Passover 2016 in the Bay Area: Where to Keep 'Kosher'

Passover can be a bummer to those who love food; it’s an eight-day furlough (Friday, April 22 through Saturday, April 30) from flour, rice, corn, most grains and legumes. But just because you have to restrict your eating doesn’t mean you can’t eat well. Here are 11 restaurants upping the ante in Passover-friendly ways around the Bay Area. (Note: these places are not kosher.)

Comal

What: Monday, April 25 and Tuesday, April 26 are Mexican-inflected Passover dinners at Comal with dishes like jalapeño matzo balls and beef brisket in adobo. The $75 per person meals follow Sephardic traditions, so there will be rice, beans and corn present. See the full menus and buy tickets here for Monday and here for Tuesday.
Where: 2020 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley

Wise Sons/Facebook

The Wise Sons seder plate

Wise Sons

What: Attend a seder at Wise Sons, or order catering for your meal at home. All the options and tickets are available here.
Where: 3150 24th St., San Francisco

Marla Bakery

What: Order Passover items to bring home, like Marla’s housemade matzah, coconut macaroons and a flourless chocolate orange torte. Call to order.
Where: 3619 Balboa St., San Francisco

Perbacco

What: The Italian restaurant’s ninth annual Passover dinner will take place both Monday April, 25 and Tuesday, April 26 in a collaboration with chef Joyce Goldstein (author of The New Mediterranean Jewish Table). For $55 per person, there will be four courses of antipasti, soup, main courses and dessert with wine pairings and cocktails. Call to reserve.
Where: 230 California St., San Francisco

Saul's Delicatessen

What: Attend a traditional seder at Saul's on Friday, April 22 or Saturday, April 23 (see the menu and reserve here), or order from this menu to bring home.
Where: 1475 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley

Delfina/Pizzeria Delfina

What: The Stoll family matzah ball soup, Beauty’s Bagels wood-fired matzah and more are all available Passover week at all locations. In addition, Delfina is offering a $64 four-course dinner each night, with dishes like Sonoma lamb osso bucco and matzah-almond toffee that are also available a la carte.
Where: 3621 18th St., 2406 California St., San Francisco

Locanda/Facebook

Locanda's matzah ball soup

Locanda

What: Locanda will have the same offerings as Delfina, plus a special dinner with Katie Parla as part of her "Tasting Rome" book tour on Wednesday, April 27. One course is not Passover-friendly (the pasta), but the rest of the meal is. Check out the full menu and wine pairings here.
Where: 557 Valencia St., San Francisco

The Hall

What: Graze is serving matzah ball soup through the holiday.
Where: 1028 Market St., San Francisco

The Pasta Shop

What: Let the Pasta Shop help with your seder this year and pre-order items for the table from this menu. Call to order, or take your chances and see what’s in store from Thursday, April 21 through Sunday, April 24.
Where: 5655 College Ave. #201, Oakland; 1786 Fourth St., Berkeley

One Market

What: Through the entire week, One Market will serve a special Passover dinner menu with chicken matzah ball soup, smoked brisket, chocolate coconut macaroons and more.
Where: 1 Market St., San Francisco

Canela Bistro & Wine Bar

What: An a la carte or $45 per person Passover menu is available through the entire holiday at Canela with courses like haroset, matzah ball soup, braised brisket and more.
Where: 2272 Market St., San Francisco

Precita Park Cafe

What: Chocolate-dipped matzah, matzah ball soup, matzah brei and more are on Precita Park Cafe’s menu the whole holiday.
Where: 500 Precita Ave., San Francisco

Firefly

What: An entire menu of Passover-friendly dishes are available at Firefly during the holiday, including blistered snap peas, gefilte fish, quinoa and cauliflower kugel and more. See the full menu here.
Where: 4288 24th St., San Francisco