Marcia Gagliardi

I love stories of phoenixes rising from the ashes! After being closed from a fire back on January 24th, 2018, beloved neighborhood restaurant LAVASH is returning this November. This family-run business, with parents Nazila and Saeed Talai and their son Kaivon, has been working hard to reopen, dealing with a…

Back in 2014, it was a sad day when it was announced the Chinatown icon EMPRESS OF CHINA was closing, and offices were going to take over the space. Seriously, noooo. Things were looking up when news came out that City View Restaurant was planning to open in the ground…

Some quick updates for you, I’ll share more details when they open:  PRUBECHU is going to reopen in the Mission in the former Commonwealth space. (Not sure how they’re going to manage that jacked-up rent that reportedly squeezed Commonwealth out?) They’re currently renovating and plan to be…

Wow, sorry to hear that FLORA in Uptown Oakland is closing on November 9th (along with sister bar Fauna), after 13 years in business. Owner Thomas Schnetz cited personal reasons for closing. Flora was a trailblazer in the cocktail scene, and was always a great place to visit before a…

I’d been tracking the opening of BOAVIDA CAFE & MARKET for a bit, and after taking their first baby steps, it’s open and running more smoothly. This Ocean Beach café in the former Streamline is from Andrea de Francisco, who previously opened the Portuguese-focused Cafe St. Jorge in…

Looking for a new brunch spot? ~WAYFARE TAVERN~ recently started offering weekend brunch. Executive chef Scott Quinn’s menu includes challah French toast, bananas Foster pancakes, and, of course, their famed buttermilk fried chicken and waffles. You can also have some healthier picks, like a three-egg omelette or a vitality…