Live your best SF life.

One year ago, at the end of 2019, chef-owner Laurent Manrique (Cafe de la Presse) and business partner Andrew Fidelman closed the Financial District location of their Southwest French wine bar and bistro, AQUITAINE, and put everything into storage until their new Castro location was ready. Of course, the pandemic…

I’m so happy to report that GARDENIAS has reopened in Lower Pacific Heights/Upper Fillmore. Chef-owners Dana Tommasino and Margie Conard (previously Woodward’s Garden) have opened for dining in their new outdoor shared space and on their charming back patio, serving their seasonal magic with dishes like scallop…

The day after I sent my previous tablehopper newsletter, one of our city’s most treasured culinary icons departed this mortal plane, our matriarch of Chinese cuisine, Madame Cecilia Chiang. What a force. She made being 100 years old look youthful—and the way she lived, it was like she…

Currently underway this week is a special online version of the annual Cochon555 event: Carryout with Cochon555, running in San Francisco from now until Sunday November 15th, with curated carry-out meals, wine, spirits, and a virtual experience. You can order meals from remaining chefs: Thursday, November 12th: chef Lorenzo Caamal…

In case you don’t follow me on Instagram or Twitter or Facebook, which is where you will find all the latest updates, I wanted to be sure you knew that HORN BARBECUE has officially opened! Pitmaster and chef-owner Matt Horn has survived the endless, hair-pulling bureaucracy and now the…

Just because you need more goodies in your life…especially NOW. A few weeks ago, I mentioned the latest project at Nico, now MAISON NICO, a French-inspired market, épicerie, and café from chef-owner Nicolas Delaroque and Paul Einbund (The Morris), offering French pâtés and terrines, viennoiserie, sweets, coffee (including Paul’…

Just a quick note to report the happy news that TOMMY’S JOYNT “is reopening Oct. 29 with reduced hours and a smaller menu,” according to this post on SFGate. The beloved hofbrau temporarily shut down, sending everyone into a tizzy that is was permanent, but thankfully they’ll be…