The Chatterbox

On Friday March 8th, Off the Grid returns for their ninth season at Fort Mason Center. Every Friday night from 5pm-10pm, you’ll find over 30 food creators, with newcomers such as Horn Barbecue (Texas barbecue, every other Friday), and Lobsterdamus from Southern California, as well as the return of…

Great news: Josiah Baldivino and Stevie Stacionis of Bay Grape in Lake Merritt are opening a restaurant just four doors up from their popular wine shop: MAMA OAKLAND. It’s going to serve three-course, prix-fixe ($29), red sauce suppers that should make you feel like you’re having dinner at…

Kash Feng and Jackson Yu’s Omakase Restaurant Group (Omakase, Okane, Dumpling Time, Live Sushi Bar, Breakfast at Tiffany’s) has been bizzzzeeeee, and their unofficial takeover of Showplace Square is in full effect with the opening of their latest ventures: UDON TIME, NIKU STEAKHOUSE, and THE BUTCHER SHOP BY…

We’re always on the hunt for good bagels in this city, but then what if I told you we’re about to hit a total jackpot with a bagelry, creamery, and coffee roaster, all in one spot? It’s true. Coming to Dogpatch in March (hopefully) will be DAILY…

Release the fried chicken and waffles! Tanya Holland must not be getting much sleep right now, since she just opened the BROWN SUGAR KITCHEN location in the Ferry Building, and her new Uptown Oakland location, both at once! BSK is now in the former Il Cane Rosso space, serving her…

Last month, I was invited to check out a preview party of CERF CLUB, the beautiful new event space from Stag Dining in Polk Gulch, and now they’re hosting Après, a weekly wine bar on Fridays. Come by for natural wines, sick bites from chefs Jordan Grosser and Ted…

Some changes are coming to various locations of organic meat company BELCAMPO: the Russian Hill location is going to close (as well as their location in Palo Alto’s Town and Country Center), but on the flip side, they will be opening a flagship at the Hillsdale Shopping Center in…

The former Burgermeister on Church is now home to BEIT RIMA, a casual place for Arabic comfort food. The name means “Rima’s House,” an homage to owner Samir Mogannam’s mother and her wonderful cooking (she is originally from Jordan). His father is Paul Mogannam, founder of Burgermeister, who…

Just some quick coming soon news for you: according to some agenda notes from the Planning Commission, it looks like the well-known downtown dim sum parlor, CITY VIEW, is planning to open a location in the ground floor of the former and iconic Empress of China building. The six-story behemoth,…

Just a couple weeks ago, I was driving by LUCCA RAVIOLI CO. late one night in the Mission, and there was a little voice in my head that quickly gave thanks that this iconic SF Italian-American deli was still with us, with its quirky hand-painted signs and jaunty tricolore awning…