no hypocrite, I love them too much, heh. If you’re looking for birria everything, smash burgers, and hot chicken sandwiches, those items would have been in 2021’s bore, but thankfully, their local proliferation appears to have slowed down. We can keep and adore the places we already have, no need for more, okerrrr? (Sushi handrolls, take note! You’re on watch!)

If you want to see previous kvetches about truffle oil (will it ever go away?) and omakase, you can read past issues of the bore here.

We’re experiencing weather we have no frame of reference for, and we don’t quite know what it’s capable of, so please err on the side of caution right now (it’s not the time to drive in the park or go for a walk near trees), be prepared (it has been a good exercise for me to check my flashlights, lantern, and candle supply), and look out for others. I’ve been posting a bunch of storm-related updates in my Instagram Stories, if you want to follow along. Looks like the next wave of yuck is rolling in on Saturday, so now’s the time to go get some fresh crab and support your neighborhood restaurants and bars.

It’s a helluva way to start 2023, but here we go! My ending to 2022 was pretty lousy—I tested positive for Covid a few days before Christmas, which was some really special timing, that. Covid is the Grinch! At least I had my adorable cuddly cat, a freezer full of soup, and a tray of lasagna from Il Casaro to keep me company. Fortunately, it was a MUCH milder case this time, whew—shout-out to that booster I had in November (did you get yours?). Much love and empathy to everyone who is illing right now.

I managed to recuperate in time to have an epic New Year’s Eve celebration with friends—partying on the patio at Chambers, and staying overnight at the Phoenix Hotel was the move. Their staff was so hospitable and fun, and the updated rooms are cute. There’s nothing quite like an inaugural dip in their heated pool on New Year’s Day, and being able to stroll into Chambers for brunch was just so easy (bless). File this away for a future staycation idea when they’re hosting a party on the patio.

I want to thank all of you who bought a Hopper Holiday Gift Bag—it was such a pleasure to see your posts and get your notes about what you were enjoying! Huge thanks to everyone involved, from the local businesses who made such tasty treats to the amazing volunteers who helped me assemble them, and to La Cocina Municipal Marketplace for being our wonderful pick-up partner! Also, shout-out to my sis, who helped deliver bags on the second day when I was out of commission, ugh. Such a good elf.

It ends up I printed some extra tablehopper pizza totes for my fellow weird pizza box lovers. Enjoy your delicious moments! You can order a tablehopper tote here—they have long handles and a gusseted base and are built for schlepping! I look forward to seeing them out in the wild.

So, as any longtime tablehopper reader knows, the beginning of the year is when I release my annual “the bore” piece listing ten things I don’t want to see in the new year. Since 2007, I’ve been bitching about items like sawdusty macarons, bone broth, rectangular plates, and cold Tolix metal chairs, although I took the last two years off to write something positive during the pandemic. Things are still a struggle out there, and this week is particularly rough, so this year’s bore is more of a PSA than a rant.

As you may have noticed, I’m taking things a bit slow at this particular moment—I obviously wasn’t in a rush to send this on Tuesday. (Oh hey, it’s Thursday.) It’s such a weird week, we’re all trying to keep things dialed down. I’m also taking a break on doing any reporting this week—I’m working on a big-ass, exciting project this month and need to conserve all my time and energy. I was in the Covid bunker, and now I’m in the project bunker. More on all this sooooon!

I’m grateful for this new year—I’m optimistic about many things, and I hope you are, too. 2022 was a rough one, up to the very end. I was heading out to New Year’s Eve festivities when a friend shared the horrific news that our city’s beloved barman Ilya Romanov had died in a fall the night before. I was so shocked and struck with immediate, immense grief. Ilya was full of so much light and charisma and kindness, it seemed impossible…. It was too utterly awful. I had just seen him a couple weeks ago at his industry holiday party at Bar Iris, hosting everyone with his cheeky style and that impish grin.

My heart has been heavy—he was such a talent, and one of our city’s brightest stars. I loved his cocktails at Niku (and seeing him at The Beehive), and was so happy for him when he became the bar manager at Bar Iris and could run his own living room there. He was a consummate host and everything you want in a barman. He made such sophisticated and unique cocktails, so chic. He also photographed them beautifully. He was always kind, and warm, and funny. Vivacious. His spirit was so shiny. He took such good care of people, and always looked out for others.

The industry and his many customers and fans are devastated to be mourning this tremendous loss—look at all the comments on these Instagram posts and you see so much love. It just doesn’t make any sense to have him taken away like this. 33 years young. We all have made slightly risky choices and had close calls in our lives, so it’s difficult to comprehend and accept how he could accidentally slip off the roof to his death. I know we’re struggling to wrap our heads around it, the how and why of this brutal happening.

Our hearts are with his family, his friends, his colleagues, and the many people who adored him. There is a fundraiser for his three-year-old son, Ezra, and his former wife, Maya, to help show them support during this terrible time. We are all so fortunate that we knew Ilya and were inspired by him and how he moved through this world—may we try to embody and share his many good qualities in his honor. Even as we grieve, his sparkle lives on in our hearts. I raise my glass high.

Take good care, everyone. Be safe, be kind.

XO
~Marcia

This abundant gift bag is packed full of some of the most delicious, local, hand-crafted, and festive treats, all curated by yours truly! I’m talking about 13 stellar, San Francisco Bay Area-made products, many of them from people of color, queer, and women makers, as well as small businesses that I know have been hustling extra-hard to stay afloat during these tough times. It’s a great way to discover some new businesses, while supporting some of our local and longtime faves, too.

You can order it for yourself, or you can split up the gift bag into stocking stuffers for your friends or as host/ess gifts, go in on one and share a bag with a friend, or give a gift bag to someone who could really use a lift (and maybe can’t afford it right now).

And: there’s a donation included with each bag sold to Gumbo Social’s Kickstarter—let’s all help founder Dontaye Ball open his first brick-and-mortar business in the Bayview!

CHECK OUT THE TASTY GOODS:

• Calamansi tea cookies by Buko Bakes (six).
  Founder Michelle Numbers of Filipinix baking company Buko Bakes is also part of the La Cocina family of entrepreneurs! These citrusy and lightly sweet tea cookies are the perfect afternoon treat (and if you ever get a chance to try Michelle’s trademark ube crinkle cookies, do it!).

• Hoisin sauce from The Slanted Door (6 oz.).
  It’s time to level up your hoisin game with this small-batch sauce inspired by the fresh hoisin sauce chef Charles Phan tasted in Vietnam. It’s full of complex flavor, and even has a nutty note from the tahini used in making it. Hoisin is typically used as a condiment for pho, but can also be used in marinades, stir-fries, soups, noodles, sandwiches, and as a dipping sauce for meats.

• Confections by Recchiuti Confections for A16, custom-designed by local artists Kelly Tunstall and Ferris Plock (Kefe Inc.) (four-pack). This collection includes a selection of Recchiuti signatures: burnt caramel, force noir truffles, Piedmont hazelnut truffle, and Morello cherry pâtes de fruits.

• Bayview dark roast coffee beans from Tallio’s Coffee & Tea (12 oz.).
  This new specialty coffee roaster and shop from Olton Rensch is one of the latest Black-owned businesses to open in the Bayview (after far too many snags and delays, which was very hard on this new biz). The Bayview blend is made with specialty coffee beans from Brazil, Colombia, Honduras, and Mexico, with notes of baker’s chocolate, silky red wine, and deep, toasty flavors. It pairs really well with milk (and cookies, just ask Santa). Visit the shop and try their ginger brew made from a family recipe (from Suriname).

• Sara’s Granola by Dynamo Donut (12 oz.).
  One of my top granolas in SF, not many people know about it unless they visit the Dynamo Donut stand! It’s balanced and toasty and nutty, with ingredients like plump dried cherries, toasted coconut, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and golden raisins. Not too sweet, it’s just right. I adore it as a snack, too.

PLEASE NOTE THE F&F GLASS IS NOW OUT OF STOCK AND WILL BE REPLACED BY THE FORT POINT BEER COMPANY KSA DAY GLASS, a gold-rimmed, German Stange beer glass!

• Drinking glass from Friends and Family.
  This adorable drinking glass will be your new favorite vessel for enjoying a splash of wine while you cook, a cocktail, sherry, spirits, or as a water glass on your nightstand when it’s time to hydrate! Friends and Family is a woman- and queer-owned bar in Oakland, you should definitely come by for their cocktails, snacks, and excellent vibes.

• Chile oil from Noodle Stop (8 oz.).
  As soon as I tasted this magical chile oil with my bowl of Hong Kong-style wonton noodle soup, I knew I was going to want to have it in the hopper holiday gift bag months later! This recently opened noodle shop on Noriega makes this notable chile oil that has deep, savory flavor and the perfect kick to keep you warm this winter. Their customers love it (including me).

• Thai cocktail nuts from Kitiya (5 oz.).
  Kitiya Ditpare is a La Cocina entrepreneur who makes fantastic Thai food at her pop-ups (and a line of sauces!). For the holidays, she’s offering these salty, sweet, and spicy Thai cocktail nuts, featuring a mix of walnuts, almonds, pecans, cashew nuts, garlic, cilantro, black pepper, and Thai chile. Shazam! They’re perfect for busy elves to have as a snack or enjoy with holiday cocktails.

• Habanero salsa from Los Cilantros (5 oz.).
  La Cocina entrepreneur Dilsa Lugos is famous for her tostadas de tinga and chile relleno, which you can find at the La Cocina Municipal Marketplace, and a side of her feisty habanero salsa always dials things up! Dilsa is going to be making and bottling up her salsa for us, an exclusive to the hopper holiday gift bag! This is the first time she’s been willing to sell this product outside of her kiosk/restaurant. (Gracias, Dilsa!) You’ll be shaking it on everything for a little kick.

• Cornbread mix from Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement (33 oz.).
  Fillmore-born and La Cocina grad Fernay McPherson is known for her next-level rosemary fried chicken (her shop is in Emeryville), and a side of her deeeelicious cornbread is always a must. Now you can make a batch at home and enjoy it with lots of butter (we won’t judge).

• Holiday cookies from Greens (six).
  During the pandemic, Greens executive chef Katie Reicher, pastry chef Jana Unkel, and their team started offering a fabulous cookie box filled with all kinds of holiday cookies. This year, we selected their peppermint brownie, shortbread, and gingerbread cookie (two of each!) for you to enjoy. Try to leave one for Santa, but we understand if that doesn’t happen.

• Vintage restaurant or bar neon sign lapel pin from San Francisco Neon (one pin).
  Help support this incredible organization that leads tours, talks, events, and more that celebrate, preserve, advocate for, and educate about neon signs and SF history. We have an array of four pins that highlight iconic neon signs and SF Legacy businesses: Li Po and Sam Wo in Chinatown, the Ha-Ra bar in the Tenderloin, and Tommy’s Joynt on Van Ness. (Each bag will randomly contain one pin, sorry you can’t choose.)

• Custom tablehopper “pizza slice” tote.
  To continue the tablehopper takeout bag theme over here, I thought it would be fun to create a spin on the classic (and weird AF) pizza takeout box that always makes me chuckle with its artwork that looks like two different people drew it. Enjoy your delicious moments! (Mil gracias to Meli for her design help!) This oversized, canvas market tote will become your favorite for schlepping and repping.

• $10 donation to Gumbo Social’s Kickstarter. Let’s all help founder Mr. Gumbo Dontaye Ball open his first brick-and-mortar business in the Bayview! We need to show up for Black business, and get this funded by December 21st! (Even if you don’t buy a bag, please check out his Kickstarter, thanks!)

PURCHASING DETAILS

Whew! So how’s that for an extravaganza of flavor? The Hopper Holiday Restaurant Gift Bag is $225 (click to order), and 100 percent fabulous. All sales are final, no refunds or returns.

Everything will be shelf stable, so you don’t have to worry about getting anything into the fridge after you receive it (but a couple items will need to be refrigerated after you open them, and don’t leave any cookies sitting around for too long). An ingredient list will be included (and/or listed on some items).

Unfortunately, there are no substitutions or custom orders. If there’s something you can’t eat or enjoy, I’m sure you can find someone who will! Thanks for understanding. If you need more details about any ingredients, please get in touch.

Items are subject to change and availability—since we’re dealing with so many items here (13!), there’s a small chance we’ll need to make a change or swap an item. Please trust it will be delicious. Thank you for understanding, we’ll keep you informed of any changes.

This first run is going to be limited to 36 gift bags since we only have 36 Friends & Family glasses, so you’ll want to hop to it. When they run out, the second version of the bag won’t include the F&F glass—it will now be the Fort Point Beer Company KSA Day Glass, a gold-rimmed, German Stange beer glass. Cheers!

You have until Saturday December 17th at 1pm PST to order. Email me to be added to a waitlist if it’s sold out.

In-person, pre-paid PICK-UPS will be available at La Cocina Municipal Marketplace on Wednesday December 21st, Thursday December 22nd, and Friday December 23rd from 9am-7pm each day. If you’re planning to pick up, please support the Marketplace vendors and place an order for lunch takeout before you head over (I’ll be sending you a list of some of my favorite dishes)! We’ll have more details for you as it gets closer. I’m very grateful to La Cocina for being our partner on bag fulfillment/pick-ups this year!

La Cocina Municipal Marketplace: 332 Golden Gate Ave. at Hyde. There’s a loading zone outside where you’ll be able to pull in. (Please don’t contact the marketplace for any questions you have about the bag. Hit me up instead.)

DELIVERY in San Francisco will also be available Wednesday December 21st and Thursday December 22nd for an additional fee of $15. Champers the elf, AKA yours truly, will be delivering the bags to you! (If you’re in the East Bay, get in touch and we’ll see what I can do! I delivered to a couple folks last year for $25. I will also be down in San Mateo on December 24th, let me know if you’re nearby and we can try to meet up.)

I will finalize your delivery time window after I get all orders in and can map things out. Please specify your preferred day and timeframe to start (morning is 9am-12pm; afternoon is 12pm-5pm, evening is 5pm-8pm). Available delivery time slots will be Wed morning, afternoon, evening; and Thu morning, afternoon, evening. Stand by for more details and a better ETA soon if you choose delivery. If you miss your delivery (things happen!) and there’s nowhere safe for me to leave it, you’ll be able to pick up your bag at La Cocina Municipal Marketplace. No delivery fee refunds (unless it’s totally my fault).

Sorry, no shipping (I’m crazy, but not thaaaat crazy, unless you want to throw crazy money at me), and I won’t be able to offer the gift bags any earlier than Wednesday December 21st (unless you want to volunteer stuffing bags!).

On behalf of all our local restaurants, bars, and food businesses, thank youuuu! We appreciate all your kind and generous support. Our Bay Area hospitality industry is so special, thanks for showing up for it. And a very heartfelt thank you to super-elf Martin Guerrero of Square, who always helps set up our online store for this!

If you’re looking for Christmas Eve and Day dinners, latke parties, festive cocktails, holiday treats, and more, be sure to check my Instagram holiday highlight—it’s packed with ideas and getting updated every day. (I also have one going for New Year’s Eve dinners and parties.) Stand by for some fun New Year’s Day ideas from me soon!

In the meantime, I’m reaching out to you with a last call on the Hopper Holiday Gift Bag! Presales end this Saturday afternoon (December 17th). Thanks to all of you who bought one already, you rock!

Real talk time: unfortunately, we haven’t hit the number of sales I projected based on the last three gift bags I’ve done. I’m not here to guilt you into buying one, and trust, I know how tight finances are for many of us (ugh). But, if you were on the fence about getting one, let this be a gentle nudge from me, because THIS IS GOING TO BE THE LAST HOPPER HOLIDAY GIFT BAG. Since sales have dropped off, it’s too much work for me to try to do this again next year. Soooo, if you’re saying to yourself, “Maybe next year….”, well, this is it, babe!

Have you thought about going in on a bag with a friend? (You can take turns picking out your favorite goodies like siblings. Ask me how I know!) Or maybe you can forward this email to a friend who would love it? Any posts on social media are so appreciated! Many thanks for showing your support in many ways!

You can read all about the 13 awesome items in the bag below—it’s full of holiday cookies, sauces, granola, chocolates, coffee, a vintage neon pin, and more, all in a custom tablehopper pizza lover’s tote (it’s going to be so damn fun, I can’t wait for it to arrive). Each gift bag purchase includes a $10 donation Gumbo Social’s Kickstarter to help get their Bayview shop open.

Big love to La Cocina Municipal Marketplace for being our bag pick-up point next Wed-Fri—I’m going to share a list with anyone who orders a pick-up bag of some of my favorite Marketplace dishes to inspire you to take out some lunch when you snag your bag. Or, you can get the bag delivered by yours truly! Champers the elf, at your service.

Just in case you’re looking for additional gift ideas, have a look at my holiday gift guide from last week.

Cheers and thanks and fa-la-la-la-la to you!
~Marcia AKA Champers

This abundant gift bag is packed full of some of the most delicious, local, hand-crafted, and festive treats, all curated by yours truly! I’m talking about 13 stellar, San Francisco Bay Area-made products, many of them from people of color, queer, and women makers, as well as small businesses that I know have been hustling extra-hard to stay afloat. It’s a great way to discover some new businesses, while supporting some of our local and longtime faves, too.

You can order it for yourself, or you can split up the gift bag into stocking stuffers for your friends or as host/ess gifts, share a bag with a friend, or give a gift bag to someone who could really use a lift (and maybe can’t afford it right now).

And: there’s a donation included with each bag sold to Gumbo Social’s Kickstarter—let’s all help founder Dontaye Ball open his first brick-and-mortar business in the Bayview!

CHECK OUT THE TASTY GOODS:

• Calamansi tea cookies by Buko Bakes (six).
  Founder Michelle Numbers of Filipinix baking company Buko Bakes is also part of the La Cocina family of entrepreneurs! These citrusy and lightly sweet tea cookies are the perfect afternoon treat (and if you ever get a chance to try Michelle’s trademark ube crinkle cookies, do it!).

• Hoisin sauce from The Slanted Door (6 oz.).
  It’s time to level up your hoisin game with this small-batch sauce inspired by the fresh hoisin sauce chef Charles Phan tasted in Vietnam. It’s full of complex flavor, and even has a nutty note from the tahini used in making it. Hoisin is typically used as a condiment for pho, but can also be used in marinades, stir-fries, soups, noodles, sandwiches, and as a dipping sauce for meats.

• Confections by Recchiuti Confections for A16, custom-designed by local artists Kelly Tunstall and Ferris Plock (Kefe Inc.) (four-pack). This collection includes a selection of Recchiuti signatures: burnt caramel, force noir truffles, Piedmont hazelnut truffle, and Morello cherry pâtes de fruits.

• Bayview dark roast coffee beans from Tallio’s Coffee & Tea (12 oz.).
  This new specialty coffee roaster and shop from Olton Rensch is one of the latest Black-owned businesses to open in the Bayview (after far too many snags and delays, which was very hard on this new biz). The Bayview blend is made with specialty coffee beans from Brazil, Colombia, Honduras, and Mexico, with notes of baker’s chocolate, silky red wine, and deep, toasty flavors. It pairs really well with milk (and cookies, just ask Santa). Visit the shop and try their ginger brew made from a family recipe (from Suriname).

• Sara’s Granola by Dynamo Donut (12 oz.).
  One of my top granolas in SF, not many people know about it unless they visit the Dynamo Donut stand! It’s balanced and toasty and nutty, with ingredients like plump dried cherries, toasted coconut, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and golden raisins. Not too sweet, it’s just right. I adore it as a snack, too.

PLEASE NOTE THE F&F GLASS IS NOW OUT OF STOCK AND WILL BE REPLACED BY THE FORT POINT BEER COMPANY KSA DAY GLASS, a gold-rimmed, German Stange beer glass!

• Drinking glass from Friends and Family.
  This adorable drinking glass will be your new favorite vessel for enjoying a splash of wine while you cook, a cocktail, sherry, spirits, or as a water glass on your nightstand when it’s time to hydrate! Friends and Family is a woman- and queer-owned bar in Oakland, you should definitely come by for their cocktails, snacks, and excellent vibes.

• Chile oil from Noodle Stop (8 oz.).
  As soon as I tasted this magical chile oil with my bowl of Hong Kong-style wonton noodle soup, I knew I was going to want to have it in the hopper holiday gift bag months later! This recently opened noodle shop on Noriega makes this notable chile oil that has deep, savory flavor and the perfect kick to keep you warm this winter. Their customers love it (including me).

• Thai cocktail nuts from Kitiya (5 oz.).
  Kitiya Ditpare is a La Cocina entrepreneur who makes fantastic Thai food at her pop-ups (and a line of sauces!). For the holidays, she’s offering these salty, sweet, and spicy Thai cocktail nuts, featuring a mix of walnuts, almonds, pecans, cashew nuts, garlic, cilantro, black pepper, and Thai chile. Shazam! They’re perfect for busy elves to have as a snack or enjoy with holiday cocktails.

• Habanero salsa from Los Cilantros (5 oz.).
  La Cocina entrepreneur Dilsa Lugos is famous for her tostadas de tinga and chile relleno, which you can find at the La Cocina Municipal Marketplace, and a side of her feisty habanero salsa always dials things up! Dilsa is going to be making and bottling up her salsa for us, an exclusive to the hopper holiday gift bag! This is the first time she’s been willing to sell this product outside of her kiosk/restaurant. (Gracias, Dilsa!) You’ll be shaking it on everything for a little kick.

• Cornbread mix from Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement (33 oz.).
  Fillmore-born and La Cocina grad Fernay McPherson is known for her next-level rosemary fried chicken (her shop is in Emeryville), and a side of her deeeelicious cornbread is always a must. Now you can make a batch at home and enjoy it with lots of butter (we won’t judge).

• Holiday cookies from Greens (six).
  During the pandemic, Greens executive chef Katie Reicher, pastry chef Jana Unkel, and their team started offering a fabulous cookie box filled with all kinds of holiday cookies. This year, we selected their peppermint brownie, shortbread, and gingerbread cookie (two of each!) for you to enjoy. Try to leave one for Santa, but we understand if that doesn’t happen.

• Vintage restaurant or bar neon sign lapel pin from San Francisco Neon (one pin).
  Help support this incredible organization that leads tours, talks, events, and more that celebrate, preserve, advocate for, and educate about neon signs and SF history. We have an array of four pins that highlight iconic neon signs and SF Legacy businesses: Li Po and Sam Wo in Chinatown, the Ha-Ra bar in the Tenderloin, and Tommy’s Joynt on Van Ness. (Each bag will randomly contain one pin, sorry you can’t choose.)

• Custom tablehopper “pizza slice” tote.
  To continue the tablehopper takeout bag theme over here, I thought it would be fun to create a spin on the classic (and weird AF) pizza takeout box that always makes me chuckle with its artwork that looks like two different people drew it. Enjoy your delicious moments! (Mil gracias to Meli for her design help!) This oversized, canvas market tote will become your favorite for schlepping and repping.

• $10 donation to Gumbo Social’s Kickstarter. Let’s all help founder Mr. Gumbo Dontaye Ball open his first brick-and-mortar business in the Bayview! We need to show up for Black business, and get this funded by December 21st! (Even if you don’t buy a bag, please check out his Kickstarter, thanks!)

PURCHASING DETAILS

Whew! So how’s that for an extravaganza of flavor? The Hopper Holiday Restaurant Gift Bag is $225 (click to order), and 100 percent fabulous. All sales are final, no refunds or returns.

Everything will be shelf stable, so you don’t have to worry about getting anything into the fridge after you receive it (but a couple items will need to be refrigerated after you open them, and don’t leave any cookies sitting around for too long). An ingredient list will be included (and/or listed on some items).

Unfortunately, there are no substitutions or custom orders. If there’s something you can’t eat or enjoy, I’m sure you can find someone who will! Thanks for understanding. If you need more details about any ingredients, please get in touch.

Items are subject to change and availability—since we’re dealing with so many items here (13!), there’s a small chance we’ll need to make a change or swap an item. Please trust it will be delicious. Thank you for understanding, we’ll keep you informed of any changes.

This first run is going to be limited to 36 gift bags since we only have 36 Friends & Family glasses, so you’ll want to hop to it. When they run out, the second version of the bag won’t include the F&F glass—it will now be the Fort Point Beer Company KSA Day Glass, a gold-rimmed, German Stange beer glass. Cheers!

You have until Saturday December 17th at 1pm PST to order. Email me to be added to a waitlist if it’s sold out.

In-person, pre-paid PICK-UPS will be available at La Cocina Municipal Marketplace on Wednesday December 21st, Thursday December 22nd, and Friday December 23rd from 9am-7pm each day. If you’re planning to pick up, please support the Marketplace vendors and place an order for takeout before you head over (I’ll be sending you a list of some of my favorite dishes)! We’ll have more details for you as it gets closer. I’m very grateful to La Cocina for being our partner on bag fulfillment/pick-ups this year!

La Cocina Municipal Marketplace: 332 Golden Gate Ave. at Hyde. There’s a loading zone outside where you’ll be able to pull in. (Please don’t contact the marketplace for any questions you have about the bag. Hit me up instead.)

DELIVERY in San Francisco will also be available Wednesday December 21st and Thursday December 22nd for an additional fee of $15. Champers the elf, AKA yours truly, will be delivering the bags to you! (If you’re in the East Bay, get in touch and we’ll see what I can do! I delivered to a couple folks last year for $25. I will also be down in San Mateo on December 24th, let me know if you’re nearby and we can try to meet up.)

I will finalize your delivery time window after I get all orders in and can map things out. Please specify your preferred day and timeframe to start (morning is 9am-12pm; afternoon is 12pm-5pm, evening is 5pm-8pm). Available delivery time slots will be Wed morning, afternoon, evening; and Thu morning, afternoon, evening. Stand by for more details and a better ETA soon if you choose delivery. If you miss your delivery (things happen!) and there’s nowhere safe for me to leave it, you’ll be able to pick up your bag at La Cocina Municipal Marketplace. No delivery fee refunds (unless it’s totally my fault).

Sorry, no shipping (I’m crazy, but not thaaaat crazy, unless you want to throw crazy money at me), and I won’t be able to offer the gift bags any earlier than Wednesday December 21st (unless you want to volunteer stuffing bags!).

On behalf of all our local restaurants, bars, and food businesses, thank youuuu! We appreciate all your kind and generous support. Our Bay Area hospitality industry is so special, thanks for showing up for it. And a very heartfelt thank you to super-elf Martin Guerrero of Square, who always helps set up our online store for this!

And now, after numerous rumors and buzz on the street that I’ve been hearing, I’m excited to share a preview of his latest venture: a pasta-centric shop that is part retail, part dine-in, coming to Clement Street (in the former Grain D’or and Busvan for Bargains furniture repair shop, which has been vacant for a couple years).

This project is a culmination of many things, starting with his 11 years working at Delfina Restaurant Group, where he earned the nickname of “nonna whisperer” for his ability to get invited to many nonna kitchens in Italy to watch and learn how they made their specialty pastas. Even more than pizza, pasta is what he has spent the most time exploring and researching in his culinary career. He can’t help being known for it—during his SuperStella van meals, customers would even ask if there was going to be pasta on the menu. Strong loves making pasta and hanging out with grandmas—he just finished a few months in Italy, touring pastificios (pasta shops) and food shops and obsessively observing how pasta is part of everyday life there.

It ends up he got bit by the retail bug with his general store—he loved getting products to his customers, and encouraging them to try different ingredients and share how he liked to use them at home. At his new shop, he’s going to offer a variety of pastas in the case, as well as all the products you use to make and eat pasta at home, from sauces to house-cultured butter to bottarga to Parmigiano.

Speaking of home, the pandemic showed Strong how nice it was to be home for dinner at night. He became disenchanted with fine dining and the unsustainable model it requires to be able to offer allllll the things to diners, from bread service to upscale glassware to a range of main dishes. Here, he wants to simplify and create a sustainable kitchen model by just offering a small, edited menu of pasta dishes that will change daily (which you can enjoy along with a glass of wine, or even a bottle, if that’s how you want to roll). There will be a handful of tables and a counter, walk-in only. (This dine-in phase of the business will launch later.)

When talking about his vision, Strong calls it a pasta playground and a workshop, which is definitely reflected in the design (think workshop-meets-mid-century), which he did himself, as well as the construction! There’s an open production kitchen, with visible displays of pasta drying in plastic crates suspended on the wall, with white ceilings and subway tile.

He’s thrilled to become part of the Inner Richmond neighborhood, which is his favorite. There’s a great Sunday market, he digs all the families, and the chill and casual vibe of Clement Street. He hopes his pasta workshop will become the neighborhood pastificio, something that is part of people’s daily (or weekly) lifestyle.

Look for the pasta and retail shop to launch in early 2023, which will likely be open to his mailing list members to start. I’ll keep you posted on the launch date, and the name, of course. Really looking forward to this! 236 Clement St. at 3rd Ave.

She decided to take advantage of the moment and update the restaurant, which was in need of some serious work, from upgrading the plumbing to fixing the leaky roof to installing new and energy-efficient equipment in the kitchen, which will save money long-term. And, of course, there’s new ventilation. She says, “This restaurant has been very good to me, and there was no better time to renovate. I knew I won’t get another chance like this.”

The massive bummer has been the supply chain-related delays for some crucial kitchen equipment (we’re talking 42 weeks and counting). While waiting for some final pieces, it ends up she still managed to run Thanksgiving service for some of her regulars, and thankfully sister restaurant, Tosca, was able to help with the cooking. Weinberg was so happy to see her customers (she was actually waiting tables that night!), and she says it felt quite emotional to be back in service. Some of her OG servers have returned (so many have left the industry), and they’re using December to host private events and do training. However: they will be open Christmas Day to the public, with reservations opening on Tock this Friday!

Of course, the stylish Weinberg is giving the space a big makeover, moving away from the rustic barn-style that was popular 12 years ago when they opened, and now it’s getting a bit more glam. She says, “Park Tavern is always a place where you can get something to eat at the bar, and you can have a nicer dinner in the dining room.” There’s wood paneling on the walls that will help with sound, and the dining room is outfitted with jewel tones, like deep purple/inky marble and dark green banquettes, with repainted walls and fab floor tiles…and trees!

The bar had a major facelift: there are stained glass pendant lights, the communal table is gone, and some circular booths that were remade from Tosca are coming over instead. The front café area is airy and light and black and white, and now can be made into a private area with doors that side closed. The private dining room is black and gold and a bit Bollywood (she did the design herself, and says, “There was no one to tell me no!”).

I will have an update for you next on the menu and some pics, but wanted to share the upcoming opening news for now. 1652 Stockton St. at Filbert.

The project is from chef-owner Jiro Lin of Hamano in Noe Valley (one of my favorite sushi counters in the city), working with chef-partner Takashi “Taka” Saito (who you may recognize previously from Hashiri and Izakaya Yuzuki), and silent partner Todd Gottula. It ends up that since Taka has been brought on as the new kitchen chef, his made-from-scratch, beef stock-based curry is so good that Jiro and Taka were inspired to create a new business around it. Hamano’s current menu includes chicken katsu curry (with panko-breaded and fried Mary’s chicken thigh), vegetable curry, and beef curry—we’ll see which ones of these dishes are on Katsuo & Kombu’s opening menu, with others! (It’s a generational recipe, and they felt like it was a good opportunity to bring this concept to life. They have some expansion plans, too.)

Since curry and udon go so well together (they offer curry udon on Hamano’s menu), and everyone loves noodles, they’re getting a Yamato noodle-making machine, and will be offering udon and noodles in a variety of thicknesses (your choice), along with regular udon broth, toppings, core proteins (they even make their own agedashi tofu at Hamano), and your preferred spice level. Talk about a dream bowl—and they’re going to try to keep things under $20. At Hamano, they currently offer a few udon variations, including negi (green onion, fresh wakame), kakiage tempura (root vegetables and shrimp tempura), and beef, with stewed and sliced prime ribeye—we’ll have to see which udon bowls come over, and what some of their new suggested combinations are. I’ll keep you posted on the menu and more—this is just an initial preview!

They’re taking over the Pizzadero space, and hope to open by February 1st, if not sooner. The space will have some seating, so it will be a great spot to come by before or after a show at The Independent—yup, they’re going to be open from lunch until late night, along with offering beer, wine, and sake. Takeout and kits will be offered for those who want to slurp or prepare their own bowl at home. The team is thrilled with the location and can’t wait to become part of the neighborhood. 559 Divisadero St. at Hayes.

Here are some other ideas, with many from local and small businesses—plllllease stay off Amazon if you can.

For the coffee lover: I’m a big fan of espresso from Mr. Espresso (locally made since 1978!), and for the holiday, they just released their special Caffè Festivo Holiday Coffee Blend, with cupping notes of candied fruit, mulling spices, and Dutch cocoa. They also sell some great holiday sets, including a set with the Caffè Festivo and a panettone from the storied Sicilian bakeshop Fiasconaro (perhaps you read the recent story about them in Eater?).

Speaking of panettone, it’s the perfect host/ess gift or way to say grazie. (And they always look like a present.) I’ve been loving the latest slow-fermented panettone from Starter Bakery, filled with Italian candied orange peel and 64% extra-bitter Guayaquil chocolate. The delicate texture is extraordinary. My mornings have been extra-special with a slice and an espresso, but it’s also a lovely sweet treat in the afternoon. In fact, I’m eating it right now, LOL.

I always love the panettone from Emporio Rulli—Gary makes it in the traditional Italian style, with four different flavors, but you’re getting it fresh. (He also makes killer stollen.)

A16 is taking preorders for the panettone they sell from Namesday Bakeshop (from chef Alex Lovick in Napa), who’s making a small amount and exclusively for A16! Flavors are traditional almond, candied orange and raisin, or the 2022 flavor of pistachio and lemon (!). Order here and choose the flavor, A16 location, and date you’d like to pick it up.

If you’re in the East Bay, Market Hall Foods always has a wide selection of panettone (the amarena cherry from Rustichella d’Abruzzo is a fave), as well as a bunch of other tasty seasonal items in their holiday shop, like olio nuovo.

I have been posting a BUNCH of holiday Stories on Instagram every day, be sure to check my holiday Highlight for a full recap of holiday cocktails, meals, and treats. I want to be sure you saw that One Market is offering eight kinds of latkes on their menu for their Festival of Latkes, until December 23rd! Delfina’s tasty latkes are also available right now!

OK, it’s time for a drink. One of the most special things I tasted this past year is the portfolio of Loco Tequila, from their Blanco to their Puro Corazón (only the finest essence of the distillation’s heart makes it into this expression, making it quite rare and special), and their Ambar Reposado (if you like some nutty and vanilla notes). While the Blanco is an exquisite sipper with herbal and mineral notes, the Puro Corazón is on another level (and it comes in a mouth-blown, handmade crystal bottle). Each bottle is numbered and comes in a special case. Read more on their origin, terroir, and process. Here’s a special for tablehopper readers: shipping is on Loco with code Tablehopper. ¡Salud!

It’s time for bubbles. Always. I love receiving bubbles, I love gifting bubbles. A bottle is always appreciated, and how about a bottle with a candle? Cheers to Domaine Carneros, one of my favorite California sparkling brands, who released this limited-edition collaboration gift box with Voluspa: it comes with a bottle of Domaine Carneros’ limited-release cuvée paired with a Sparkling Cuvée candle with notes of grapefruit and stone fruit (the opalescent Japonica glass shimmers). (You’ll find other special gifts in their shop—La Rêve is truly a dream.)

One of the most enjoyable bottles I have popped recently is the special collector bottle of Charles Heidsieck’s Brut Réserve, a multi-reserve bottle that is pure finesse, elegance, and balance (it’s 40 percent pinot noir, 40 percent chardonnay, and 20 percent meunier). Thanks to the prolonged aging (three-four years in chalk cellars) and 50 percent of reserve wines in the blend, it offers some notes of brioche and fruits and nuts you’d find in a Turkish market (apricot, pistachio, almond). The artwork on the bottle by French artist Catherine Gran is gorgeous, and definitely something you want to see on the table (and in your glass).

Trying to lay off the alcohol? I hear you. If you’re a cannabis lover like me, you should know that PAX just came out with their brand-new PAX Plus, and it’s one smooooooth draw. And it comes in beautiful plum or sea green! I stopped smoking joints a long time ago, but with the PAX vaporizer, I can enjoy fresh flower without a hard hit or smoke. (I crumble up joints in the chamber all the time, or you can grind your own. They have also come up with some pre-ground “buds” pellets, great for when you’re on the go!) And, no waste since you aren’t dealing with vape cartridges or batteries or excessive packaging. Love it. There’s also a new PAX Mini, which is a tiny bit smaller, with simpler functionality.

PAX has also been running a crazy sale—their Pax 2 is only $120 and has been my buddy for quite some time. The PAX 3 has extra bells, whistles, and colors, and is on sale for $200!

Feel like doing some browsing and socializing? This Saturday December 10th, La Cocina Municipal Marketplace is hosting their Holiday Market Fundraiser from 11am-4pm, featuring food, art, and other gifts from mission and women-owned small businesses. Enjoy live entertainment, delicious bites, seasonal spirits, and winter crafts for the kids, plus there’s a holiday photo booth.

And if you’re doing some last-minute shopping, a couple shops that are always fun to browse are Rare Device (my friend has me obsessed with this metallic mushroom shopping bag) and over in the Mission, Bernal Cutlery has excellent knives and kitchen tools, books, and this awesome Gestura slotted spoon from Japan.

Books are always a welcome gift: go browse over at Omnivore Books (they have fantastic vintage books, too!), Green Apple Books (plus they have fun gifts), and Booksmith! Take a look at the new Pasta Grannies: Comfort Cooking, and I think Sally Schmitt’s Six California Kitchens is one of the best cookbooks to come out this past year (read my review).

Now, I would be the worst sister in the world if I didn’t mention the beautiful hair (and hat!) fascinators my sister has started making in her new Etsy shop, DeckedOutSF (I have always been lucky to have the sister hookup and wear these floral and feathery beauties to events, but now she’s making them extra-fancy!). It’s the perfect accessory for holiday parties and brings instant glam for New Year’s Eve, for sure. Follow her Instagram account @deckedoutsf to keep up with her latest creations as she makes them!

Happy Holidays!

Please note: this post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something, I may earn a commission. So, thanks!

The first version of the bag has a limited run due to the quantity of the adorable Friends and Family glasses I was able to secure. I’m working on a replacement item for the second edition of the bag if and when this first batch (hopefully!) sells out. Just FYI, so move quickly if you love that little glass as much as I do! Bag presales end on December 17th, FYI!

Inflation was no joke this year, but thanks to the many makers who offered special pricing so we could get 13 items in the bag again. They’re all very excited for you to try their products, and grateful for your support!

I’m thrilled to be partnering with La Cocina Municipal Marketplace as this year’s bag assembly and pick-up spot! If there are any elves with spare hands to help me out with bag assembly on Tuesday December 20th, I’d be so grateful! It’s usually just a couple hours. Please send me an email and I’ll get back to you. Mwah!

I hope you’re getting into some holiday spirit(s). I have been posting a BUNCH of holiday Stories on Instagram every day, be sure to check my holiday Highlight for a full recap of holiday cocktails, special meals, and treats. (There’s a New Year’s Eve Highlight gaining steam, too.)

One upcoming post will be about the return of Sunday brunch (after three long years) to The Garden Court at the Palace Hotel! Sis and I went on Sunday, and it felt wonderful to be back under the crystal chandeliers in that gorgeous room while eating eggs Benedict and drinking bubbles. If you’re looking for a special and very San Francisco holiday brunch, there’s one idea for you. (Read about their holiday offerings here.)

OK, it’s time to hit send and get these bag sales going. I’m looking forward to making wreaths with sis tonight, and doing our Holiday Spirits and Lights Tour this Sunday—the elves are taking a break from the workshop and getting lit. Thanks for everything, catch up with you soon! Have fun out there!

XO
~Champers the elf

We all know how Financial District businesses are suffering, but here’s hoping that if you build something glamorous enough, customers will come (I can’t wait to check it out). The swanky space was designed by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, inspired by Venice (Italy). There’s a marble bar featuring marbles in Rosso Alicante and Gallo Siena, with upholstered bar stools, and antiqued mirror inserts across the back bar. Lighting includes four large standing light features that look like modernist lamp posts, with smaller table lights on the bar and tables in the lounge area, which has club chairs and low-slung curving loveseats in mustard and dusty blue. (It’s kind of giving me a glam Harry’s Bar [in Venice] vibe.) There’s also an outdoor terrace.

It’s open for lunch, and transforms into an aperitivo, cocktail, and cicchetti bar at night. The cocktail list includes original cocktails, five Negronis, spins on some classic cocktails, spritzes, and zero-proof options—I just wish there was a classic Venetian spritz al bitter on there. Their play on a Bellini, the Ciao, Bella, combines ruby red grapefruit and pink peppercorn sorbet with Prosecco. Since they’re doing a Venetian theme, I’m also requesting a sgroppino. (I lived in Venezia for a year, so I have some special requests.) The wine list is coastal-inspired, focusing on natural, organic, and smaller family producers.

The all-day menu by executive chef Joseph Offner (The Bungalow Kitchen) features Laughing Bird shrimp with lardo and lemon; guanciale meatballs “Polpette Di Patrizio”; Venetian classics like baccalà mantecato (whipped salt cod) and carpaccio; some quality salumi (including culatello di Zibello); panini; Roman-inspired pizza al taglio; salads; and dishes like sepe al nero (Venetian for nero di seppie/cuttlefish with their ink) with polenta; and fresh bigoli with Liberty Duck ragù, orange, and clove.

Open Mon-Fri 11am-9pm for lunch and dinner. One Maritime Plaza, 300 Clay St. #100 at Front.

The kiosk will be focused on grab-and-go street food dishes (although there is a counter where you can sit), including housemade dips, freshly baked pita, savory and sweet pastries, cookies, and some beverages, too, like their cardamom cold brew. It’s a full-circle moment, since Reem’s got its start on the back plaza of the market seven years ago. Opening hours: Thu-Fri 11am-4pm, Sat-Sun 9am-4pm. 1 Ferry Building, Suite 19.

Back in October, I reported on the transformation of Saru Sushi Bar’s second location in Russian Hill into ~SARU HANDROLL BAR~, featuring temaki handrolls, and it’s now open. They mention they are still waiting on their alcohol license, so you are more than welcome to BYOB. No reservations. Open Wed- Sun 5pm-9pm. 2206 Polk St. at Vallejo.

Available this Wednesday November 23rd is a pre-Thanksgiving pick-up of goodies from ~BERNAL BAKERY~ in their new space! They wiil be open from 9am-1pm at 1501 Cortland Avenue, and Liminal Coffee will be serving up hot coffee (place your preorder with this link! Hello, gorgeous croissants.).

You may remember this pandemic pop-up from restaurant industry couple Daniella Banchero and Ryan Stagg, who started baking bread (and cinnamon rolls and cookies) in their home during lockdown as a way to pay the rent, and would lower the baked goods to customers on the sidewalk in a basket on a pulley! Well, they have scaled up significantly over the past couple years, with a stand at farmers’ markets around the Bay Area and lining up a number of wholesale accounts/grocery stores, and now they’re opening their very own bakery. While they won’t have a storefront for now, it seems that will change in time. Follow their Instagram account @bernal_bakery for updates.

My “marinara brother” @knucklesamwick brought me a warm and pillowy (read: huge) and golden-deeeeelicious bagel from the newly open ~THE LAUNDROMAT~ in the Outer Richmond, featuring bagels in the morning from Kevin Rodgers and Jenna O’Connell of Holey Roller (with really tasty schmears!), and salads and pizza in the evening, plus beer, wine, and vermouth drinks. What Now SF reported the CinemaSF owners (Jaimi Holker and Adam Bergeron) are partners on the project—they operate the beloved Balboa Theater across the street. Closed on Tue. 3725 Balboa St. at 38th Ave.

There’s a new coffee shop called ~MARIGOLD CAFÉ~ that opened in the Marigold flower shop in the Mission. Look for coffee from Heart Roasters, and pastries from Black Jet Baking Co. and Le Dix-Sept. Open Mon-Fri 7:30am-2pm, Sat-Sun 8am-3pm. 2681 21st St. at York.

There’s a new, teeny-tiny sake bar (like six seats and two tables!) serving craft sake, sashimi, and koryori (small plates of Japanese home cooking) called ~CHIKA AND SAKE~, now open near Japantown. (It was recently the short-lived Sushi Aoba, and for my fellow SF old timers, it was previously Kiss Seafood.) Open Tue-Sat 5pm-9pm, reservations recommended. 1700 Laguna St. at Sutter. [Via Eater]

Rotating dishes on the menu will feature some Abruzzese classics, like arrosticini (skewers) and spaghetti alla chitarra, but will also highlight dishes from other regions, like a trofie pasta dish from Sicily. (The part-time chef is from Puglia.) But these won’t all be traditional dishes: there will be inventive small plates, like a savory cannolo with mortadella mousse (!), or filet mignon tartare with osetra caviar, and larger dishes, like eggplant parmigiana alla Convivium, with couscous, avocado, and tomato confit. Some Japanese and other Asian ingredients will also be making appearances.

Of course, the extensive wine list will feature Italy prominently, but there are also Californian wines, biodynamic wines, and more. Look for six-seven whites and reds by the glass (each), and 70-80 bottles.

Community and conviviality are a big part of this project—it’s important to the family to showcase and preserve Italian culture and history in North Beach. Sofia is passionate about involving the artist community, musicians, and more, and she is committed to creating a space of inclusivity, where everyone is welcome (even people who don’t drink—Sofia knows how to take good care of you!).

In fact, the space used to be home to Danilo Bakery (for 36 years, until 2005), and the Scarpones reused the former plank the bakers used to knead bread dough into a counter for the enoteca. There’s room for 25-30 guests, with a small room and bar in the front, and two private rooms in the back. Dava Guthmiller of Noise 13 (the local design shop that designed the tablehopper newsletter and website many years ago!) consulted on the design of the space and branding, and has been an amazing support.

Things are a little wonky with hours this week because of the holiday, but they will be open Wed-Sun 5pm-10pm (except Thursday/Thanksgiving this week). 516 Green St. at Grant.

Now open in the former Franchino is ~ELENA~, a Mediterranean restaurant from Nader Parhizgari of Nature Stop grocery. This interview on Joe Content mentions the menu spans Turkey, Greece, and Spain, featuring halal meats, and the wine list is focused on small producers. Open Sun and Tue-Thu 5pm-9pm, and Fri-Sat 11am-3pm for lunch and 5pm-9pm for dinner. 347 Columbus Ave. at Grant.

A tablehopper reader wrote in with a tip that ~LUKE’S LOCAL~ appears to be opening another location of their popular grocery store (also known for their deli and prepared foods) on Green Street (What Now SF spotted the permit filing back in September). I was able to get confirmation that they’re opening in winter 2023—additional details are coming soon. 580 Green St. at Stockton.

I went to an event last week at the Italian consulate with Farming Hope, who announced some big news: ~REFETTORIO SAN FRANCISCO~ is moving from their location at the former Cala in Hayes Valley to their new permanent home: the former San Francisco Cooking School at 690 Van Ness! It will house their job training kitchen and community food hub, helping individuals overcome barriers to employment while feeding it forward to the community. In a follow-up email, they mention: “We’re so excited to shepherd Jodi and Tony’s amazing vision for the space into its new life helping train a new population of the community in the culinary jobs while feeding our communities in need. To help kickstart our fundraising for the move, we launched our Harvest Club and invite everyone to join as our founding members in support of Farming Hope’s work.”

They will probably be moving into the new space in January. In the meantime, get tickets for their next guest chef dinner on December 5th with Penny Roma and Flour + Water’s culinary team. Tickets are available here.

The former Mozzeria in the Mission is going to be ~ANGIE’S PIZZA~, offering wood-fired pizza from John McCloskey, an alum of Pizzetta 211 and Pizza Hacker. Opening December 2nd. 3228 16th St. at Guerrero. [Via Eater]

Eater reported on a second location of ~THE COFFEE MOVEMENT~ (known for their inventive coffee drinks) coming to the former Orson’s Belly space at 1737 Balboa Street on December 1st.

The Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Kavala (Kavala COOP) was founded in 1927—today, it has 500 members that include producers from the provinces of Kavala, Nestos, and Thassos. Kavala is a top kiwi-producing region in the nation. We visited the kiwi processing facilities in Haidefto, and thanks to the highly irrigated area (there are canals everywhere), specialized agronomists started cultivating kiwis there 22 years ago. And with great success: the mild climate and fertile land were quite ideal, thanks to the Nestos River (the area was previously renowned for growing tobacco and corn).

Since we were there in June, there weren’t any ripe kiwis for us to try—harvest is in mid-October through early December. (What’s interesting is since Greece isn’t in the same hemisphere as New Zealand, they have different cultivation schedules.) Kiwis can be kept in cold storage for up to six months—at this facility, they can store 10 million kiwis in 52 refrigerated rooms while carefully monitoring the temperature, humidity, and oxygen levels. Kavala COOP exports kiwis throughout Europe (Spain buys the most), South Africa, USA, Canada, and other countries.

We toured the processing facility and the kiwi fields and learned about how they’re grown. Did you know kiwis grow on vines, not trees? It was fascinating to see them growing on pergola frames (like old-school grape vines!), which helps to provide shade. Another interesting fact: the cultivation team will pluck two kiwis off the vine and leave one to grow plump and sweet.

In the fall, Kavala COOP will separate the harvested kiwis into ten kinds (by weight and class). It ends up different markets have different preferences: France likes their kiwis small, Spain likes ‘em big. And since kiwis reportedly have two times the vitamin C of oranges, they were quite popular during the pandemic. I also learned that gold kiwis are sweeter and less reactive than green kiwis for some people who report feeling tingly lips or a swollen tongue when they eat them, so give the goldies a try.

In case you’re wondering how to say kiwi in Greek, it’s “aktinidio.” You’ll see Greeks using kiwis in pastries, smoothies, and as a topping on Greek yogurt or in parfaits, just like we do. The next time you’re buying kiwis, check and see where they’re from—they may have a Greek accent!

I have some exciting news updates for you in today’s column, and I’m also including a recap from my summer press trip to Greece when I went to learn about kiwis! (Stand by for my piece on cherries next!)

If you haven’t figured out your Thanksgiving reservations or takeout or pies yet, I have a ton of tips in my Instagram Thanksgiving Highlights, which can be helpful for you last-minute folks!

As you can imagine, there are so many special meals and events and experiences coming up for the holidays. Look for my Instagram Holiday Highlights for all the latest on Hanukkah latkes and winter cocktails and Christmas dinners and more (I’ll be updating it daily).

I know many of you are gearing up for holiday shopping since this is the week of crazy sales. I wanted to be sure you knew I’m going to be doing another hopper holiday gift bag this year in case you want to shop small and local! Like in years past, I’m curating a bunch of unique, quality, and delicious products from local restaurants, bars, and makers. And just wait until you see this year’s tote! (I’m just sayin’.) Stand by for details VERY SOON! It isn’t easy putting this all together, so I hope you’re still excited to support our local F&B industry and community for a third year by purchasing this awesome tote of artisanal treats!

Wishing you a beautiful Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, Native American Heritage Day, and holiday. I have so much to be grateful for, and you’re a big part of that, so thank you. I’m looking forward to getting together with my adorable family (sis and I are bringing our kitties, so the grand-cats will surely be getting spoiled with lots of snuggles and bites of turkey). Wishing you safe travels, good health, and happy times at the table.

Gratefully yours,

The Tivoli opened in 1906—it appears the building was constructed before the Great Quake and survived, which is why it was able to reopen so quickly. I was told it used to be an Italian boarding house, with fishermen living above and eating in the restaurant downstairs. The word “Savoy” was added to the name in 1967. Over the years, it was known for being quite the Beat and bohemian and hippie hangout—as the bar would say, “A favorite of Hippies and Beats, Punks and Preps, Ladies and Gents.” I loved that you would always meet new people there on the patio, it was such a social and eclectic vibe, may it continue.

Did you know it was the original home of Steve Silver’s “Beach Blanket Babylon?” (I didn’t have time to do much fact-checking, and I want to dive deeper on the Tivoli’s history, but you can read some retrospective and historical pieces here, here, and here.)

Previous owner Claire Kozel sadly passed away in July 2021 (she was 88!)—she ran the bar with her partner Juan Cerda for years—and her son Paul Kozel was then appointed owner by the bar’s revocable trust. Since Paul lives in Miami, he reached out to his friend Tito Avila (who’s in the Bay Area) to be part of the ownership team. Avila was a bit reluctant at first—his background is in startups, and the space had fallen into quite a state of disrepair over the years—but he says, “The more I learned about the 117-year-old history, I realized I would be lucky to be part of it.” He oversaw a massive purge of clutter—it ends up very little had been thrown away by the five families who have owned it for the past century-plus. It took three months to carefully wade through the trash and treasures in the basement, but fortunately many discoveries now get another life (including an exterior sign from the 50s that is now hanging over the stage).

Designer Craige Walters of C Walters Design (August 1 Five, Black Cat, Persona) has his office above the Tivoli, and he told me it’s where he got his first job in SF when he was 15: he used to set up the chairs for the cinema in the back by the bocce court a couple nights a week (he was paid two Tequila Sunrises and $20). Like I was saying…that place played a little fast and loose back in the day when Freddie Kuh owned it. It’s also where he met the love of his life and later wife, Jenny. It’s hard to even imagine anyone better for overseeing the bar’s refresh.

Avila and Walters were dedicated to maintaining the original look of the space—they want people to walk in and notice how great it looks, but not feel like it’s something different. It’s more of a restoration than renovation—they want to bring the Savoy Tivoli back to how it felt during its heyday 30 years ago, with the terrace bar, back bar, and stage. They had to do some major work to the floors and walls, but they took such good care to preserve what they could, and hired a muralist to help match what was on the walls before. The space now feels more open, the old bar is polished up, the palm trees are there, ditto the Art Deco lights, gold lettering is being added to the windows, and they’re ready to host some live music (although they have some limitations that date back to 20 years ago, they’re hoping to be able to prove things have changed with the new ownership). And did you know: the Ramones played there, in 1976?! They’ll be rotating artwork on the patio, and North Beach’s art mayor Jeremy Fish will have an upcoming show.

The general manager is David Sabo, who worked with some bar consultants and collaborated with their current bar team on 13 cocktails, plus three low-ABV and three no-ABV cocktails (and you have two bars to order them from!). There is also going to be a wine list that pays homage to the Savoy region in the Western Alps, featuring sparkling and still wines from the area. Tivoli (a town in Lazio, Italy) should see some representation as well!

Right now, they’re waiting for sign-off from the Health Department on a few things, and one of them is quite major (and utterly insane: the inspector wants them to enclose the iconic open-air patio—which we as a city who remembers and preserves the past will not stand, stay tuned). So, the opening date is up in the air right now, but they’re pretty much ready to go. I will keep you posted, and will have some pics of the interior to share soon.

They’re playing around with opening hours—they’d like to honor the space’s reputation as a place for night-shift folks to come in early in the morning, but who knows if that crowd even exists anymore. Build it and they will come? We’ll have to wait and see. 1434 Grant Ave. at Union.

Back in August, Eater reported on this project coming to Lower Nob Hill that was going to serve as Lee’s R&D kitchen for Akiko’s, serving four nights a week. The omakase menu highlights an aging program of top-quality seafood from Japan, with cocktails and vintage Champagnes and more. I’m thrilled to be checking it out this week, stand by for details from me on this exciting project. Welcome back, Ray and team. 1501 California St. at Larkin.

I was happy to receive an invite to the reopening of ~LIHOLIHO YACHT CLUB~ this month, which many folks have been eagerly anticipating since the restaurant has been closed since the beginning of the pandemic. It reopens November 22nd, with some light updates to the space and menu, here’s a look at what’s coming: [The Chronicle]

Fabulous tablehopper media researcher Rebecca tipped me off that ~PINSA ROSSA~, the new place from Ken Lowe of Ace Wasabi Sushi that I mentioned was opening in the former Santino’s Vino (previously Dino’s) is now open! He has been working with the Santino’s team to get this new Roman pinseria concept open; the chef is Leo Cugnata, who previously worked at Montesacro and Gusto Pinsa Romana.

The menu includes 16 kinds of pinsa (!), including prosciutto and stracciatella di burrata, carbonara, and an Italian sausage and potato pinsa. Of course, I’m curious about the Calabrian Cotto (smoked scamorza cheese, prosciutto cotto, shredded mozzarella, Calabrian chile spread, fresh parsley). The dough features a high-protein blend of rice, soy, and wheat flours, which comes out airy, crisp, lighter on gluten, and is therefore easier for some to digest (we have Montesacro to thank for educating us on this style). There are also some antipasti, salads, and a couple pasta dishes (lasagne bolognese and gnocchi). The wine list is primarily Italian, with a few Californian and Greek selections (yamas, Dino!). Open Tue-Thu 4:3pm-9pm, Fri-Sat 4pm-10pm, Sun 4pm-9pm. 2101 Fillmore St. at California.

Opening this Thursday November 10th on Broadway in North Beach (many years ago, it was the former Vanessi’s) is ~KEYS JAZZ BISTRO~ from jazz educator, pianist, and co-owner Dr. Simon Rowe, as well as co-owner Matt Mullenweg (who co-founded WordPress!) and Eric Vance will oversee general operations. “Keys” will present music and dinner four nights a week, with two sets and two seatings, and three sets on Fridays and Saturdays. A casual, seasonal menu with signature cocktails and non-alcoholic options will be available. The 4,000-square-foot space will seat 125, and features a state-of-the-art sound system, a Yamaha Concert grand piano, and a resident Hammond B3 organ. Check out their opening lineup and make a reservation for a night on the town with some live jazz. 498 Broadway at Kearny.  

Was happy to see plant-based Italian restaurant ~BAIA~ in Hayes Valley is reopening on November 16th after suffering damage from a fire that was started by an arsonist back in August.

I’m going to be posting pics about this very soon at @tablehopper on Instagram, but in case you’re looking for the perfect private room for a group dinner, or an exciting communal dinner experience with strangers on Fridays, check out the new Gilda’s Salon Dinners at the Proper Hotel.

Chef Jason Fox has crafted an 11-course tasting menu ($220) that is served in Proper’s glam private salon, Gilda’s. The textured room is simply gorgeous, with wallpaper and vintage furnishings and sexy lighting from style queen Kelly Wearstler. (I was beyond obsessed with the Eastern European china.) Chef Fox’s love of Japanese cuisine and seafood really shines, with seasonal dishes like Mendocino sea urchin with sesame tofu and dashi; Japanese firefly squid kissed over the coals; and sweetbreads cooked in beeswax with chestnut and truffles. And the wine pairings ($100) are so fabulous. The whole experience will make you swoon, for many reasons, so be sure you take a cab. 10 seats. Fridays only (for now), 7pm. San Francisco Proper Hotel, 1100 Market St.

Tonight, I’m busy in Oakland with the first of two Schmaltzy events I’m co-producing this week with the Jewish Food Society (you should check out their new site)! SF’s event is on Thursday—looking forward to seeing you! Both events have sold out, and the waitlist is pretty long, just FYI!

One event you can still get tickets to is an evening with culinary goddess Nigella Lawson, who is touring the U.S. right now, and stopping in SF on Monday November 14th! (She will also be appearing in Santa Rosa on the 16th.) I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing her for Nob Hill Gazette’s November issue, you can read my piece here. We could have chatted for hours. She’s so warm, earthy, and simply divine!

With Thanksgiving coming up quickly, I’m posting updates daily on where to go out for or take home a turkey (or plant-based) dinner, pie, sides, and more in my Instagram Stories Highlight!

You can imagine I am beyond swamped this week with my newsletter deadline hitting the same week as these two events, so I need to bounce! I have a big story in today’s column about the return of the Savoy-Tivoli in North Beach, plus another new project in the neighborhood, love to see it.

Take good care,

As we all know, the pandemic has been particularly rough on SoMa—no convention business and no office workers coming by for techy lunches and dinners and drinks made things extremely challenging, and delivery and frozen pizzas were not going to make up for it. It has been a tough decision after fighting so hard to keep going, but it was time to call it. Hill has retained employees for ten years and more, including his chef Jose Canto, who has been there since day one. Hill will continue as executive chef/partner at Bix, and his Chef’s Press is also keeping him busy. In case you’re on the hunt for a space, there are eight years on the lease—Hill is looking for a buyer.

Come by for a final pie and stoner garlic bread and goodbye this week. The last service will be Saturday November 12th. Sending them off with a great week of sales would be nice—you can book a reservation on Tock. Best wishes and thanks to the team for all the tasty carbs (and Negronis).

Over in Los Gatos: I received word that chef David Kinch and the ~MANRESA~ team have announced their final month of service will be December, closing out this singular restaurant’s 20-year-run on New Year’s Eve. December reservations will be released at 12am midnight (Pacific time) on November 14th on Tock. Manresa’s signature tasting menu ($595 tasting menu; $255 optional wine pairings) “will change and showcase in high style the expertise and dedication amassed over the past 20 years.” (Time for one last Into the Vegetable Garden.) On New Year’s Eve—Manresa’s final night of service—the “no-holds-barred menu” will be $725, with $325 optional wine pairings. That is going to be quite a night! In 2023, you’ll still be able to see Kinch at The Bywater, Mentone, and Manresa Bread (from founder and head baker Avery Ruzicka). Congrats on such a great run.

SF Standard broke the news that ~SEVEN STILLS BREWERY AND DISTILLERY~ has closed three years after opening their massive space in Dogpatch. Such tough timing on that one.

SFGate reports on the closure of ~PLOY II THAI CUISINE~ in the Haight, after 33 years.

I saw a post on Nextdoor that old-timer ~EXTREME PIZZA~ on Fillmore Street has closed after 28 years at that location. Other locations remain open.

The space has been repainted with a vibrant Prussian blue that pairs well with the elements of gold and wood throughout the space, with blue-cushioned bistro stools. There’s a front bar and back bar, plus a long communal table, high-tops or regular tables you can sit at, and a back room you’ll be able to rent for private events, plus there’s a spacious parklet out front. Take your pick—we had some great people-watching from our window seat.

Cezar has assembled an extensive wine program that leans Old World, but has some California selections as well, plus there’s a reserve list you can ask for. Four bubblies by the glass, fantastique. The cocktails include some classics (Painkiller, Sazerac) and some refreshing concoctions, like the Gentleman’s Sweep (bourbon, apricot, lemon, spiced syrup). Love seeing a list of $13 cocktails, thank you.

One of the first people I saw when I walked in was Wes Rowe (WesBurger), who’s consulting on the eclectic menu that has some spins on Eastern and Central European dishes (Cezar is Polish). I dug the creativity of these bar bites—sample dishes included a Lubuskie beef tartare (or beet) with egg yolk brightened with yuzu on top; Russ’s beet-cured salmon with brown bread; and, naturally, there are pierogi—Wes is tinkering with the fillings. Whether you’re looking for snacks or something more substantial, you’re covered (and it’s perfect food for our chillier weather now). Hours will be Tue-Sat 4pm-12am, Sun 11am-5pm. Welcome to the neighborhood. 581 Hayes St. at Laguna.

Over in the Lower Haight, I saw an ABC license hit the wires for a project called ~STOA~ from Nopalito’s Allyson Jossel, Gonzalo Guzman, Joji Sumi, and Nopa and Liholiho’s former bartender, Yanni Kehagiaras, opening in the former Fort Point Beer taproom. The Chronicle reports cocktails will be the primary focus here, with some seasonal California small plates (not Mexican—they aren’t duplicating Nopalito!), and perhaps a few larger dishes. Look for a spring 2023 opening. 701 Haight St. at Pierce.

Pop’s, Joe’s Taco Lounge, and a Wendy’s franchise are among the 200-plus restaurants that HigherUp has helped with the Employee Retention Credit. HigherUp is a payroll and tax firm that’s been servicing San Francisco for over 20 years.

They’ve been busy helping restaurants all across the country maximize this credit—ranging from 2 employees up to 1,000—who were forced to limit indoor dining capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some restaurants have received all the way up to $26,000 per employee. Get in touch and find out if your business qualifies for the ERC!

Many restaurants were incorrectly told they didn’t qualify for the ERC:
- “I can’t qualify because my revenue went up.” Incorrect
- “I got PPP loans, so I can’t get the Employee Retention Credit.” Incorrect
- “I started my business during the pandemic and can’t qualify.” Incorrect

Click here to learn more and gain a better understanding of this credit.

If you’re ready to see if your restaurant qualifies for the ERC, reach out to Arran Bianchini (Solutions Consultant at HigherUp HCM), and please be sure to mention you saw the ad in tablehopper.

The space is quite gorgeous, complimenti to Sarah Fucinaro (Fucinaro Architecture), Roy Hospitality, and Cookline on the oh-so-stylish update. I was sorry to be out of town for their open house party on Sunday, so I could see it with my own eyes, but take a look at this piece in Eater for some pics, design details, and the menu (which includes a couple pizzas, but note the rest are to go). It’s wonderful to see this iconic SF restaurant have a grand makeover one year ahead of their 25th anniversary. Auguri!

Delfina is reopening this Wednesday October 26th, serving dinner Wed-Mon starting at 5:30pm (5pm on Sundays). Aperitivo Hour (featuring an inventive spritz menu from Colin Gallagher, with complimentary bites like cacio e pepe potato chips, arancini, and more) will be Mon and Wed-Fri 5pm-6pm. 3621 18th St. at Guerrero.

The menu here has a touch of upscale ingredients on it, like the caviar on the spaghetto freddo. There are a few fried dishes (fritto misto, pork cutlet, cod) and some cold dishes, like steak tartare and a halibut crudo, as well as seafood skewers (scallop, squid, shrimp) grilled on binchotan charcoal. The passatelli sound amazzzzzzing (breadcrumb, egg, and Parmesan pasta, with porcini mushrooms and a balsamic reduction). Ravioli carbonara, sign me up. He will eventually add a tasting menu in six months or so.

Ciccino opened in the former Thai Thai Noodle—Cosmi’s wife, Lynsey Rose, is behind the redesign. You’ll note some copper elements that Cosmi made and installed, an homage to his family of plumbers. As for the name Ciccino, it all started with his grandfather, who was nicknamed “magna ciccia” over the steak sandwiches he’d bring to work (ciccio is an affectionate term for fat). The name stuck with Cosmi’s father, and brothers/sons GianMarco and Mattia were called “ciccino” (little ciccio) in their youth.

Since their beer and wine license won’t arrive for a few more weeks, he’s starting with lunch/brunch Wed-Fri 11am-3:30pm and Sat-Sun 11am-4pm. He’s planning to offer some Fri-Sat dinner service very soon, check their Google or Yelp page for updates. I’ll keep you posted on when full dinner service begins and the wine is on the shelves. Cin cin! 1400 California St. at Hyde.

I broke the news earlier this year about the wood-fired pizza, natural wine, and hi-fi vinyl bar opening in the former Venticello, ~BACK TO BACK~, from siblings Monica and Randall Hom, and thanks to a reader, I learned they are softly open right now. Take a peek at the soft-opening menu here from chef Stephen Chan—it’s the perfect season for braised short ribs, and the 12-inch pizzas sound savory and built for wine. Speaking of, Louisa Smith, the talented wine director of Turntable at Lord Stanley, helped with their list—you’ll find 10 by the glass and 57 bottles of juice to choose from.

They’ve been offering limited pizza service through their to-go window, and now they’re taking reservations for their expanded soft opening this week, Wed-Sat 5pm-8:30pm. They’ll have limited bar seating for walk-ins. 1257 Taylor St. at Washington.

Now open in the Design District/Showplace Square is ~ROSEMARY & PINE~ from the Omakase Restaurant Group (Niku Steakhouse, Omakase, Dumpling Time) in the former Skool. Chef Dustin Falcon’s menu is a departure from the group’s Asian concepts and here is modern American, with some Italian American dishes inspired by his youth. He is still the chef at Niku, and previously worked at Lazy Bear, The French Laundry, and The Corner.

There are house-baked breads like focaccia and flatbreads; creative pastas like tortellini americana (bologna, tennessee ham, vella dry jack cheese); slow-braised and woodstone oven-cooked meats, seafood, and a great-looking, crispy bone-in veal chop, with tomato, crushed garlic, mozzarella, and basil. Check the menus on their site—there’s also brunch and lunch, with late-night bar dining. Cocktails from Michael Hart (Spin, 25 Lusk) are also seasonally driven, and the wine and beer lists are exclusively Californian. Enjoy the sunny and spacious patio while you can—the interior was redesigned by Aya Yanagisawa. Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30am-2pm, brunch Sat-Sun 10am-2pm, dinner Thu-Sun 5pm-9:30pm and Fri-Sat 5pm-10:30pm (cocktail hour: 4pm-closing). 1725 Alameda St. at Rhode Island.

Over in Hayes Valley, ~LOQUAT~ has opened in the former 20th Century Cafe. As previously mentioned in tablehopper, this daytime bakery and (eventual) evening wine bar is from Tal Mor and Jodi Geren, partners in The Mill and Four Barrel Coffee.

The Chronicle reported they teamed up with former pastry chef Kristina Costa from Tartine Bakery, who is making “baked goods inspired by the Jewish diaspora and Levantine flavors,” from laminated cinnamon-date babka to savory bourekas (like fried sage and Double 8 Dairy ricotta, and potato baharat and caramelized onion), pistachio cookies, and labne cheesecake with honey-roasted figs and orange blossoms. If you look at their Instagram Stories and Highlights, you’ll see some beautiful creations. There will also be pantry items for sale. Open Thu-Fri and Mon starting at 7am, Sat-Sun at 8am, closed Tue-Wed. 198 Gough St. at Oak.

I’ve been tracking the opening of chef-owner Tracy Goh’s ~DAMANSARA~ in Noe Valley, and she just opened her first brick-and-mortar, 48-seat Malaysian restaurant on October 19th. The name refers to her hometown of Damansara Utama, near Malaysia’s capital city of Kuala Lumpur—she moved to San Francisco for work in 2012. After hosting pop-ups and dinner parties, she was accepted in La Cocina’s food business incubator program in 2019.

Her edited menu features Malaysian street-style dishes like grilled otak-otak (spiced coconut fish cake grilled in banana leaves); cereal fried chicken (fried chicken topped with salted egg sauce and savory cereal) that comes with her nasi lemak coconut milk rice plate (or you can choose sambal calamari or beef rendang); and Damansara laksa, with more than 24 ingredients. Pics of the dishes on Yelp look fantastic. There are also vegan dishes, local wine and beer, and sake and soju cocktails. Dinner service is Wed-Sun 5pm-10pm, but the team was a bit overwhelmed last week and decided to close this Wed and Thu to catch their breath and regroup. 1781 Church St. at 30th St.

~HINODEYA RAMEN BAR~ just opened their third SF location—this time it’s in Union Square, and open late! Like, 2am nightly late! YAY. They’re known for their house ramen with a traditional Japanese dashi-style soup made from bonito, kombu, and scallop, served with whole wheat noodles. (They also offer spicy miso, hamaguri clam ramen, and a vegan ramen.) Open daily 7am-2am. I know, those are some crazy hours, let’s support them so we have late-night ramen. 219 O’Farrell St. at Powell.

Over in the Inner Richmond is a new AYCE Korean BBQ spot called ~ZAJANG GRILL~ that opened in the former Carbon Grill. For $40.99, you have 90 minutes to make your way through the menu of ready-to-eat appetizers and items you’ll grill at your table (like calamari, river prawns, kalbi short ribs, spicy pork belly)—go with a group in order to be able to try more items. You’ll order via your phone with a QR code, so make sure it’s charged. Open nightly 5pm-11pm. 852 Clement St. at 10th Ave.

Coming to Rincon Center in early November is another location of ~NICK THE GREEK~—there’s one in Daly City and another in South San Francisco, plus other locations around the Bay Area. Known for their gyros and souvlaki, they also make plates, burgers, bowls, salads, and sides. Look for an opening in early November. 121 Spear St. at Howard.

It looks like The Handroll Project has unleashed a local sushi trend: Yonsei Handrolls opened in Uptown Oakland earlier this month, and now Saru Sushi Bar’s second location in Russian Hill is reopening as ~SARU HANDROLL BAR~—they are targeting the second week of November for the opening. It was originally the Kinjo space, and then Saru took it over in September 2020, but then they closed in May 2021 for renovations. Saru Sushi Bar in Noe Valley will remain the same. I’ll share more details and a menu when they’re about to open. 2206 Polk St. at Vallejo.

Great news for residents of Russian Hill and Polk Gulch: ~BI-RITE MARKET~ is taking over the Real Foods Co. location on Polk. According to a press release, “The location has been a neighborhood staple since 1976 and Bi-Rite is excited to honor the legacy of Kimball and Jane Allen, Real Foods Co. founders, by continuing to ensure the community has access to fresh, delicious, nourishing food from socially responsible farmers, ranchers, and makers.” They’ll take over the space in early 2023—Steffan Morin, a 16-year Bi-Rite veteran and most recently general manager of Bi-Rite Market 18th Street, will become general manager, and they will offer paid training to the staff at Real Foods Co. and shifts at other Bi-Rite Markets. This will be Bi-Rite’s third neighborhood grocery store. 2140 Polk St. at Vallejo.

Downtown, the Hi Neighbor Hospitality Group has debuted The Piano Bar as an extension of ~THE VAULT STEAKHOUSE~. There’s a new happy hour menu with live music and $10 cocktails (including a classic Martini, Manhattan, and Old-Fashioned, as well as a contemporary Sherry Negroni and French 75), available Tue-Sat 4pm-6pm, with live music 5pm-9pm. There are also fun modern interpretations of throwback dishes, like shrimp cocktail, potato pave tots with smoked trout roe, and prime rib sliders with caramelized onions. Order the “Afternoon Delight” for a tower of chef-selected items. 555 California St. at Kearny.

“Champagne Moussé is one of our favorite producers. If you haven’t tried it, we’re not surprised—they make tiny quantities, and have quickly become one of the most sought-after wines in all of Champagne. We are so excited to welcome our friend Cédric Moussé for a wine dinner at The Morris, and the lineup is amazing!

“At Moussé, they focus on the meunier grape, which until recently was considered to be the “other grape,” lesser in quality than chardonnay and pinot noir, but always my favorite. Here, not only is meunier elevated, but the possibility of pristine purity from the grape is on display more than any other winery, alongside Cedric’s desire to prove its age-worthiness.”

“We will be tasting an amazing lineup of wines and getting a comprehensive look at one of my favorite houses in Champagne.”

Highlights on the menu: uni mousse; sturgeon caviar and lobster; matsutake dashi.

Tickets are $395/person, all-inclusive. (Transferable but non-refundable.)
Email to book your seats.⁣
Thursday November 3rd, 6pm start time.
2501 Mariposa St. at Hampshire, SF

Over in Cole Valley, ~PADRECITO~ abruptly closed after almost 10 years in the neighborhood. SFGATE shared excerpts from owner Nate Valentine’s post in a neighborhood Facebook group: “It’s is a story of the economics not working for Padrecito in this new restaurant climate.” At least it wasn’t the story of a lousy landlord raising the rent or squeezing them out. But the rising cost of doing business in SF is going to continue to negatively impact the viability of casual neighborhood spots, even for seasoned operators. It’s hard to watch. 901 Cole St. at Carl.

Hoodline has the story on the closure of longtime Cow Hollow sandwich shop ~MARINA SUB~. The beloved owner Q is retiring after 36 years (!)—the new owners are reportedly keeping some things in place, but adding some new items as well. No word if the name will remain the same. 2299 Union St. at Steiner.

The founders of Boba Guys are once again embroiled in a conflict with their employees—this time, Mission Local reported management drastically reduced the flagship Mission store’s workers’ hours and reportedly have been suspending and firing employees who have retaliated and/or shared information about unionizing. There’s more in this piece in The Chronicle. The Mission shop is closed for now. Clean up in aisle seven! 3491 19th St. at Valencia.

It was wonderful to see so many of you a week ago at the Foodwise Sunday Supper, what a fabulous reunion of our farmer, culinary, and cocktail community! Did you know Foodwise raised $440,000 in support of local, sustainable family farmers and food makers at Foodwise farmers markets, and food access programs?! It was their most successful Sunday Supper yet, all thanks to you.

You’ll want to head back to the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market at the Ferry Building this Saturday October 29th for the new Pop-Ups on the Plaza series. Celebrate the harvest season with a day of fall festivities, family fun, and delicious food from local, Black-owned food businesses, including A Girl Named Pinky, Melan-AID, Rome’s Kitchen, Tha M’fn Vegan, Wanda’s Cooking, and many more. There will also be cooking demos and plenty of activities for the kiddos. 9am-1pm.

Also this Saturday, Prubechu is hosting a night of fashion, food, music, and natural wines with BTFL Studio and Stagiaire Wines. Did someone say roast pig fiesta plate? Tickets are almost gone, get yours here. See you there?

I’m very excited (and busy!) co-producing these two Schmaltzy events in November with the Jewish Food Society! Schmaltzy is their signature live storytelling event—it’s like The Moth, but with noshes! On Tuesday November 8th, join us for an intimate Schmaltzy salon at The Alice Collective in Oakland, featuring a story from Sydney Arkin, founder of Bad Walter’s Bootleg Ice Cream, with bites and beverages from Covenant wines and a cocktail from Junípero gin, thanks to Hotaling & Co.! Tickets are limited and can be found here.

On Thursday November 10th, we’ll be at the stylish Four One Nine venue in SoMa. Hear stories from “Good Mythical Morning’s” Nicole Hendizadeh, Nopa chef-owner Laurence Jossel, and Rabbi Sydney Mintz from Temple Emanu-El will share a tale about her Buddhist monk brother and chocolate chip cookies. (Yours truly will be emceeing.) Then, stick around to party and snack on the dishes from each story. We’ll enjoy pours from Covenant wines and Nopa’s 50/50 Martini with Junípero gin, thanks to Hotaling & Co. Extremely limited SF tickets can be found here.

Don’t forget: this week is San Francisco Restaurant Week, running through Sunday October 30th. This year, over 180 restaurants in SF are participating with prix-fixe lunch, brunch, and dinner menus available for onsite dining, takeout, and delivery. Get out there and support your favorite restaurants while discovering some new-to-you ones, too! Buon appetito!

Wishing y’all a Happy Halloween and scintillating Scorpio season—stand by for some exciting news from me in November!

XO

The primary responsibilities of the general manager include: assisting in the smooth and seamless operation of the business; reaching (and exceeding) wine bar goals; recruiting, hiring, and training team members to successfully carry out policies and procedures; upholding product quality and consistency standards; contribute to the overall profitability of the wine bar by effectively managing labor, inventory, and mitigating waste; maintaining equipment and facilities, and safely handling all of our products and equipment; upholding a positive team environment and leading by example.

Email résumés here.

Since he’s taking over the former Breakfast Little space (it’s next door to the House of Dim Sum), León decided to launch with breakfast service, offering a breakfast burrito (with potato and chorizo), chilaquiles with eggs and chicken tinga (he serves them in a Chinese takeout box!), and some classic Yucatecan breakfast dishes, like huevos motuleños (similar to huevos rancheros, but with a fried tomato sauce, ham, peas, and platanos on the side) and a torta de huevo (the omelet inside includes mint, with pickled red onion on top, and black beans). It all sounds so good, and he’ll also have some special secret menu items (IYKYK.)

His truck menu featured dishes like aguachile Tulum with tiger shrimp with recado negro (smoky charred chile condiment), lime, cucumber, serrano chile, cilantro, and onions; and ceviche yucateco, along with classic Yucatecan panuchos and salbutes. He’s going to continue to offer these popular dishes at the new restaurant. He makes everything from scratch, so all the flavors and ingredients really pop.

The truck also had a variety of tacos, from classic cochinita to fish tacos, plus a quesito rico taco with tiger shrimp, griddled cheese, special chorizo from LA, potato, and onions, all in a flour tortilla. Boom. His al pastor negro should also be on the restaurant menu, plus his birria pizza with flour tortillas, and a chicken tinga quesadilla. He said he’ll rotate some specials on in the evening hours.

It’s a tiny spot, with room for a few tables inside and outside, so it’s going to feel like a party. The space has a crisp look with a red-and-white interior and some plants. León probably won’t see his beer and wine license until early next year, so it will be BYO for now.

The targeted opening date is Thursday October 20th. Hours will be daily 7am-2pm, and Fri-Sat until 9pm or so—he’ll adjust hours based on what the neighborhood wants. Keep up with opening updates and more on their Instagram at @alcarajosf. Provecho! 3224 1/2 22nd St. at Bartlett.

Cassava officially opens their doors on Wednesday October 12th for regular dinner service, although they had some fun for the Italian Heritage Parade. The space has 40 seats, with bar seating for 10, and dog-friendly sidewalk seating has room for 40, with woven, French bistro-style chairs. The space feels airy and cheerful, with large windows, an open kitchen, colorful murals, and a bright aqua awning (plus blue tiles under the bar).

Toliao’s menu will continue to focus on California cuisine, featuring local and seasonal ingredients, offered in their affordable, three-course, prix-fixe menu ($48-52) with supplements. Dishes range from their buttermilk fried chicken to Marin Coast wild king salmon crudo to SF black cod to slow-braised lamb belly. Look for some exciting pairings from Yuka, ranging from wine to beer to sake, and more.

Ioroi and Toliao are very passionate about wage equity, creating an inclusive work environment, and working to eliminate the classism, racism, and sexism rampant in the industry. This new location is yet another step in their ongoing mission to be an equitable restaurant operation with zero exploitation. Keep up with their opening announcements on Instagram (@cassavasf). Open Wed-Sun 5pm-9pm. 401 Columbus St. at Vallejo.

In 2007, Middione was tragically involved in a car accident that caused him to lose his sense of taste and smell, which then led to him closing Vivande Porta Via on New Year’s Eve 2009.

I posted about his passing on Twitter, and it was sweet to see people share fond memories of him. One of my favorite pieces ever written about him was by his former sous chef Mark Fantino, who wrote this wonderful homage on New Fillmore back in 2015. You’ll enjoy reading it.

Grazie, Carlo, for all the memories and hospitality and contributions to our culinary culture. You touched so many people with your kindness, enthusiasm, and expertise. Now you can be at the table with Lisa once again. Rest in Pasta.

But yay, there’s good news: they will be reopening in the Ferry Building Marketplace (in “Lucky No. 13”), which feels like a sort of homecoming for them, since they had a place at the Saturday Ferry Plaza Farmers Market in their early days. They aim to have their doors open in early November: “We plan to start small and grow into this new space over time but we will be ready with all of your favorites in time for the holidays.” (That’s great, because I’ll need my New Year’s cotechino!) I know they’ll be missed by their Hayes Valley neighbors, but I’m happy this special business will continue on in SF.

According to a post on Instagram from @sfchinatown.today, longstanding Financial District dim sum restaurant ~CITY VIEW RESTAURANT~ is officially moving from their Commercial Street address to a new location: the sign on their window says they’re moving in late 2022 just a block up to 33 Walter U. Lum Place, bordering the west side of Portsmouth Square, between Clay and Washington. It will be on the ground floor of the same building that Empress by Boon is in, but will use the Walter U. Lum entrance (instead of Grant). I’ll update you with more details about the new location soon.

Big news at ~ZUNI CAFÉ~: executive chef Nate Norris has departed the restaurant after 14 years of truly leading the helm and culture there. You can read more in this farewell post from Zuni and this piece from SFGATE, which announced the new executive chef is Anne Alvero, and Phillipe Flores Francisco is the new chef de cuisine. Norris is moving to Maine with fiancée and former pastry chef Annie Callan, who departed Zuni earlier this year (she was there since 2009). Best wishes to them—their powerful SF voices and culinary contributions as keepers of Judy Rodgers’ flame will be greatly missed.

Also in the Financial District: ~THE BARREL ROOM~ is reopening for dinner on Tuesday October 18th. Co-founder and wine director Sarah Trubnick (CSW, CSWS, DipWSET) shuttered the wine bar and restaurant during the worst of the pandemic, but now it’s back with executive chef and owner-operator Manuel Hewitt. They’re ready to host your after-work get-togethers and holiday gatherings (there’s a 60-seat dining room, 25-seat wine room, and 16-seat cellar and bank vault/speakeasy bar).

Dinner is Tue-Fri 5pm-10pm, with a wine list and food menu that will rotate each quarter and will focus on a different region (there are over 1,000 bottles on the list, with 50 served by the glass). There’s also a full bar. The debut menus will highlight the best of the U.S. wine regions, highlighting familiar as well as more-unusual grape varieties. There are blind flights, too. Look for wine education, special wine club-style webinars and tastings (both in-person or at-home), seminars, and more coming in 2023. There will be an open-to-all launch party on Friday October 21st, when every table will be offered a complimentary glass of bubbles. 415 Sansome St. at Commercial.

After being forced to close due to damage from a water leak in their building, because the pandemic just wasn’t horrible enough, ugh, ~MAISON DANEL~ is back open for lunch, brunch, and afternoon tea. Their current hours are Mon and Thu 8am-3pm, and Fri-Sun 8am-4pm. 1030 Polk St. at Post.

The newly open ~HAZIE’S~ in Hayes Valley (with Bay Area chef and TV personality Joey Altman at the helm) just launched brunch, with an eclectic menu of dishes (it will expand in coming weeks) like latkes, a breakfast fundido, and a beef brisket sandwich (inspired by a Chicago beef), with Sicilian pepperoncini “salsa,” melty provolone cheese, and grain mustard aioli (perhaps watching The Bear made you crave one?). There’s also a lineup of brunch cocktails, including a Boujee Bellini (Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne, guava, mango, peach purée) and a Wake and Bake (bourbon, Mr. Black Coffee Liquor). It’s great to see that corner busy again. Sat-Sun 10am-3pm. 501 Hayes St. at Octavia.

This one is for sandwich lovers: ~HIDDEN SPOT—AVENUES~ has opened inside Neck Of The Woods in the Inner Richmond—you’ll need to walk up the stairs. They have multiple locations: I wrote about the one in SoMa back in April. The menu includes a bunch of hot meat sandwiches (pastrami, shredded chicken, oven-roasted turkey, sliced ribeye), wagyu burgers, karaage chicken burgers, wings, tots, and beer-battered onion rings. Open Mon-Fri 11am-9pm. 406 Clement St. at 5th Ave.

In the Outer Richmond is ~FUKU RAMEN~, “crafted from a ramen enthusiast,” according to the top of their menu. The menu is pretty edited, focused on three kinds of tonkotsu ramen (classic, red garlic, and black garlic tonkotsu ramen), which all come with chashu ($11.95), but you’ll need to order a soft-boiled egg as an add-on ($2.45)—unless you order the Fuku tonkotsu ramen, which comes with everything ($15.50). There are also some appetizers, like gyoza, chicken karaage, and takoyaki. Open Mon-Thu 11:30am-3pm and 5pm-9:30pm, Fri-Sun 11:30am-9:30pm. 2110 Clement St. at 22nd Ave.

Just have to do a shout of excitement for Dominic Prado of the amazing taco truck ~EL ULTIMO BAILE~, who is opening his brick-and-mortar location in Fruitvale (formerly Nyum Bai) on October 15th! Taco nirvana awaits: tacos al carbon, handmade tortillas, banging salsas. Looks like the outdoor patio will be in use; bring on the fiesta—it’s time to celebrate. 3340 E. 12th St. #11 at 33rd Ave., Oakland.

Another business that is closing Sunday October 16th is ~MIDNITE BAGEL~, which just opened their slowly fermented, whole-grain sourdough bagel shop in the Inner Sunset in May. While the brick-and-mortar location is closing, Nick Beitcher will continue to bake out of his Dogpatch commissary, fulfilling online ordering and retail sales to Bi-Rite Market, The Epicurean Trader, and more. Their stand at the Saturday Ferry Building farmers market and Sunday Sunset and Stonestown markets will continue, with market sandwiches and more. 646 Irving St. at 8th Ave.

Lastly, over on Fillmore and California, Dino Stavrakikis has sold his pizza place, ~SANTINO’S VINO~ (previously Dino’s) after 34 years of business. Be sure to read this in-depth piece in the New Fillmore about why Stavrakikis is clocking out. I spotted some ABC license activity a few weeks ago listing Pinsa Rossa, from Ken Lowe of Ace Wasabi Sushi in the Marina. According to the New Fillmore: “New owner Ken Lowe has announced no decision on changing the popular storefront and is likely for now to keep the wine and pizza format and the longtime employees.” 2101 Fillmore St. at California.

During my 24-hour jaunt, I was also in Healdsburg for the launch of the Cuzen collaboration with SingleThread—I’ll be posting about this on Instagram shortly, but if you want to check out a couple matcha recipes from chef Kyle Connaughton, they just posted the first two here (more to come)! (That smoothie is perfection—but I really need a professional blender at home.) Mmmmmatcha! Maybe you remember reading about this magic machine in my holiday gift guide?

I have definitely needed the extra caffeine to keep up with all my deadlines. My most recent profile for Nob Hill Gazette features Noodle in a Haystack’s new SF restaurant and their superlative ramen—you can read it in the October issue, or online here. Stand by for the November issue, featuring my interview with goddess Nigella Lawson! (She’s coming to the Bay Area in November on her North American tour: An Evening with Nigella Lawson!)

This Sunday, there are still tickets available for the Foodwise Sunday Supper: A Farm to City Feast, read more in my recent post here. See you there?

Hispanic Heritage Month wraps up on October 15th, but my love for these places is forever—take a look at this post I wrote for Charles Communications highlighting five of my favorite Latinx spots and sabrocito dishes in SF.

Fall SF Restaurant Week returns October 21st, and we have a super-fabulous giveaway for you to enter to win dinner for four in today’s column, don’t miss it!

Lastly, I had so much fun creating this video for Prosecco Superiore DOCG about how I like to host my ideal disco aperitivo party—and Fortuna even has a few cameos! (My little starlet.) I curated an Italo-disco playlist to keep the bubbles flowin’—I hope you enjoy it, cin cin!

Ciao!

To get your appetites ready, we’re partnering up with the newly opened La Société Bar and Café in SoMa for a DELICIOUS giveaway. One lucky winner will win an SFRW week dinner for FOUR to La Société!

To enter to win, all you need to do is visit this @tablehopper post on Instagram!

One lucky winner will be announced on Friday October 21st (at 10am PT), so don’t delay!

Dinners can be redeemed for onsite dining at the restaurants pending availability, takeout, or delivery if the winner is within the geographical delivery range of the restaurant.

Broke-Ass Stuart has been writing about San Francisco for 20 years (!), and he wants to celebrate this huge milestone by partying with you. Join him as BrokeAssStuart.com comes to life for one night only.

Just look at this incredible lineup:

Music: Sunset Sound System, Juanita More!, Kat Robichaud, Conspiracy of Beards
Comedy: Stroy Moyd, Chris Riggins, Allison Hooker
Burlesque: RedBone
Magic: Dennis Kyriakos

It’s all going down this Thursday October 13th at Public Works (161 Erie St.) from 7pm-midnight.

Plus, you’ll be able to pick up Stuart’s new publication: Slouching Towards Neverland: 20 Years of Writing About San Francisco.

Learn more and get tickets right here.

You won’t want to miss this kickoff celebration for Diwali (the Festival of Lights) at ~BESHARAM~ on Saturday October 15th, a one-night-only feast from chef Heena Patel (Diwali begins October 24th). The prix-fixe menu ($125) will be family-style, featuring regional Gujarati flavors in dishes inspired by Heena’s favorite childhood memories of the holiday in India, with dessert from friend and guest chef Hetal Vasavada from Milk & Cardamom. The meal is vegetarian, with vegan and gluten-free options available; wine pairings from Besharam co-owner Paresh Patel are available for $30. Based on the complete flavor extravaganza I just experienced at dinner last week, you are in for something very special. Book on Resy (seatings begin at 5pm). 1275 Minnesota St. at 24th St.

Rose Levy Beranbaum will be in the Bay Area this month for events in support of the publication of her 13th cookbook, The Cookie Bible. The festivities will kick off with a cookies and ice cream party on October 18th at The Ice Cream Bar in Cole Valley (815 Cole St.). The Ice Cream Bar will make one recipe from The Cookie Bible, Rose’s Crescents, and two recipes from Rose’s Ice Cream Bliss, Passion Ice Cream and Raspberry Ice Cream, that will be available for sampling and for sale. Books will be available for sale courtesy of The Booksmith. This event is free to attend. 7:30pm-9pm.

Somebody’s Sister is having a one-year anniversary on October 18th, at Bay Grape in Oakland. After hosting nine pop-ups over the past year, Pamela Busch and Liz Rubin are “super excited for their one-year anniversary party and can’t wait to celebrate the magnificence of being lesbians, dykes, non-binary, trans, and hella queers (and allies) with the Bay Area community.”

San Francisco Restaurant Week is running Friday October 21st-Sunday October 30th, with restaurants offering prix-fixe lunch, brunch, and dinner menus for takeout, delivery, indoor, and outdoor dining at special pricing. Concurrent with Fall Restaurant Week, Eat Drink SF will feature four showcase events around town as well: 

Industry Party Appreciation Night (Monday October 17th, 6pm-9pm at Villon) An evening to celebrate San Francisco’s restaurant community; tickets are free for GGRA members and include specialty cocktails, beverages, and appetizers. 

Opening Celebration Dinner (Friday October 21st, 5:30pm-8:30pm at One Market Restaurant) This one-time-only, all-star dinner includes chefs Charles Phan of the Slanted Door and Chuck’s Takeaway, Mourad Lahlou of Aziza and Mourad, and Belinda Leong of b. Patisserie and Routier, joining chef Mark Dommen of One Market for a spectacular four-course menu, with each chef presenting one course. Beverages will include a welcome cocktail, as well as wine pairings from sommelier Tonya Pitts. Non-alcoholic beverages available. $175 ticket includes the menu, welcome cocktail, and wine pairings. This will be a seated event, please make reservations for your entire party.

Cocktail Party (Wednesday October 26th, 5:30pm-8pm at the Beacon Lounge) Celebrate the history and future of San Francisco at one of Union Square’s new hotels, Beacon Grand (formerly Sir Francis Drake Hotel). Beacon Lounge on the mezzanine is hosting a cocktail party featuring specialty drinks, bubbles, and appetizers from beverage manager Meg Benshalom, executive chef Chris Ahr, and special guest chefs Sharon Nahm from E&O Kitchen and Roland Passot from Left Bank. Tickets: $50.

Closing Brunch (Sunday October 30th, 11am-2pm at China Live) There will be a one-time-only Sunday brunch at China Live, one of the jewels of San Francisco’s Chinatown. Tickets include a specially created menu by chef George Chen, a choice of welcome cocktail, and paired beer or wine. This will be a seated event, please make reservations for your entire party. Tickets: $65.

Get your ticket for this one while you can! On Sunday October 30th, The Bon Vivants (Trick Dog, Quik Dog, Chezchez) are hosting the return of San Francisco’s Pig & Punch fundraising party at District Six (428 11th St.), from 12pm-5pm. There will be dishes from chefs Intu-on Kornnawong of Jo’s Modern Thai, Seth Stowaway of Osito, Timmy Malloy of Trick Dog, Quik Dog, and Chezchez (of course!), and more! There will be punches served from Tap Trucks and you-call-em-highballs, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages; swag; and tunes. Halloween costumes are optional but encouraged—there will be a costume contest with prizes! All proceeds benefit The Bon Vivants Scholarship in partnership with ScholarMatch, which helps first-in-their-family-to-college students in the Bay Area get to and through university.

Tickets: $50 in advance via Resy, $60 at the door.

They plan to keep all these elements intact in their new location, which will be right across the street from Zeitgeist on Valencia. They said to expect some neighborhood flair to appear on the menu, like names and dishes inspired by local industry pals and businesses (e.g. there’s a Jackalope roll on their Kuma Polk menu, named after the nearby bar).

They’re opening in a new condo that used to be a garage/smog station. They’re excited for the sunny corner exposure, and are working with Pablo Ortiz (Pop /A Design) on the design/architecture. The plan is to have 12 seats at the bar (same as Kuma Polk) and 12-16 seats at tables inside; outdoor is TBD. There will be stone, metal elements, and wood screens, with dynamic lighting (which is going to be given special attention in this location, allowing for better photos for guests and the chefs alike—they’re currently using black cutting boards for more appealing images). They’re working again with general contractor Conor Sweitzer of Sweitzer Inc., who did their original location.

There will also be some custom ceramics by Ryo’s wife, Linnan Ye of Neko.Co.Neko., like sake cups and chopstick rests (you may have noticed them at Kuma Polk). I’ll keep you posted on how the project is going. 198 Valencia St. at 13th St./Duboce.