The Chatterbox

Mega project ~CHINA LIVE~ is shifting into higher gear, and it looks like they are going to be starting Market Restaurant and Bar Central’s lunch service on Tuesday March 14th at 11am, which means they will then have continuous hours every day until closing. For this week, Market Restaurant…

While it was sad to have Green Heart Foods close a couple of months ago, a new business is taking its place: KAHNFECTIONS, a bakery from Judy Kahn. She was working with Sandbox Bakery for a number of years, and then went out on her own. Now she’s opening…

There are some emails that I really hate to receive, and I got a couple of them this past week regarding the closure of two businesses, from really great people. Closing this Thursday March 9th is Jewish deli SHORTY GOLDSTEIN’S in the Financial District, home of my favorite corned…

Last Friday, I got to check out some of the new vendors at Off the Grid: Fort Mason Center, which just started back up. A few highlights: fans of Cuban cuisine who just can’t find a decent Cubano in this town (raises hand) will definitely want to swing by…

Some exclusive news for you: MOCKINGBIRD is reopening at the end of March in their new (and expanded) location in downtown Oakland (they originally opened on San Pablo Avenue in 2013, and closed in 2016). Melissa Axelrod and William Johnson are confirmed for an opening by late March. The bistro…

Last week was a preopening party for ~CHINA LIVE~, giving guests a look at the first floor of the mega culinary and cocktail multifloored project opening on Broadway this Wednesday March 1st. The first floor includes the Market Restaurant and Bar Central, Oolong Café, and a carefully curated retail area,…

Back in the summer of 2015, tablehopper was first to report on the opening of a Hitachino-affiliated project in San Francisco, and I’m so happy to see HITACHINO BEER & WAGYU is almost ready to open its doors, the first Hitachino-operated location in North America. The Kiuchi family has…

Congrats to Sharon Ardiana (Gialina, Ragazza) and the residents of Noe Valley, who are lucky to have ARDIANA opening in the former La Nebbia space in late spring/early summer. Working with her on the new project is Ardiana’s business partner and Ragazza GM, Greg Hinds (Hog Island Oyster…

After popping up for six years (I remember trying their banh mi one night on Divisadero, right on the street) and looking for a space for the past few years, Katie Kwan and Valerie Luu of Vietnamese pop-up Rice Paper Scissors have found a restaurant space in the Mission on…

Let’s do a quick-fire round of what’s crack-a-lackin’ around town, click links for more info and details. This Thursday March 2nd, Francis Ang (Pinoy Heritage, Fifth Floor, Dirty Habit) is popping up at PCH, so grab a cocktail and enjoy à la carte Filipino dishes with his contemporary…