The Chatterbox

By Dana Eastland. We love tea around here, and now there’s a new place in town to warm up (or cool down) with the delicious beverage. ASHA TEA HOUSE, the already-popular tea spot in Berkeley, has moved west with a second location on Kearny in the Financial District. They…

Now that it’s really starting to feel like fall, it’s time to start thinking about the season’s lineup of authors and events around town. First, the JCCSF has a bunch of great speakers coming up as part of their Arts and Ideas series. Don’t miss the…

By Dana Eastland. FLOUR AND CO., the Nob Hill bakery from owner Emily Day, has opened a second location in Berkeley (we mentioned it was coming earlier this year). The menu offers brunch and lunch items every day, including options like an English muffin breakfast sandwich, egg pie, granola and…

THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT, THANKS EVERYONE! WE LOOK FORWARD TO HOSTING YOU! San Francisco is full of underrated restaurants, and if you have been reading tablehopper for a while, you should know what a fan I am of ~1601 BAR & KITCHEN~. Chef Brian Fernando is such a talented…

Fans of oysters and lobster rolls will perk up with this news: the former Wexler’s space in the Financial District is going to become LEO’S LUXURY OYSTER BAR from the ever-busy Big Night Restaurant Group (Marlowe, Park Tavern, and the Cavalier). Scoop mentions chef Jennifer Puccio will be…

A report by Dana Eastland: Back in June, the news hit that Starbucks would be closing all 23 of the La Boulange locations the corporation purchased from Pascal Rigo back in 2012. Well, now that the dust has settled, The San Francisco Business Times reports that Rigo will be reopening…

While the plant-based CITIZEN FOX ramps up (har) for its springtime 2016 opening in the Mission at 2205 Mission Street, the team is launching a side project, KIT FOX, in Mid-Market’s The Hall. This plant-based sandwich shop has Citizen Fox executive chef Kevin Schuder (Millennium, AQ, Boulettes Larder/boulibar)…

KOJA KITCHEN has opened up a new brick-and-mortar location on Clement Street in the Inner Richmond, according to Yelp reports and a Facebook announcement. The new location joins their Berkeley location and an upcoming Emeryville outpost, plus it looks like the brand has plans to expand and franchise in the…

A report by Dana Eastland: The transition of Bernal’s Sandbox Bakery to PINKIE’S BAKERY that we reported in June is now complete. To recap, Sandbox owner Mutsumi Takehara sold the bakery on Cortland to Cheryl Storms and Chris Beerman, co-owners of Pinkie’s. Their original location in SoMa…

It’s another week, which means even more news about chef moves. First up, while chef-owner David Lawrence of ~1300 ON FILLMORE~ ramps up in preparation of opening Black Bark (more on this upcoming barbecue place soon), he has named Jake Whitlock as chef de cuisine of 1300. Whitlock was…