Robot Cars Will Start Delivering Food This Year

The future is here

Starting in March, your dinner could arrive at your home via self-driving car. Food delivery service DoorDash announced yesterday that it’s partnering with General Motors’ Cruise Automation to test out autonomous deliveries in San Francisco. DoorDash has already developed a system involving a runner to get orders from the restaurant or grocery store to the car, and then customers will be notified when the vehicle is approaching their address. These will likely be the first such futuristic deliveries in SF, but efforts are already underway elsewhere, like in Miami, where Ford teamed up with Walmart and Postmates.

Oakland’s salad days

Mixt has set its grand opening date for its new Oakland location: Saturday, January 19. Located at 2290 Broadway in the Uptown neighborhood, it’s the first East Bay restaurant for the local salad chain. Mixt’s usual fleet of salads, grain bowls, and plates will be there along with fresh additions like beer, wine, and a kids’ menu.

All the boozy apple goodness

Oakland’s first cider bar, Redfield Cider Bar & Bottle Shop, opens this weekend on Sunday, January 6. Expect to find 150 ciders in bottles and cans along with more than a dozen ciders and beers on tap. The big grand opening party takes place next weekend, January 12 and 13.

East Bay patisserie delay

San Leandro’s first French patisserie, Atelier Colibri, was supposed to open earlier this week, but a new opening date has been scheduled for Saturday, January 5. You’ll find a mix of classics like croissants and choux aux craquelin as well as some French treats infused with Asian flavors.

An Italian cubano

Media Noche’s first special cubano of 2019 is here: The Rosso Piccante ($13.50) features hot Italian sausage, Provolone, braised escarole, and garlic aioli, as envisioned by Michaela Rahorst of Del Popolo. This is Media Noche’s fourth female chef cubano in a row, and 10 percent of proceeds benefit 18 Reasons. It’ll be available all of January.