San Francisco's New Restaurant Openings

If you tried to keep track of every brand new restaurant in San Francisco, your head might spin. So just read this list instead. This guide tracks new eating and drinking experiences in SF, Oakland, Berkeley, and beyond. If you know of a new spot that’s not on this list, tell us about it by emailing sanfrancisco@theinfatuation.com.

AUGUST

Mensho, the Tenderloin ramen spot known for long lines and incredible chicken-based broth, has crossed the bridge and landed on Oakland’s Piedmont Ave. Noodle soup enthusiasts should expect a similar menu of ramen, including spicy lamb, “garlic knock out,” and vegetarian shio ramen. 

This self-described “Cali-Mexican” spot and former pop-up now has a brick-and-mortar in the Bayview. Frank Grizzly’s serves everything from breakfast burritos and chilaquiles to loaded nachos with spicy chipotle chicken for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

Holy Nata is a Union Square bakery focusing solely on the creamy Portuguese egg tarts, pastéis de nata. They come individually and by the box. They also serve classic espresso drinks. 

Kanpai Sushi House is an all-you-can-eat (and drink) sushi spot in Excelsior. For $45.99 ($22.99 for kids), you can choose from a selection of nigiri, sashimi, and special sushi rolls, plus chicken, lamb, squid skewers, and more. 

The former Tacorea in Lower Nob Hill is now Jasmin’s, a counter-service cheeseburger joint. In addition to burgers (which include a vegetarian option), they also do chicken tenders, hot dogs, and fried sides like tater tots, fries, and jalapeño poppers. 

SoMa’s new bistro is Bebuze, an American restaurant serving beef and lamb burgers, duck confit, and garlic butter shrimp. They also have a menu of wine, beer, and sake. 

Looking for a new comfort breakfast or lunch spot in Nob Hill? Pistachio Kitchen seems like a great option. It has all the usual suspects, from pancakes and french toast to burgers, pesto pasta, and BLTs. 

This Polk Gulch Mexican restaurant and bar specializes in, no surprise, tacos. They’re street style and filled with al pastor, birria, or carne asada. The all-day spot is packed with TVs, if you need a new place to catch a game. Taco Rouge also gets clubby at night—there's bottle service, DJ sets, and even a VIP mezzanine level. 

The team behind El Techo, a Mano, and Delarosa has a new restaurant on their hands. Corzetti is an upscale seafood-heavy Italian spot inside Hotel G in Union Square, focusing on Ligurian specialties like shellfish ciuppin and fazzoletti al pesto. The beautifully decorated spot is open for both lunch and dinner, and does Happy Hour.

Landing in the Outer Sunset is Mini Potstickers. This neighborhood spot creates made-to-order jianbing and four different types of mini potstickers inside the former Dak Chicken space.

In the middle of Japantown is Sikdang Woori. This cozy restaurant is serving their version of  “Korean comfort food” with dishes like jokbal, army stew, and hangover soup (a.k.a haejang-guk).

Hayz Dog is a new hot dog spot in, you guessed it, Hayes Valley. This fast-casual shop features a variety of creative hot dog styles from around the country, all in freshly steamed buns. Highlights include the Chicago-style Fluky, the spicy ketchup Hayz, and the vegetarian Heddy. And for dessert, there's the Sweetie, a Hawaiian bun covered in banana, marshmallow, and Nutella.

Stepping into the shoes of the former El Burro Picante, University Taqueria continues the legacy of serving casual Mexican food in downtown Berkeley. The counter-service spot serves up tacos, burritos, and quesadillas alongside churros, flan, and all the requisite aguas frescas.

Little Shucker is an upscale Pac Heights oyster bar from the team behind The Snug. The menu features a variety of oysters (naturally), a smoked trout salad, and a lobster roll with the option to add caviar. The space is fairly large and bright, with a bar that focuses on wine and low-ABV cocktails, and plenty of outdoor seating to shuck those oysters during lunch, dinner, or Happy Hour.

We tried Little Shucker and added to it the Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

JULY

Nono is a small izakaya in Japantown with a lengthy menu, including yakitori, tempura, chawanmushi, and a few dumpling options. The space is casual and open for dinner every day except Tuesday.

After closing Hi Felicia after some controversy, owner and chef Imana has opened a new wine bar in the same Uptown Oakland spot. It features tinned fish, natural wine, and a very dark, candle-lit space. 

Bento Peak in the Richmond is a casual Japanese restaurant with a wide-ranging menu. The small space serves sushi, udon, yakitori, and donburi alongside a set of bento boxes. 

The executive chef of seafood spot Catch is adding to the long list of Italian restaurants in the Castro. Pasta Panino on 18th is serving up pasta, panino, arancini, and more classic Italian dishes in a relaxed space.

Mohka House in the Lower Dimond neighborhood of Oakland is the spot for Yemeni coffee, chai, and sweet treats like honeycomb bread. This spot looks big and cozy with multiple large couches and serveral Yemeni cityscape murals.

NoPa has gained a lunch-forward casual sushi spot (dinner is also a thing). Fish in the Box focuses on—as you’d expect—boxed chirashi sets. There’s a range on offer, from the $50 deluxe set (ikura, Hokkaido scallops, bluefin negi toro, amaebi, crab, and salmon toro) to a $15 mini salmon bowl. Also available are poke bowls, sushi burritos, chicken katsu, and boba.

Azalina marks the return of chef Azalina Eusope to the SF food scene. Dinner at this tropical Malaysian spot in the Tenderloin, complete with a San Francisco mural and painted archways and shelves, is a four-course set menu ($100, including two drinks) that’ll rotate about every three weeks. It highlights different regional specialties with unconventional twists, like a yuba salad, nesi kanduri, soon kueh, and a sweet potato keria.

The Open Book Project is a Vietnamese cafe pop-up in the former Queens spot in the Inner Sunset. This place is serving up Vietnamese coffee alongside pastries from Petite Sweets and Jane the Bakery, and is also offering ready-to-grill marinated meats by Queens.

The Yerba Buena is a giant new sports bar in SoMa in the former Steff’s space. There’s no kitchen, but sports fans of all kinds can relish in the pub-like atmosphere and watch a game on one of four TVs.

Coffee powerhouse SPRO is bringing their “over the top” drinks to Civic Center. The menu is the same as their other locations, which means a wide variety of coffee-based drinks like a “V” For Velvet latte with red velvet chocolate, and a sangria cold brew. On the food side, expect croissants, savory open-faced toasts, and cookies.

Los Angeles-based Pixiu Mala Hongtang has opened an Oakland Temescal location of their Korean-Chinese hot pot spot. Aside from the typical hot pot fare, you can also find mala xiang guo—a dry version of hot pot—and customizable spice levels at this casual, group-friendly space. 

Mixto is a casual Latin American restaurant in the Outer Sunset that’s serving up a mix of Mexican, Salvadoran, and Peruvian food. Items from the seafood-heavy menu include fish tacos, mariscada, and ceviches.  

Hometown Creamery has brought their homemade ice cream to a modular space in Hayes Valley—perfect for all your “ice cream and light stroll” needs. Expect a similar rotation of flavors as the Inner Sunset outpost, like espresso almond fudge, peanut butter chocolate fudge, and fresh mint chip.

Ibéxico is a take-out and delivery-only Spanish-Mexican restaurant inside of La Marcha in West Berkeley. Fusion dishes here include things like croquetas al pastor, tacos de pulpo gallego, and flautas de bacalao.

Bar Sardine is relaunching in the new Bartavelle space in Berkeley. The bar verison of the cafe is only open from 4-9pm on Thursday to Friday (for now), and during those hours expect a large selection of wines, sardines, and small vegetable-based dishes.

Glen Park welcomes a takeout-only bánh mì spot right by Glen Canyon Park. There are six bánh mì options to choose from, like chicken and tofu, plus rice plates, vermicelli noodles, and Vietnamese iced coffee.  

Bellaria Dessert Studio is serving up a $75, five-course dessert tasting menu (yes, you read that right). Located in the Tenderloin, this former pop-up is pumping out sweet treats like a fig leaf panna cotta and a soufflé bread pudding with truffles.

In Uptown Oakland comes a vegan-friendly, fast-casual Mexican restaurant and bar. The small space has a few tables to eat things like asada or soyrizo tacos, burritos, and also serves a Mexican brunch on weekends. 

Downtown Berkeley’s former Gold Leaf Cafe has been filled by Bench—a small cafe and patisserie. There’s a small amount of seating available for you to enjoy coffee, tea, freshly baked cakes, cookies, meringues, and more.

First launched in SoMa in 2003, Cellarmaker has launched a new brewery location in Southwest Berkeley. The outdoor/indoor warehouse has shade and ample space to enjoy a wide array of ales. They’ll offer Detroit-style pizza once renovations are complete and the kitchen space is fully open.

Inside North Berkeley’s Epicurious Garden is Eggy’s Neighborhood Kitchen, a brunch spot taking the place of the former Sunny Side Up spot. They’re serving egg-forward dishes, like breakfast burritos, huevos rancheros, and chilaquiles. Seating is available both inside the dining room as well as in the enclosed garden.

Berkeley's Funky Elephant has now landed on Valencia in the Mission. They’re serving non-traditional Thai comfort food in a space awash with color, like the motherland curry (rock cod in coconut milk), kao mun gai, lucky pork, and chicken wings in spicy housemade chili jam.

We tried Funky Elephant and added to it the Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

A hot pink storefront in Oakland Rockridge is home to a new Mexican spot. La Esquinta is highlighting Sonoran-style flour tortillas from local bakery Xulo, and serving them up as tacos, quesadillas, and burritos with fillings like carne asada and homemade chorizo. 

The team behind Dumpling Home has opened a new outpost in Pacific Heights. Expect the same stellar dumpling selection like xiao long bao, vegetable dumplings, and pan-fried pork bao.

We tried Dumpling Story and added to it the Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

Memento is a reservation-only upscale new American restaurant in Noe Valley serving dishes like crispy chicken curry, filet mignon, and baby gold potatoes.

The long-awaited upscale burger restaurant from the team behind Horn Barbecue (home to some of our favorite barbecue in the Bay) has finally opened in Downtown Oakland. Unlike the casual atmosphere at Horn, this more formal spot is serving a fancy burger made from locally sourced ingredients.

Longstanding Rockridge Thai restaurant Sukho Thai has reopened after more than a year of renovation. A range of Thai classics like curries, pad thai, and papaya salad fill out the menu at this small and casual spot.

After closing during the pandemic, Smoke Berkeley BBQ has reopened inside the Adeline Food Hall in North Oakland. Expect Texas BBQ classics like slow-smoked brisket and racks of ribs for takeout only.

A new modern Mexican restaurant is gracing the streets of West Berkeley. The industrial-chic space serves up classics like tacos de barbacoa, carne asada, enchiladas, and pupusas.

A brick-and-mortar shop from local Bisou confectionery kitchen is landing in West Berkeley. The small location is full of chocolate delights, like drinking chocolate and chocolate-covered truffles.

Uptown Oakland’s alaMar has been relaunched as alaMar Dominican Kitchen. The somewhat upscale locale features Dominican (and Dominican American) classics like mofongo, pernil, and adobo fries. There’s also a fun drink menu full of slushy cocktails to get the party going.

American Wagyu and four different broth options (konbu, tonkotsu, tom yum, and golden chicken) serve as the base of the menu at this fancy Shabu spot in Japantown. While the shabu is the main feature of the menu, other options include the peking-style spider buns, and the tuna wagyu seaweed wrap.

The relaunch of the classic American bistro Park Tavern in North Beach is here, after a lengthy renovation. Expect upscale versions of wings, burgers, fries, and salads for dinner, all served in an equally upscale space.

JUNE

Natural wine on tap is the deal at Bar Gemini, a new wine bar in the Mission from the Gemini Bottle Co. people. An impressive selection of 11 wines-by-the-glass are on offer when you head to this wood-heavy Mid-century modern space, featuring fun light fixtures and emerald walls. There’ill also be bar bites on hand, such as grilled cheese, and a selection of nuts and cheeses.

After a few months of operating as a retail shop, Pasta Supply Co, from the chef behind the since-closed Prairie, has opened for dinner service. This Richmond spot is taking its homemade noodles to primetime with dishes like mafaldine, sweet corn raviolini, and rigatoni and lamb ragu. Look forward to a casual setting—as to be expected in a retail-dinner combo. 

We tried Pasta Supply Co and added to it the Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

A new natural wine bar in Excelsior is striving to bring a cozy community vibe to the Excelsior. They're serving pouring flights, imported wines-by-the-glass, and non-alcoholic beverages like tonics, coffee, and tea—alongside small snack plates.

From the people behind Burma Love comes a new upscale Burmese restaurant in Hayes Valley. There’s tea leaf salad, mohinga, and ginger chili pork, and a robust cocktail program with drinks like the banyan shade featuring xiao xing wine, dry vermouth, bitters, and yuzu tonic.

Bistro Ember is an upscale Turkish spot in Noe Valley in the old Inle Burmese Cuisine spot (which moved to the Inner Sunset back in January). Expect a six-course tasting menu and a la carte options, all showcasing Mediterranean-inspired cuisine with Californian influences—think scallop and yogurt soup, slow-cooked lamb mutancana, and a California king salmon.

We tried Bistro Ember and added it to the Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

Peacock Pansy is a brunch spot in Hayes Valley serving a pretty classic breakfast—think benedicts, french toast, and omelettes inside a space that’s covered with aesthetic-looking floral walls. 

Uptown Oakland’s Forage Kitchen is now featuring Taava Kitchen, a takeout and outdoor-seating-only Indian-Pakistani restaurant. Expect biryanis, chicken kheema naans, tandoori hot wings, and desserts like kulfipops popsicles.

Black-owned local coffee chain Red Bay Coffee has opened a new location in Berkeley. There are plenty of classic espresso-based drinks here alongside their specialties like candied yam lattes. This location, just south of Ashby BART station, also features sweet treats from local purveyors like Starter Bakery.

The Flour + Water team is resurrecting their spin-off, Flour + Water Pizzeria, in a new North Beach spot (the original Mission location closed back in 2022). The menu at the new space features a mix of red and white pies like smoked eggplant and cacio e pepe, and starters like mozzarella sticks. Although dine-in is the main draw, there’s a takeout spot next door with a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade.

We tried Flour + Water Pizzeria and added it to the Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

After years at the Stonestown Farmers Market, 3 Bottle Fish is crossing the bay and opening a new Vietnamese cafe in Oakland’s Fruitvale. You’ll see Vietnamese coffee, of course, and food like farmers’ porridge, a braised chicken bánh mì, and their So Good noodles—rice noodles with lemongrass pork, cucumbers, herbs, and pickled veggies.

The team behind Members Only and the Alchemist has launched a new Art Deco bar in SoMa. The dark, sultry space features marble tables, moody lighting, and drinks that are twists on old classics—like the ube colada with ube, coconut, and pineapple. Also expect a food menu with small and big plates from around the world like a margherita pizza, thai shrimp pasta, pork belly baos, korean tacos, and spanish octopus.

Oakland-based Monster Pho is launching a new location in the SoMa Food Court/Cloud Kitchens space. Expect classic Vietnamese dishes like beef pho, vermicelli noodles, and Vietnamese crepes to come out of this takeout-only space.

Social Cafe is a new Cuban cafe and bakery in SoMa. Inside you’ll find classic dishes like the Cubano—made with fresh homemade Cuban bread, sweet treats like guava pastries, plus pastelitos de carne, croquetas, and Cuban coffee.

Hila Gelato is a new Sicilian gelateria in the old Xanath Ice Cream on Valencia in the Mission. You’ll see two dozen flavors on the menu, like cherry, stracciatella, and olive oil, plus Italian pastries like cannoli.

In the Presidio comes a new upscale Mediterranean restaurant with bay views from the couple behind Noosh. Expect a mix of Turkish, Greek, Armenian, and Israeli dishes focused around local Californian produce—short rib kebabs and a tahdig with Santa Barbara uni, just to name a couple.

We tried Dalida and added it to the Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

Bartavelle has moved into a new space in Berkeley just down the street from its former takeout window. Inside the bright, green-tiled space, you can expect a rotating menu of breakfast and lunch items like avocado toast, little gems salad, and porridge, plus classic espresso drinks and pastries. 

We tried Bartavelle Coffee And Wine Bar and added it to the Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

Nob Hill’s Kuma Sushi teamed up with True Sake to create a new sushi and sake spot in the Mission. Expect classic nigiri and sashimi alongside specialty rolls like The Saratoga with seared ocean trout, lemon zest, avocado, and jalapeño. To wash it all down is something from their extensive sake selection.  

Tevino is a new wine bar on the first floor of the Luma hotel in Mission Bay from the team behind Kaiyo, so expect an upscale space with upscale clientele. Their wine menu focuses on smaller wine producers, with small bar snacks like spiced almonds, truffle chips, and marinated olives.

Miharu is a small-batch ice creamery that started out as a delivery-only spot during the pandemic. They finally moved into a brick-and-mortar location in Uptown Oakland. Expect ice cream flavors like lychee with raspberry rose swirl, qahwa aka coffee + cardamom, hop along honey, and more. 

Outset Coffee is a new casual coffee shop in the Mission serving eclectic drinks such as a toasted banana latte, a durian latte, and an orange-and-grapefruit-juice-filled sunset americano. Also on offer are ube almond croissants, Korean garlic bread, and other pastries. 

Just in time for summer is the relaunch of Cookiebar Scoop Shop in Alameda. After closing in 2020, the new location is now just down the block from the old one, and is still offering the same great flavors—calamansi, pandan, hibiscus, horchata, durian, and jasmine milk tea, to name a few.

Scarlet Fox is a new queer woman-owned wine bar in NoPa. The space aims to have a strong focus on the lesbian community and serve cheese boards and charcuterie alongside a wide selection of wines in a cozy space. 

Shew Yankin is a casual Burmese spot in Daly City serving low-key homestyle food such as beef curry, nan kya thot, and deep-fried fish in a spicy sauce.

Ollei is a new casual Korean restaurant in Nob Hill serving up classics like kimchi fried rice, Korean chicken wings, seafood pancakes, and japchae, alongside all the requisite banchan.

Linglong serves up a mix of Japanese dishes and dim sum in a small space in Nob Hill. Expect BBQ pork buns, shu mai, and yakisoba in exceedingly tight quarters.

Local Thai food truck Phat Thai is now setting up shop in the Marina. Expect the same food truck menu of Thai classics such as pad see ew, green curry with shrimp, and crispy pork fried rice, all served alongside beer and soju.

Originating from the team behind Hamano Sushi in Noe Valley, Katsuo + Kombu is landing on Divisadero with Fukuoka-style udon. At this small, bright space, you’ll have a selection of both hot and cold udon dishes, from tan tan dry udon to curry udon to the Fukuoka signature with both tempura gobo and chicken.

We tried Katsuo + Kombu and added it to the Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

After years of operating out of the Outer Sunset’s Market & Mercantile, Gumbo Social has opened up a brick-and-mortar in Bayview. As the name suggests, gumbo will be front and center. There's build-your-own gumbo, vegan options, plus five different kinds of po’boys.

We tried Gumbo Social and added it to the Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

After soft opening earlier this year, Hungry Cafe is ready for prime time in the Bayview’s new Southeast Community Center. The lunch-friendly menu features North African dishes with Egyptian and Californian influences such as falafel el kahera, chickpea confit, and basterma toast. Hungry Cafe is also serving coffee and pastries in a bright, open space.

Zenpo Sushi in Hayes Valley is the newest restaurant to bring conveyor belt-style sushi to the city. Order on the iPad, grab a seat, and the nigiri, sashimi, and rolls will come to you via a moving bullet train.

Oakland-based Firebrand Artisan Breads has a new warehouse location in Alameda Point. They focus on wood-fired breads and pastries, like chocolate croissants, sourdough bread, baguettes, and more.

Opening up in the former Al’s Place is Dosa Corner. It’s a casual spot focusing on South Indian food. They have a wide selection of dosa, soups, and uttapam. 

Yasmin has finally reopened in the Mission, six months after a fire damaged their space. The counter-service Syrian and Persian restaurant is serving up a mix of Mediterranean dishes like beef kabob plates and falafel wraps.

Reviving a 1946 jazz club in the Art Deco Monadnock building on Market, Dawn Club brings back a slice of old San Francisco to this stretch of the city. Inside the upscale bar, whiskey features heavily. There’s also a stacked calendar of live music every night. 

Taniku is a new ramen spot in the Tenderloin situated in a small blue-walled space. Aside from eight different types of ramen, the menu also consists of donburi and kushiyaki. 

Swahili Spot is a new brick-and-mortar for the Oakland-based East African food truck. At the West Oakland location, expect to see dishes like coconut rice bowls with beef curry, plantains, and mandazi.

MAY

El Mil Amores is a new Mexican restaurant in the Mission focusing on Mexico-city style breakfast. Inside the bright space, you’ll find chilaquiles, huevos ranchero, and tres leches pancakes.

We tried El Mil Amores and added to it the Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

The Caffè is a new Italian-style cafe in downtown Oakland by longstanding local coffee roaster Mr. Espresso. Instead of queuing up for coffee, slide up to the central wooden bar and wait for a barista to come to take your order—just as you would if you were ordering a cocktail. A number of small bites such as a prosciutto cotto sandwich and farro porridge round out a trip to this small, light-filled space. 

Kiln is yet another new tasting menu restaurant, this one in Hayes Valley (in the old Cala space) from a former Sons & Daughters chef. Focused on freshly sourced products and innovative techniques, they offer two different tasting menus. One abbreviated form with 8-10 dishes and another that’s 18-20 courses. Both options offer optional beverage pairings. 

The closure of Dumpling Alley in the Richmond left a gaping hole in our hearts. Thankfully, the owners have decided to relaunch the space as Serendipity Japanese Restaurant and serve up sushi and donburi in a low-key setting.

Fluid 510 is a new LGBTQIA+ bar and nightclub in downtown Oakland focusing on fun cocktails and small bites. Expect anything from grilled cheese sandwiches to grilled octopus and the Mandarin 75—their take on the French 75 with orange vodka. 

Day Moon, a staple at the Clement Street farmers market, finally has its first brick-and-mortar. This small bakery in the Outer Sunset is only open on weekends, and is making fresh loaves and seasonal breads. 

GluGlu is a new wine bar from the Ungrafted team located at Thrive City near the Chase Center. Since we love Ungrafted, we have high hopes for GluGlu’s extensive list of experimental wines and Mediterranean food like bocadillos de jamon, patatas bravas, and a gambas cocktail.

Seasame Tiny Bakery is a small, hidden-away bakery in the old Pie Society space in Berkeley. Expect to see a seasonally driven set of treats ranging from rhubarb cakes to strawberry oolong eclairs in a takeaway-only room. 

Sonamu Korean is a new restaurant in the Richmond with a rather large menu of Korean classics, like bulgogi lunch boxes and bibimbap. Also on offer are galbi jjim and Korean fried chicken. 

Resurrecting their old FiDi location is Bini’s Kitchen, a Nepali spot specializing in momos. The quick-service counter is only open for lunch Monday to Friday. You’ll see a new chicken momo on the menu, in addition to the classic lamb, turkey, and vegetarian. 

After a three-year closure, Leopold’s is reopening in Russian Hill with German-Austrian dishes such as housemade bratwurst and schnitzel with lingonberry jam. Expect a continuation of the formerly rambunctious space, including beer served in glass boots. 

Finally landing a permanent home in the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland after years as a roving pop-up is Sfizio. The casual space is serving up handmade pasta starting at $10 a bowl. They’re also featuring a short menu of Italian-inspired rotating small plates based on what’s in season. 

We tried Sfizio and added it to the Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

Now open in the former Roosevelt Tamale Parlor space, Tacos del Barrio is a new taco spot in the Mission serving mostly CDMX-style tacos. Despite the small-ish space, they have a good amount of seating and a little bar in the back where you can enjoy your asada, carnitas, and suadero. 

We tried Tacos Del Barrio and added it to the Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

Gola, San Francisco’s only Tunisian restaurant, is now serving modern Tunisian dishes cooked in imported clay pots (otherwise known as gola). Slow-cooked overnight, the dishes are limited to dinner service, and are intended to be shared with anywhere from two to ten people. Options include halal lamb with vegetables, herbed chicken, and a seafood stew, and all heavily feature one of three types of harissa. 

A new spot on the Parkside/Balboa Park border, Far From Paradise cafe is bringing malasadas and shaved ice alongside coffee in a lush, plant-filled interior.

APRIL

Tigrai Cafe is a new restaurant in Old Oakland showcasing the food of and around the northern state of Tigray, and serving it inside an orange and blue space with white tablecloths. You’ll find regional Ethiopian classics such as kitfo, hilbet, and shiro.

East Bay pop-up Edith’s Pie has a new brick-and-mortar in Oakland’s Uptown. The team is now serving up a selection of sweet and savory pies for breakfast, lunch, and dinner—they’re open until 10pm on Friday and Saturday. Come for key lime pie, fruit pie, and their Scribble pie, featuring brown butter maple walnut with dark chocolate. 

We tried Edith's Pie and added it to the Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

Cassava is launching a wine bar, aptly named Wine Bar by Cassava, in their old space in the Richmond. The short food menu includes burrata toast, short ribs croquettes, and ham hock terrine. They’ll also let you bring food in from a neighboring business and re-plate it for a small fee. Additionally, everything on the California section of their wine list is sourced from BIPOC-owned wineries. 

Serving up a San Franciscan take on a New Orleans classic is Sandy’s, a pandemic-born muffuletta pop-up. The Haight location is decorated with NOLA-inspired art and photos from the New Orleans Jazz Festival. The muffulettas are available by quarter and eighth slices, and are filled with a combination of mortadella, prosciutto, soppressata, provolone, and spicy olive spread between Sicilian sesame bread.

We tried Sandy's and added it to the Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

Mid-Market wine bar Waystone is back after a three-year closure at a new location in North Beach (in the former Barrio space). Expect classics from the old menu such as a braised beef sandwich and new options like achiote baby back ribs. There’s also a substantial wine list focusing on selections from France and California. 

New to the Outer Sunset is a seafood-focused, nautical-themed bar serving up fresh oysters, fish tacos, and clam chowder. 

Mu Kratha is the name of the game at MuukaTa6395 Thai Charcoal BBQ. This style of Thai BBQ pulls elements from both Chinese hot pot and Korean BBQ, and seems like an exciting new option in the Richmond. 

We tried Muukata6395 and added it to the Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

Oakland’s newest LBGTQIA+ bar has finally opened in the Uptown neighborhood. Expect a rainbow collection of drinks and many plants inside this I. Magnin building spot featuring a custom sound system and cushy velvet seating. 

C.Q. Noodles is a new Chinese restaurant in the Richmond specializing in—you guessed it—hand-cut noodles. Their specialty is hand-cut noodle beef rib noodle soup. They also feature chongqing-style fried chicken wings and chicken cartilage skewers. 

Beef brisket clay pot rice features heavily at Taisan Huakee in the Richmond. The menu also includes mapo tofu, steamed black bean sauce ribs, and a rotating house soup. 

Nomu Skewers is a new Japanese spot at the intersection of Union Square, Nob Hill, and Chinatown. They mostly focus on the aforenamed skewers, but also have a selection of udon and sashimi. 

This Canadian-inspired shawarma spot is the new kid on the block. It’s located in the former D’Yar Mediterranean space in Berkeley, right next to the UC Berkeley campus, so good news for the swarms of college students nearby.

The ground floor of the Kissel Uptown Oakland hotel is now Otto’s Uptown Kitchen, a coffee shop and all-day cafe serving up American and Californian classics, like BBQ ribs and the Kissel cobb salad.

The newest incarnation of Between The Bun seafood shop, Extra Butter serves up decadent lobster rolls and crab sandwiches in the Temescal neighborhood of Oakland. 

After moving out of their previous location in Chinatown, City View Restaurant is back, this time in a new location down the block from the old spot. Expect the same solid dim sum selection served in more modern space. 

Riji Cafe is a new small cafe in Parkside featuring coffee, tea, and bagels, plus breakfast staples like avocado toast, yogurt parfaits, and mango smoothies.

A buzzy new wine bar is opening up in El Cerrito. The bar features low-intervention wines served in a retro space. They also have a wine of the month club for serious wine drinkers. 

In the basement of Bodega SF is SF’s newest underground speakeasy. They’re serving up classic cocktails with Vietnamese and Chinese ingredients, such as the Pho Wimmie, featuring fat-washed whiskey made with beef from Bodega’s pho. Also on offer are light snacks such as tom yum chex mix and shrimp chips.

We tried The Felix and added it to the Bar Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

Bay Area Filipino fusion food staple Señor Sisig has brought their sisig burritos and ube horchatas to a new cantina in downtown Oakland. It features a new menu of cocktails and shareables such as the lechon kawali plato and sisig-filled lumpia. There’s also a separate brand-new vegan menu. 

Moving into the old Zaytoon spot on Divisadero in NoPa, this new French crepe and kebab spot promises buckwheat galettes, sweet crepes, and shakshuka, in addition to a selection of ciders from France. 

A new outpost of a Los Angeles Koreatown hit is in Oakland. The gastropub features Korean comfort dishes such as dakbal and ojingeo bokkeum in a red-light-lit setting.

Over on Oakland’s Piedmont Avenue, Monsoon brings new Vietnamese food to the old Xyclo space. Open for lunch and dinner, they serve up pho, bánh mì, and more. 

After quietly opening in early April, Bocanova has now made its grand opening in Oakland. They have a huge menu featuring dishes from across South America. There's also a large space and a patio that might be worth checking out.

A brand new bánh mì spot in the Inner Sunset promises, naturally, bánh mì, in addition to barbecue rice plates and vermicelli salad bowls. This casual spot is open for lunch and dinner, and also serves up Vietnamese coffee and Thai iced tea to go.

From legendary East Bay roaster, Mother Tongue Coffee, comes their own cafe and bar near Oakland’s Temescal neighborhood. The new spot will serve up pastries and toast alongside their aforementioned coffee and cocktails like pisco palomas. 

We tried Mother Tongue and added it to the Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

After moving the bulk of its operations to the Bayview, La Victoria Mexican bakery (formerly in the Mission) has opened up its production space to the community. They're selling traditional pan dulce directly out the back.

As quite possibly the city’s only full-service Georgian restaurant, Cheeseboat in North Beach will showcase its namesake acharuli khachapuri, with khinkali, and a selection of Georgian wines.

We tried Georgian Cheese Boat and added it to the Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

Despite only intending to be open for a year or so, Lark Bar is still with us. They moved to a new location just around the corner on Market Street close to Union Square, and have settled into their new higher-key spot while maintaining their same menu.

From the people behind The Beehive and The Treasury comes a new FiDi bar that promises nature-focused cocktails served in a rustic and industrial space. They're serving up drinks such as the Leaf Water and Against the Grain featuring honeydew shiso cordial and wild cherry bark bitters.

Lower Pacific Heights’ newest all-day spot is Mattina, a Californian-Italian cafe and restaurant by the people behind SPQR. They’re only serving breakfast right now (think lattes, biscuit sandwiches, and scones). Eventually, they’ll have things like porchetta skewers and agnolotti with arugula pesto from 11am-9pm. 

MARCH

From the team behind the San Francisco Athletic Club comes Mama’s Boy in Uptown Oakland serving New York-style slices and whole pies. Also on offer at this counter-service spot is vegan pizza, chopped salad, and Italian heroes.

We tried Mama's Boy and added it to the Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

The 10-course tasting menu at Aphotic, an upscale spot in SoMa that was formerly Palette, is all about seafood. Dishes on the menu change seasonally, but expect to see things like prawn risotto with uni and crab head foam, or a rockfish crudo with wasabi, grapefruit, and garum.

At this Berkeley pizza spot from a Tony’s alum, you can pick between New York, Sicilian, Detroit, and grandma-style pies. Toppings range from housemade giardiniera with sausage and mozzarella to pepperoni with fermented honey or vodka cream sauce with garlic. They also serve pasta, calzones, and low-ABV cocktails.

We tried Pizzeria Da Laura and added it to the Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

The South San Francisco-based coffee wholesaler has officially opened its first cafe in the Dogpatch. In addition to espresso drinks and tea, they also have pan de queso, scones, and biscottis. 

Fox and Lion used to be a pop-up doing sourdough loaf pick-ups in the Lower Haight, and now they have a brick-and-mortar bakery space in the Mission. You can get loaves of bread, pastries, sandwiches, bagels, and pizzas. 

The rotating La Cocina kiosk at the Public Market in Emeryville is now home to El Mesón. On deck are Chilean empanadas filled with beef, chicken, or spinach and mushrooms, plus baked goods like alfajores and tortas de hojarasca. 

The newest location of Boichik Bagels is an expansion into their “Bagel Factory” located in West Berkeley. The massive space serves the same fantastic bagels, sandwiches, coffee, and cream cheeses as the original on College Avenue.

We tried Boichik Bagel Factory and added it to the Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

Cenote is a new Mexican spot in FiDi that’s open all day. They offer tortas, burritos, and tacos, along with breakfast burritos and huevos rancheros. Happy Hours with $5 flautas, quesadillas, and $8 margaritas are on weekdays. 

For anything fermented, K Banchan in Oakland Temescal seems like a great place to stop by—they’re specializing in ready-made banchan. The casual spot also serves Korean sandwiches filled with bulgogi, grilled tofu lunch boxes, tteokbokki, and more.  

Panda Noodles is a Chinese restaurant in the Richmond serving thick hand-cut noodles, clay pot noodles, braised pork belly or chicken over rice, and more. Their lengthy menu also includes a section of skewers, from pig’s feet to chicken heart and pork intestine. 

Dumpling Zone is a new Chinese spot in Forest Hill serving crispy shengjianbao, xiao long bao, and wonton soups. Noodles feature heavily on the menu, including chow mein, chili oil noodles, and fifteen different noodle soups. 

Another new dumpling spot has landed in the Lower Haight. Dumpling Union, which also has another location in Cow Hollow, offers pretty classic steamed, boiled, and pan-fried dumplings, plus entrées like fried rice and chow mein.

The Dogpatch is now home to the second location of Bandit (the original is in the Tenderloin). The new outpost serves the same menu of burgers, fried chicken sandwiches, and breakfast sandwiches filled with things like smashed tater tots, bacon, and eggs.

A new to-go coffee spot just opened up in the Mission out of Donaji. La Ventana serves horchata lattes, cafe de olla, and pinolillo con cafe, along with pastries and breakfast foods, like Oaxacan tacos with chicken tinga or cochinita. 

Xica is a new brunch and lunch spot from the people behind the now-closed Chica in Oakland. The Embarcadero restaurant serves entirely gluten-free Mexican dishes, from tacos on pitaya-tinted pink tortillas to rice bowls topped with proteins or mixed vegetables. 

We tried Xica and added it to the Hit List. Read our thoughts here.

Starter Bakery has been selling their baked goods to cafes, grocery stores, and farmers markets for over a decade. Now, they officially have their first brick-and-mortar in Rockridge. The Oakland cafe serves espresso drinks, pastries like passionfruit madeleines and chocolate babkas, and sandwiches. Order to go or kick back at one of the tables inside the casual space.  

5 Tacos and Beers’ first location is in Albany, and they just opened a second in Berkeley’s Elmwood. The new spot has the same menu of Mexican dishes as the original—think ceviches, flautas, and, of course, lots of tacos. They also have a few plant-based options, including vegan birria. 

Dragon Horse is a Japanese bar and restaurant where you can get sashimi, sushi, and yakitori until 1am. The SoMa spot also serves cocktails made with ingredients like maitake mushroom-washed Kavalan and salty taro pandan.