The Former Shorty Goldstein’s Chef Is Bringing Jewish Deli Favorites to Mill Valley

Floodwater, the newest venture from some of the folks behind spots like Buckeye Roadhouse and Fog City, will open on November 29 in the Mill Valley location most recently occupied by Frantoio Ristorante. The overall theme of the restaurant is “gastropub fare” that uses local, seasonal ingredients.

That’s fairly standard order, as far as Bay Area restaurant concepts go, but Floodwater also marks a comeback for a prominent San Francisco chef: Michael Siegel has done time at long-shuttered local standby Betelnut and 31-year-old supper club Bix. Most recently, he owned Shorty Goldstein’s, a FiDi Jewish deli that closed down in 2017 after Siegel (per J-Weekly) said that his small business couldn’t find financial success as an independent operation.

That’s perhaps why he threw his lot in with Bill, Tyler and Henry Higgins, prolific restaurateurs with ties to spots like Sausalito’s Bar Bocce, Floodwater neighbors Buckeye Roadhouse and Playa, and Larkspur’s Restaurant Picco. Siegel’s participation is almost certainly why, in addition to typical gastropub fare like chicken wings, stone oven pizza, and burgers, Floodwater’s menu also boasts Jewish deli standards like chicken matzo ball soup and a Reuben sandwich — “Shorty’s Reuben” — made with Snake River Farms corned beef.

Julian Cox, a James Beard nominee who was part of the opening crew at Tartine Manufactory, is behind Floodwater’s cocktail menu. The bar will sport eight wines on tap, local craft beers via draft and bottle, and an extensive wine list.

The restaurant’s hours will also be extensive, as it will be one of the only restaurants in the area open until midnight every night. A limited late-night menu will be offered from 10 p.m. to midnight.

The space at 152 Shoreline Highway is huge — 7,200 feet, the Marin Independent Journal reports. Inside, designers David Whitfield and Dennis O’Kelly have made room for 240 diners across five dining spaces with names like the “Board Room” and “Den.” At the center, there’s a 30-seat bar with wood-trussed ceilings and the (apparently requisite) set of five large-screen TVs. Those seeking to escape the big screens can dine outside, in an area that will be protected from the Marin County cold by glass walls, heaters, and fire pits.

Floodwater will be open Mon.–Fri. from 5 p.m. to midnight, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to midnight. See the full menu below:

• Shorty Goldstein’s FiDi Deli Fare Launches [ESF]
• Where to Stop for Casual Eats in Marin County [ESF]