New Restaurants
| Name |
Address |
City |
Phone |
| Chez Shea |
408 Main St. |
Half Moon Bay |
650-560-9234 |
| Front Porch, The |
65A 29th St. |
San Francisco |
415-695-7800 |
| Poleng Lounge |
1751 Fulton St. |
San Francisco |
415-441-1751 |
| Tanglewood |
334 Santana Row, Suite 1000 |
San Jose |
408-244-0464 |
New Nightspots
Coming Soon
Circa
The apotheosis of Cozmo's Corner Grill, which it replaces, this swanky restaurant and lounge is expected to open this month at 2001 Chestnut St., where it will serve Erik Hopfinger's whimsical American food (think PB&J foie gras and Dungeness crab tater tots).
I Tapas & Wine Bar
John Le, chef-owner of Three Seasons in San Francisco and Palo Alto, is poised to open this International (hence the I in its name) small-plates restaurant and lounge later this month at 445 Emerson St.; while his menu will include some contemporary Vietnamese riffs, he'll also present Latin-, Japanese-, Peruvian- and Italian-inspired tapas, along with a raw oyster bar.
Strawberry Village
In addition to a third branch of Pizza Antica, two new restaurants are slated for fall openings in this newly expanded Mill Valley mall – Boulange de Strawberry, another link in Pascal Rigo's bakery chain, and Harmony Restaurant, a dim sum palace. Both will be located on Redwood Highway Frontage Road.
Weird Fish
The folks behind St. Francis Fountain are planning to open this sustainably friendly Mission chippy and seafooder (2193 Mission St.) sometime in the fall.
Also Coming Soon
The Chez Papa group is replacing La Suite with a new Pan-Asian small-plates restaurant, scheduled to open in September.
Also Coming Soon
Sam Josi, a former Slanted Door sous-chef who now runs the popular Mamacita, plans to open a Vietnamese- and Japanese-influenced Asian street-food restaurant around the corner from Mamacita at 2909 Webster St., where they're gearing for a November opening. The bi-level restaurant/lounge will exude the spirit of an izakaya, a Japanese-style pub, while offering a more traditional dining experience upstairs.
Good Deals and Other News
Matthew Lee has left to run a restaurant in his native homeland of New Zealand. New chef Armando Maes, who ran Rose Pistola for nine years, will oversee a Californian menu that will no longer have Down Under influences.
Has introduced a new business lunch featuring a two-course prix fixe menu for $29.
This Mission wine bar is racking up accolades even if it is churning through chefs – the owners are currently searching for their third toque.
There is now a weekend brunch menu with dishes such as quiche du jour, salad niçoises and oeufs any style.
Foothill Café
Napa's barbecue dive has a new chef-owner who cooked at Gordon's and Bistro Don Giovanni. Seasonal American specials will now complement the 'cue and there are plans for Sunday brunch.
Julius' Castle
Has been sold and will be closed indefinitely while the new owners do renovations.
This haute Indian has introduced a new six-course menu ($55) with wines ($25 additional) paired by master sommelier Reggie Narito. A six-course vegetarian tasting menu ($45) is also offered.
A second branch of this too-cool-for-school Western Addition pizzeria will open in the Mission later this fall at 400 Valencia St.
New Orleans–born Randy Lewis, who won acclaim at Indigo as well as at two short-lived Sonoma restaurants, is now in charge of the kitchen at this swank Upper Market spot, where he's introduced a globally inspired seasonal New American menu..
On Thursdays from 3 PM on, pair a Kobe "slider" with any beer for $5 in the bar and on the patio.
All three of the restaurant group's kitchens will soon have new chefs. Shawn Applin (Fog City Diner, Scala's) will head Azie, former Zibibbo chef John Hennigan is taking over the reins at LuLu and a replacement for Hennigan is being sought at Zibibbo.
Consulting chef Karen Taylor has left this tamales parlor just a month after its relaunch. The menu no longer features her signature Slow Food–inspired specials.
Has reopened after a kitchen renovation and menu redo instituted by new chef David Cohen (ex Auberge du Soleil); highlights include Dungeness crab–stuffed squash blossoms and veal Milanese. Cohen has also introduced a tasting menu for children (two courses, $21; three courses, $28) and an olive-oil caddy (six specialty varietals for $17) that's available to the table throughout the meal.
This avant-garde nightspot has announced plans to branch out to LA and NY, but in the meantime, its first stateside outpost in SF has ushered in new top toque Jon Stevens, formerly of Aurora in Dallas.
- Sneaky Tiki
- Three Seasons (Walnut Creek branch only)