The Chatterbox

Here is your first look at INOVINO, the upcoming wine bar and enoteca opening in about a month or so in Cole Valley (in the former Hama-Ko). As previously noted in tablehopper, owner Claudio Villani was the wine director at Perbacco, so you can expect some great (read: very drinkable)…

A couple of months ago, I heard a rumor that culinary badass Corey Lee of Benu had a new project in the works (actually two—we shall see). The first one has been partially revealed through an ABC license that points to a location in Hayes Valley (it’s a…

Two years ago, we mentioned that popular salad (and sandwich) shop, BLUE BARN GOURMET, was opening a second location in the former Yabbie’s Coastal Kitchen on Polk. Since the team (Sam Josi, Nate Valentine, and Stryker Scales) has their latest project (Padrecito in Cole Valley) up and running, it’…

Congrats to Steve Sando on opening his RANCHO GORDO shop in the Ferry Building Marketplace (in space 14)—according to Facebook, today is the soft opening. As we mentioned earlier, the shop will give Sando the opportunity to offer some additional products without the California-grown restriction of the farmers’ market,…

Per the news we broke back in November, Tim and Erin Archuleta of ~ICHI SUSHI~ are opening a second location in Bernal, just across the street from their current one. They just got the final stamp on all their construction permits (woo!), and we have an update today on their…

Sandwich mavens Evan Bloom and Leo Beckerman of ~WISE SONS DELI~ have opened a brand-new sandwich counter inside the Contemporary Jewish Museum in SoMa. The space, which opened on Friday July 26th, offers their signature sandwich meats, including hot pastrami and roasted brisket, available as classic (just meat and bread)…

Chowhounders are fired up with the news that CHAMPA GARDEN is opening a location in San Francisco’s Ingleside neighborhood. The Laotian restaurant is most known for its rice ball salad and noodle soups. Chowhounders report that the owners had hoped to open sooner, but it looks like the space…

Popular Dogpatch lunch spot, KITCHENETTE, closed back in May for a “restructuring.” While we have all been anxiously awaiting the return of the Dogpatch Millionaire sandwich to our lives, sadly, it won’t be happening anytime soon. Kitchenette was basically a roll-up lunch window off of LRE Catering’s kitchen,…

On Saturday August 17th, NAKED KITCHEN wil be hosting chef Val Cantu’s Californios dinner. The dinner features modern Mexican cuisine from the Sons & Daughters alum, with seven courses and an opening cocktail from Mo Hodges of Big; check out the menu here. There are seatings at 6pm and…

The final installment in the Outside Lands Summer Pairings series is upon us, this time at ~NAMU GAJI~, with pairings of Magnolia Beer. On Sunday August 4th, enjoy a four-course dinner that includes duck ramen and suckling pig sisig, along with three pints of Magnolia’s delicious brews. The dinner…