SF Gets Its First Uzbek Spot, and More Restaurant Openings

Prior to the coronavirus crisis, this feature was intended as a curated list of the Bay Area’s most notable restaurant and bar openings, with updates published at regular intervals. That core functionality won’t change — but keep in mind that at present, most of these options are takeout and delivery only, and that time spent in their fresh new dining rooms is currently not allowed.

August 26

SAN FRANCISCO — Halal Dastarkhan, SF’s first Uzbek restaurant, is now open on Sutter Street, Hoodline reports. Owner and first-time restaurateur Ismoil Ochilov, a former Caviar and Doordash delivery driver, promises traditional Uzbek beef and lamb dishes, as well as kebabs, borscht, and baklava. Outdoor seating is available for lunch or dinner, as is takeout.

SAN FRANCISCO — Upscale Vietnamese restaurant Lily was all set to open when the pandemic hit, putting those plans on pause. New plan: Now it’ll be Lily To Go, Tablehopper reports, a casual daytime spot serving Chao (rice porridge) dishes and bánh mì made with house-crafted charcuterie. The retooled spot should open in September.

SAN FRANCISCO — Beloved live music venue Slim’s will be replaced by YOLO, a club with a dress code they say will be used as “a tool to use to deny unwanted guests,” the SF Chronicle reports, an admission that did not appear to give city officials pause as they approved the project.

OAKLAND — Lakeshore Avenue grocery and sundries shop Oakland Kosher has expanded into a space-doubling 3,300 square feet, adding a hummus bar and a “New York-style kosher deli” with outdoor seating (and, when allowed, dine-in tables indoors), J Weekly reports. Expect house-made corned beef (the spot has its own smoker), homemade hummus, and a vast selection of prepared salads.

BERKELEY — An ice cream shop that was once a franchise of the now-shuttered Three Twins company has reopened as the Noble Cow Creamery, Berkeleyside reports. It’s serving small-batch ice cream that’s made in-house, with a roster of frozen dairy treats, non-dairy flavors, and fresh fruit sorbets.

SUNNYVALE — Highly Instagrammable Japanese souffle pancake chain Hanabusa Cafe will open its first Bay Area location in September, the SF Chronicle reports. The 1,600-square-foot cafe has a pink-and-gold motif, but for now, its owners are prepared to offer takeout, delivery, and outdoor seating only, and will welcome guests once indoor dining is back on the table.

OAKLAND — San Francisco deli Wise Sons is opening its first East Bay location, part of its acquisition of Beauty’s Bagel Shop. Beauty’s Uptown Oakland location will become a Wise Sons, and Beauty’s original Temescal storefront will carry Wise Sons goods.

SAN FRANCISCO — Chinese bubble and cheese tea chain Happy Lemon just opened two locations in the city, one in the FiDi, the other in Mission Bay. Hoodline reports that the company (which has over 53 locations across the country) will also open an outpost in the Salesforce Transit Center.

CALISTOGA — Those who still miss SF’s shuttered Green Chile Kitchen might be pleased to learn that founder Trevor Logan is back making pies, this time as part of the renovation of Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs, the SF Chronicle reports. The wellness-focused restaurant will be called House of Better, and will include some of Green Chile’s greatest hits as well as protein bowls and salads. Opening is slated for October, if construction goes well.

OAKLAND — Breakfast, soup, and salad cafe Yellow Door has opened in Montclair Village, with coffee drinks, kombucha on tap, and the occasional roasted chicken, Berkeleyside reports.

SAN FRANCISCO — The owners of Rincon Hill’s Lightbox Café made the decision to open this month, despite the steep drop in foot traffic to the area. Hoodline reports that the spot specializes in banana bread, serves coffee drinks from Verve beans, and offers takeout, delivery, and covered outdoor dining for its menu of sandwiches, salads, and toasts.

SAN FRANCISCO — North Beach roast chicken spot Il Pollaio has opened a second location in the Mission, Mission Local reports. Takeout’s now available for their grilled, dry-rubbed birds, with an outdoor dining setup in the works.

WALNUT CREEK — Outdoor cantina Dia Y Noche has opened with happy hour specials, Sunday brunch, and a mariachi band, the East Bay Times reports. They’re serving fresh fruit margaritas, street tacos, and large plates of dishes like piña rellena de aguachile (ceviche-stuffed pineapple) from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.

August 17

OAKLAND — IndoMex, a new weekly brunch from Oakland-based Indonesian-Singaporean chef Nora Haron (Drip Line), is now embedded inside Xingones, a Mexican pop-up inside the Fort Green sports bar. Expect a menu of dishes like beef rendang chilaquiles and pandan flan, available Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

SAN FRANCISCO — Tacorea, a Union Square restaurant that blends Korean ingredients with Mexican preparations, has opened a second location in Chinatown, NBC Bay Area reports.

SAN FRANCISCO — Farmhouse Thai, the Bay Area mini-chain with the pretty takeout boxes, has opened a takeout window at the former Thep Phanom, which closed back in May. Farmhouse’s managing director, Wanvisa “Boom” Wattanadumrong, actually worked at Thep Phanom in the early 2000s, and tells Hoodline that once the pandemic ends, the place will likely reopen for sit-down dining.

SAN FRANCISCO — Routier, a full-service French restaurant from pastry chef Belinda Leong (B. Patisserie) and John Paul Carmona (Manresa) has opened in Pacific Heights with a takeout menu of salads, dishes like caramelized beef brisket, and desserts.

SAN FRANCISCO — As promised, Barvale, the shuttered Spanish tapas spot on Divisadero, has been transformed into a pop-up version of Mission pizza destination Beretta. It’s now open for outdoor dining for dinner and weekend brunch, with reservations and online ordering available here.

SAN FRANCISCO — Los Guisados Del Patrón, a tacos de guisado-focused restaurant from quesabirria destination Tacos El Patrón, has opened in the Mission with a rotating list of about 40 menu items and a massive steam table of ingredients.

OAKLAND — Cult Singaporean vegan pop-up Lion Dance Cafe is hustling to open its permanent location in Uptown Oakland by September, promising takeout options including their wildly popular shaobing sandwich.

SAN FRANCISCO — Pim Techamuanvivit is opening a Dogpatch spin-off of her Michelin-starred Thai restaurant Kin Khao in Dogpatch. Expect grab-and-go options and fast-casual service, with a tentative opening date within the next few weeks.

SAN FRANCISCO — Wellness mini-chain Sidewalk Juice will open its fifth location in the Lower Haight this month, Hoodline reports.

SAN FRANCISCO — Gratta’s Market and Winery will soon open in the Bayview with takeout, pantry staples, and their eponymous line of wines, Hoodline reports.

SAN FRANCISCO — Marlena, a Bernal Heights restaurant from veterans of fine-dining spots like Palo Alto’s Bird Dog and San Francisco’s Sorrel, will open this month with a weekend fixed-price menu and picnic kits with dishes like bone-in lamb belly with eggplant puree and salt-baked celery root with morels.

OAKLAND — Black Food Collective, a takeout only spot with a rotating roster of chefs from Chopped winner Rashad Armstead, is open with food from Grammie’s and Crave BBQ (Armstead’s recently shuttered spots) as well as from a roster of other Black chefs from the area.

BERKELEY — Garden Variety, a lunch spot with a tightly-edited menu of salads and soups, has opened with seating available in its rose garden courtyard, Berkeleyside reports.

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO — The Night Market has reopened after two years out of the game, with a massive remodel that replicates the Asian food stall scene. Its stations of foods like dim sum and boba are available for outdoor dining and to go.

SAN FRANCISCO — Local coffeeshop mini-chain Cafe Réveille is reportedly expanding to Polk Street, with a location planned inside the since-shuttered Belcampo Meat Co. at the corner of Pacific Avenue, Hoodline reports.

SAN JOSE — Left Wing, a chicken chain with over 400 locations across South Korea, will open its first NorCal shop on Santana Row, with an opening date that’s yet to be announced, the East Bay Times reports.

SAN FRANCISCO — Uncle Sok Hee, a Malaysian-Chinese coffee shop from Azalina Eusope (Mahila, Azalina’s), will open for lunch this October in the Tenderloin’s Aviary restaurant hub, with breakfast and dinner service to follow.

SAN FRANCISCO — Jamie’s Place, a new Inner Sunset restaurant, boasts a remarkably broad menu of breakfast items, burger and cheesesteak lunches, and Asian seafood dishes alongside Italian-style pastas for dinner, Hoodline reports.

August 4

NAPA — Bar Lucia, a rosé and sparkling wine bar, has opened in Oxbow Market with a food menu of salads, sandwiches, and an inventive crostini/dip board. Owner Kara Lind, the founder of bakery mini-chain Kara’s Cupcakes, tells Eater SF that the restaurant is “dedicated to the women in my family” (her great-grandma and her daughter are both named “Lucia”) and should be a “nice change of pace” from the cupcake game. Its outdoor patio is open for sit-down drinking and dining, and the spot is also hosting virtual events like combined rosé tasting/baking parties.

SAN FRANCISCO — Limonnana, a kosher restaurant that’s been working to open on Sixth Street since 2017, has finally opened for takeout, J Weekly reports.

MILL VALLEY — Mission District pie fave PizzaHacker has opened a second location in Mill Valley, part of a massive outdoor beer garden called The Junction. The Dipsea-adjacent bar and restaurant is open for outdoor dining for now, with a takeout menu of pizza, squares, and bagels in the eventual works.

SAN FRANCISCO — The Lower Haight space recently vacated by Café du Soleil has a new tenant: Tarragon Café, a restaurant from Mario Jackson, a corporate caterer laid off in the pandemic, and his wife, Audrey. It should open in August with takeout offerings like soups, salad, and charcuterie, Hoodline reports.

SAN FRANCISCO — Baia, a collaboration between vegan-restaurant-empire-builder Matthew Kenney and SF tech/philanthropy stars Tracy and Kyle Vogt, has opened for takeout in the vast space that once housed Jardiniere. In addition to its menu of plant-based Italian food, Kenney’s running a temporary popup from the spot: Woodblock Sushi, which promises vegan takes on standby rolls.

OAKLAND — The first Bay Area location of cheesesteak chain Philly’s Best opened in Oakland this July, Berkeleyside reports, packing the sidewalk with fans of the company’s sandwiches and hoagies.

SAN FRANCISCO — Hoodline reports that Lost Resort Cafe, a nautical-themed bar and restaurant, has opened in the old Jay ‘n Bee Club space. Their menu includes a ubiquitious smash burger, low-country boil, and funnel cake.

SAN FRANCISCO — Mexican standby Nopalito has opened a takeout window in the Mission, on 18th Street adjacent to the Bi-Rite Creamery, Tablehopper reports. There’s no booze for now, but new items like totopos topped with the restaurant’s famed carnitas are available.

CORTE MADERA — The third Bay Area location of vegetarian fast food mini-chain Amy’s Drive Thru is open for takeout, with a menu of grilled cheese sandwiches, fries, and vegan, gluten-free, or non-dairy treats, the Marin Independent-Journal reports.

SAN FRANCISCO — Stix quietly opened in the Parkside last fall, but attracted social media attention in recent weeks for its crispy Korean hot dogs. There’s also boba and Hong Kong style milk tea, Thai iced tea, and dalgona coffee.

SEBASTOPOL — Outdoor market the Barlow has two new tenants: a Sonoma-County-focused wine bar called Region, and a California/Southern spot called Blue Ridge Kitchen, KQED reports.

CASTRO VALLEY — The 39,000-square-foot Castro Valley Marketplace food hall has opened with its first three vendors, the SF Chronicle reports. There’s Castro Valley Natural Grocery (which contains a restaurant called Tomato), Seven Hills Baking Co., and a new location of Baron’s Quality Meats & Seafood, with more to come.

OAKLAND — Hoodline reports that Seabreeze on the Dock, a new seafood restaurant, hopes to open mid-August.

BERKELEY — Indian and Pakistani food and wrap spot the Chef Kitchen is open on University Avenue for takeout and delivery, Berkeleyside reports.

SAN RAFAEL — The Marin Independent-Journal reports that Sabor a Mexico has opened with a menu of Mexico-City-inspired dishes and street food.

SAN FRANCISCO — Linea Coffee’s roastery and cafe on 1125 Mariposa Street is poised to open, Hoodline reports, with pastries from Neighbor Bakehouse and fresh-roasted beans.

MENLO PARK — Thai mini-chain Farmhouse Kitchen is planning a Menlo Park outpost, with an opening expected this September, Palo Alto Online reports.

SAN FRANCISCO — Nearly two years after the owners of Lower Haight brewpub Black Sands sold the business to Fort Point Beer Company, and six months after it was shuttered for a massive renovation, the doors at 701 Haight Street have reopened, Hoodline first reported. Now the beer spot is simply called Fort Point, the fourth such location in the city. There’s outdoor seating, and a menu of hot dogs to go with the brews. The SF Chronicle says the brewery is also preparing to open a location on Rockridge this September.

July 14

SAN FRANCISCO — Herbal, a Burmese restaurant from William Lue, the owner of Oakland’s late, great Grocery Cafe, has opened for takeout and delivery in the Tenderloin. Lue’s mixing hemp leaves — a traditional ingredient (with almost no THC) that occupies a legal grey area in the city’s regulations regarding cannabis and CBD — into dishes like tea leaf salad and samosas.

BERKELEY — One Plus, a jian bing, and pink salt milk cap tea spot, has opened on Allston Way, Berkeleyside reports.

OAKLAND — Panko-crusted fried tuna belly is on the menu at Masabaga, a new fish sandwich spot on Telegraph Avenue that opened for takeout only on July 9. Sushi chef Masa Sasaki (who helped Maruya nab its Michelin star) says his menu is inspired by burgers he’s eaten on motorcycle road trips, including a toro burger you can’t find anywhere else in the Bay Area.

OAKLAND — Brooklyn Basin will soon be home to a second location of Rocky’s Market, a gourmet grocery shop that also offers grab-and-go, takeout, and sit-down outdoor dining, the San Jose Mercury News reports. The Kitchen at Rocky’s Market opened July 10 in the historic 9th Avenue Terminal Building for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

SAN FRANCISCO — California Fish Market Restaurant has opened in the space last occupied by Pasta Pop-Up, Tablehopper reports. Expect a menu of seafood, pasta, and fish to go.

SANTA ROSA — Gardner Melissa Matteson will open a plant-based restaurant called 4th Street Social Club next month, the SF Chronicle reports. The vegetables the restaurant serves will come from gardens (including hers) that are “no more than 10 minutes away,” and will become dishes like jackfruit sliders and vegetarian ceviche.

BERKELEY — Italy on Gilman has opened in the former La Calle 10 space, Berkeleyside reports. Owner Juan Romo (who also owns La Mission, La Capilla, and Casa Latina, among other East Bay spots) promises a menu of pizzas and pastas for takeout, delivery, and (when allowed in Alameda County) outdoor dining.

RICHMOND — El Garage, the pioneering East Bay pop-up turned restaurant that arguably introduced the Bay Area to Tijuana-inspired beef birria tacos, has opened for takeout just blocks from the Richmond BART station. To ensure social distancing, the wildly-popular spot requires online, in-advance orders of its quesabirria menu, an effort to avoid the lengthy lines it was known for prior to the pandemic.

SAN FRANCISCO — Dogpatch bagelry Daily Driver has opened a new kiosk in Hayes Valley for bags and boxes of of the stuff, the SF Chronicle reports. It’s all a take-home operation for now, as toasting or sandwich assembly is the responsibility of the buyer.

OAKLAND — Berkeleyside reports that Habibi’s Kitchen, a family-owned Afghan restaurant with halal kebab plates, sandwiches, and wraps, has opened inside East Oakland’s La Estrella Market.

SAN FRANCISCO — The Absinthe Group (which also owns Absinthe, Bellota, and Comstock Saloon) has opened a restaurant called Arbor in the space last occupied by Arlequin Cafe, the SF Chronicle reports. For now, its back patio remains empty, as the restaurant’s menu of items like cheeseburgers, fried chicken sandwiches, and vegan soft serve is takeout and delivery only.

SAN JOSE — A Kickstarted brewery called Native Fermentations has opened in the former Santa Clara Valley Brewery facility, the East Bay Times reports. They’ve got six beers available for takeout, four of which are IPAs.

SAN FRANCISCO — Church Street rotisserie chicken spot Due Drop In has rebranded as Pizza Due, serving pies like the “baconato” (bacon, roasted potatoes, rosemary, mozzarella and béchamel), Hoodline reports.

OAKLAND — Oakland Street Food Co. has opened in the space last occupied by Camburger, Hoodline reports. It boasts a takeout and delivery menu of wings, tots, noodles, and tacos.

RICHMOND — Laid off in the pandemic, Cala sous chef Ely Flores has launched Red Rooster Taco Truck, which doles out Mexican street food and “the typical taco truck food” from a parking spot near the Richmond Target, the Richmond Standard reports.

SAN FRANCISCO — The Roost, a chicken-focused restaurant from Merchant Roots chef Ashley Keeler, has opened for delivery service via Uber Eats, the SF Chronicle reports. Expect roasted chicken, sides, and salads from the spot, which is inside Tenderloin dining complex the Aviary.

June 29

SAN FRANCISCO — Hoodline reports that Jesse Woodward, the co-owner of Castro sports bar Hi Tops, will open a spot called Lobby Bar at the ground floor of the Hotel Castro, an under-construction hotel at 4230 18th Street. Expect “a neighborhood cocktail lounge with shareable, local fresh food,” Woodward says.

MARIN COUNTY — David Ruiz, the owner of Mission District bar Junior, has opened a new restaurant called Stillwater in the Marin city of Fairfax, the Marin Independent Journal reports. Its oysters, salads, and tacos are available for takeout or to eat on its Broadway Boulevard patio.

SAN FRANCISCO — Double Rainbow Ice Cream, a frozen treat chain that was founded as a single scoop shop on SF’s Castro Street, has returned to the neighborhood. A new Double Rainbow will open two doors down from where it all started in 1976, Hoodline reports.

FREMONT — The 38th location of Vitality Bowls, a San Ramon-based chain of “superfood” cafes, has opened on Paseo Padre Parkway, the East Bay Times reports. Its menu includes panini, smoothies, and fruit-based bowls intended to help those suffering from food-based allergies.

OAKLAND — A second location of Berkeley Mexican spot Comal Next Door opened on June 22, the SF Chronicle reports. Owners John Paluska and Andrew Hoffman originally hoped to turn the Lake Merrit space (most recently the location of Italian spot Barlago) into a bar, but the current crisis means a grab-and-go restaurant serving tacos, burritos, and salad bowls is far more viable.

SAN FRANCISCO — Roma’s, a new “farm-to-table Italian eatery” planned in the old La Briciola space in SoMa, will be named after Sister Roma of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Hoodline reports. Expect pastas served under “a rainbow flag of inclusivity,” Roma says, with an opening planned for later this summer.

SAN FRANCISCO — Chef Keven Wilson, a veteran of Mina Group and Perbacco kitchens, is opening his own place in Oakland, the SF Chronicle reports. Called Daughter’s Diner, its menu will include items like a $20 roasted chicken, and pillowy, marzipan-laden “princess pancakes.” Opening for Daughter’s Diner is slated for September, 2020.

SAN FRANCISCO — Kokak Chocolates, a confections shop that serves coffee and chocolate drinks as well as snacks like cacao porridge is open in the Castro, Hoodline reports. It’s the first occupant of 3901 18th Street since 2017, when previous tenant Cafe UB shuttered.

June 16

SAN FRANCISCO — Noe Cafe, a new wave coffee shop, roastery, and cafe, is open inside a former laundromat at the corner of Sanchez and Clipper. There are also eight tables out front, for outdoor diners who prefer to enjoy their java, locally-baked pastries, and beer or wine on site.

SAN FRANCISCO — Phawaree Udomkusolsri, the owner of new Cow Hollow restaurant Le Moon Thai Eatery, tells the SF Chronicle that she wanted to open an Instagram-ready spot that featured “deconstructed Thai dishes” that diners would mix themselves. In the current takeout-focused era, diners are indeed doing a lot of the work, but not in the way she intended.

SONOMA — Bricoleur, a Windsor winery that’s been over five years in the making, expected to throw a grand opening party on May 2. That, of course, didn’t happen, but on May 23 (the earliest day they could do so, given the area’s public health orders) they finally opened for business, the SF Chronicle reports.

SAN FRANCISCO — The Lower Haight spot last occupied by Mad Dog in the Fog is the new home of a fifth location of Woods Beer & Wine Co, Hoodline reports. It opened for takeout in June, with a selection of its house-made brews, an expanded wine program, and a selection of empanadas.

SAN JOSE — Manuel Martinez, a chef known for Redwood City spots La Viga and LV Mar, has opened an upscale Palo Alto spot called San Agus Cocina Urbana & Cocktails, which is serving “crafted urban street bites” for delivery and takeout, the San Jose Mercury News reports.

OAKLAND — A new Oakland sweets operation called Gourmet Puff opened this April, Berkeleyside reports, and is delivering deep-fried Nigerian puff-puffs across the East Bay.

SAN FRANCISCO — Tenderloin Korean fried chicken spot Aria Korean Street Food has launched a delivery-only spot called Aria Korean Burrito Joint, the SF Chronicle reports. As the name might suggest, it boasts a menu of burritos, tacos, and taquitos with a Korean influence.

SAN FRANCISCO — Nopa’s Barrel Head Brewhouse announced an expansion to the Richmond District in 2017, and now it’s finally here: Lost Marbles, as its known, will soon open in Clement Street’s former Pizza Orgasmica space, with a menu of Cajun-style food, multiple IPAs, and “a killer burger,” Hoodline reports.

REDWOOD CITY — Japantown ramen sensation Marufuku expanded to Oakland a couple years ago, and now it’s opening a third outpost in Redwood City, the Mountain View Voice reports. They’re aiming for a September opening, after the pandemic delayed its plans to open this summer.

SAN JOSE — Sylvia and Peter Foundas, the owners of four-year-old San Jose Greek spot Blue Door, have rebranded their restaurant into a spot called Mextizo Restaurant & Cantina, the East Bay Times reports. It’s now open for outdoor dining and takeout for brunch, lunch, and dinner, with a menu created by a Veracruz-born chef that includes, tacos, seafood-focused appetizers, and entrees like costillas en adobo.

EL GRENADA — Breakwater Barbecue got its permit to open two weeks after the pandemic began, so it swiftly pivoted to a limited menu of smoked meats (“prime brisket, pork ribs, pulled heritage-breed pork, and smoked beef-and-pork sausage links made in-house”), desserts, and sides for weekend takeout, the East Bay Times reports.

OAKLAND — Yellow Door, a self-described “neighborhood cafe,” has placed signage in a Montclair district window, Hoodline reports. The Piedmont Highlander says the spot will serve breakfast and lunch, with a focus on soups, salads, and sandwiches.

SAN FRANCISCO — Moni Frailing, a grill cook at the Progress, has launched an Instagram-based bread, spread, and pickle delivery service called Bread Spread Pickle, the SF Chronicle reports. For $25, folks will get a loaf of red wheat sourdough boule, a weekly rotating spread, and a seasonal quick pickle.

SAN FRANCISCO — Divisadero seafood restaurant Bar Crudo has been reborn as a SoCal-style taco restaurant called El Crudo, Hoodline reports. The pivot from fancy fish to takeout surf Mexican was prompted by the coronavirus crisis and might continue even after dining rooms reopen, as “I’m not sure if people will be up for buying a $28 lobster salad,” co-owner Mike Selvera says.

WALNUT CREEK — Gluten-free, mole-focused mini-chain Los Moles is expanding into Walnut Creek, the East Bay Express reports. The fourth location of owner/chef Lito Saldana’s restaurant will bring its eight different types of mole to the ground floor of the South Locust Parking Garage.

SAN FRANCISCO — Mission pasta/pizza spot Flour + Water has opened a spinoff called Flour + Water Pasta Shop inside the temporarily shuttered Central Kitchen, the SF Chronicle reports. Expect meal kits, fresh noodles, and sauces, all available for pickup.

OAKLAND — Mountain Mike’s, a 40-year-old West Coast pizza chain that’s been dubbed the “Official Pizza of the San Francisco 49ers,” now boasts five Oakland locations, as its spot at 646 Hegenberger Road opened mid-May. This is the third location the company has opened during the pandemic, it says via press release, writing that they “hope that despite the many restaurants closing in Oakland, this opening will provide some much-needed confidence in the future of the local economy.”

SANTA CLARA — Paper Moon Coffee Co. has replaced the Chromatic Coffee at 5237 Stevens Creek Boulevard, the San Jose Mercury News reports. Its owner, Wendy Warren, opened Barefoot Coffee in the spot nine years ago, then rebranded as Chromatic — and, again, eight weeks ago, as Paper Moon. This iteration of the coffee shop serves goods from San Jose’s Sweet Dragon Baking Co. and brews with beans from the only women-owned mill in the Amaro Mountains of Ethiopia.

SAN FRANCISCO — Mission District breakfast, lunch, and juice spot New Harmony Cafe opened “in the middle of a pandemic,” owner Ben Angel says in a series of Medium posts. “It was either open during the pandemic or never open,” Angel told Mission Local. “It’s not enough to stay closed for an indefinite amount of time,” so it’s pivoted to a takeout and delivery model for its menu of salads, sandwiches, and snacks.

May 11

OAKLAND — Anticipated Oakland bar Friends and Family has opened for delivery of bottled cocktails and slices of cake, the SF Chronicle reports. When its dining room opens, expect a full menu of “whimsical California fare” from chef Christa Chase, a Tartine Manufactory veteran.

SAN FRANCISCO — JunJu, a long-standing pop-up Korean restaurant by Robin Song, the furloughed executive chef of upscale restaurant the Vault, has opened for takeout and delivery inside Vault sister spot Corridor. It’s part of a pandemic-related incubator program from Corridor’s owner, the Hi Neighbor restaurant group, and will serve Cal-Korean versions of bibimbap and banchan for the next three months — and, if successful, even longer.

SAN FRANCISCO — Also inside Corridor is Ines, a Uruguayan restaurant that boasts a whole roast chicken for $26, empanadas, and a mozzarella-packed steak sandwich. It’s by Trestle sous chef Nicole Zell, who says via Instagram that her spot’s “Americanized flavors of Argentinian and Uruguay favorites ... were taught to me by my mom and grandmother.”

SAN FRANCISCO — One last spot in Corridor’s incubator is reserved for Schmaltz. The spot from Corridor sous chef Beth Needelman serves “modern Jewish comfort food” like 24-hour chicken soup, and, perhaps most thrillingly, Reuben meatballs.

SAN FRANCISCO — North Beach chef/restaurateur Maurizio Bruschi (Ideale, Piccolo Forno) has opened a Roman-style Italian spot called Serafina for takeout. According to the SF Chronicle, the Russian Hill restaurant opened with a menu that includes olive-stuffed calamari, crab pappardelle, and — of course —tiramisu.

SAN FRANCISCO — Ryan Chinchilla, once a chef at Divis cocktail bar Horsefeather, is preparing to open a sandwich shop called Lucinda’s Deli in Alamo Square Hoodline reports that Lucinda’s will open in the former Alamo Square Deli space and “the vision is just keep it the same,” Chinchilla says, “a local corner store, serving nice gourmet sandwiches and salads,” like “a Korean-style take on a Cubano, with roast pork.”

OAKLAND — The King’s Feet, a vegan Italian spot from Berkeley meatless deli the Butcher’s Son, has opened for takeout with a menu of items like Beyond meatballs and mushroom “clam” pizza, the SF Chronicle reports.

BERKELEY — Las Cabañas Mexican Grill & Taqueria has opened for takeout for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Berkeleyside reports, with “fresh, seasonal, and local” Mexican fare.

SAN FRANCISCO — Ernest, a Kickstarted upscale restaurant plotted for the former Coffee Bar space at Florida and Mariposa Streets, has been plagued with construction delays — but that didn’t stop the spot from opening as a pop-up at 1701 Octavia Street in Pac Heights. That’s the address of Octavia, which has lent Ernest chef/owner Brandon Rice its kitchen as it remains closed during the pandemic. Keep an eye on Ernest’s Insta to see what’s on its weekly menu, or email them at info@ErnestSF.com.

SAN FRANCISCO — Hummus Bodega, which sells house-made pita and fresh hummus, just opened its doors in the Richmond District, the SF Chronicle reports. When dine-in service resumes, owners Isaac Yosef and Matan Schejter plan to expand its menu to include salads and additional toppings for its hummus offerings.

April 27

SAN FRANCISCO — Golden Grill, a sandwich shop owned by the former manager of the 17th & Noe Market, has opened at 417 Castro Street, Hoodline reports. The address has only been vacant a couple months, as it was most recently home to Dapper Dog, which shuttered during a wave of Castro closures. Owner Zaid ‘Ze’ Almassri says deliveries of its breakfast dishes and sandwiches are free for Castro area residents who call them at 415-757-0903; delivery is also available through the usual apps.

OAKLAND — Food truck La Grana Fish has parked on the property of Fruitvale bar Aloha Club, and started serving its cheese-laden birria tacos this past weekend. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, with plans to expand to four days per week.

SAN FRANCISCO — Palm City, the Outer Sunset restaurant endangered by a legislative loophole that threw its ability to open in question, not only triumphed over the opposition of some of its neighbors but opened for takeout with a limited menu, an expansive wine list, and a bakers’ bag that includes in-demand items like flour, eggs, and yeast. Hours are Tuesday–Saturday from 4–7 p.m.

SAN FRANCISCO — Above Ground, a vegan brewpub from the folks behind iconic plant-based restaurant Millennium, has opened in the Mission, the SF Chronicle reports. Its crisis-time takeout menu focuses on vegan pizza, pastas, and salads, and includes Millennium’s popular fried oyster mushrooms as a side option. Delivery is also available via Caviar.

SANTA CLARA — Silicon Valley micro-chain Voyager Craft Coffee had to temporarily close its San Jose location during the pandemic (its original location, on Stevens Creek Boulevard in Santa Clara remains open for takeout and delivery), but that didn’t stop them from opening a second Santa Clara location earlier this month, the San Jose Mercury News reports. Their new spot is at 2221 The Alameda in Santa Clara, where for now its open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

SAN FRANCISCO — Hetchy’s Hots, a Nashville-style hot chicken sandwich business from deep-dish pizzeria Square Pie Guys, has opened inside pizza spot’s SoMa storefront. The sandwiches, with names like the “Rancher Dancher” (chicken garnished with ranch powder, and pickled onions), are available for takeout or delivery, only on weekdays for the time being.

OAKLAND — Kyle Itani, the owner of popular Oakland ramen spot Itani Ramen, has launched a sushi-only takeout restaurant called Nikkei Sushi inside the space, the San Jose Mercury News reports. Itani (who is also the co-owner of Japanese-American diner Hopscotch, among other East Bay venues) says he’d been planning on opening a sushi restaurant for a while now, but “seeing the private dining room at Itani Ramen empty for over a month” spurred him to launch the idea now. Takeout is available by calling 510-788-7489, and delivery is via Caviar.

April 13

SAN FRANCISCO — San Ho Won, the Korean restaurant from Michelin-starred chef Corey Lee, has yet to open its doors at 2170 Bryant Street in the Mission, but diners can start enjoying its offerings now via takeout. Lee tells Eater SF that San Ho Won will offer a weekly, rotating menu for $45 per person that pre-orderers can pick up between 5 and 6:30 p.m. outside Benu’s gated entrance at 22 Hawthorne Street.

BURLINGAME — Noriaki Kojima and Masayuki Tadokoro rushed to get a permit to open Curry Hyuga on March 16, just hours before the Bay Area’s shelter-in-place order took effect, the SF Chronicle reports. It now offers a limited menu of house-made Japanese curry, which is available for online ordering, takeout, and delivery.

OAKLAND — Oakland comfort food haven Homestead has launched a spin-off called the Humble Sandwich, the East Bay Express reports. Homestead co-owner Fred Sassen says that it “is not a replacement for Homestead but a new venture that we are planning on continuing after the shelter-in-place is lifted.” The SF Chronicle reports that Sassen has intended to open a New York-style deli sandwich spot for years, and that these days of takeout and delivery only provided them the chance to launch the project, which uses deli meats from SF meat purveyor Molinari and Acme bread.

OAKLAND — Hoodline was the first to note that a sign for Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken had been erected at the door of a former Foot Locker at 1430 Broadway. This is the first Bay Area location of the popular national chain, which was founded in Mason, Tennessee, about 60 years ago. Raehan Qureshi, the (per his email signature) “Exclusive California Area Developer of ‘Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken’ Restaurants” wrote in to Eater SF to say that the downtown Oakland spot is open for delivery and takeout of its Memphis-style fried chicken menu, which uses wet batter that registers at “a seven out of 10 in terms of heat,” Qureshi tells the SF Chronicle, making Gus’s items more “bearable” for some than the Nashville style’s oft-painful heat.

March 30

LARKSPUR — Hog Island Oyster Co. has opened its latest location in Larkspur for takeout and delivery of a limited menu that includes oyster po’boys, shrimp linguine, salads, and its beloved clam chowder. “We’ve never really done takeout and delivery,” Hog Island CEO John Finger tells Eater SF about the spot’s Wednesday–Sunday service. “Right now, we’re just trying to do some amount of business, to see if we can generate enough sales to cover health insurance for a month or two.”

OAKLAND — Landlord disputes prompted Mica Talmor to close her Oakland Israeli quick serve spot Ba-Bite last fall, but now she’s back with Pomella, which opened at 3770 Piedmont Avenue on March 26. For now the restaurant will offer items from a limited menu (think hummus; beet, turnip, and cauliflower pickles; and vegetable or chicken tagines) for curbside delivery on Thursdays and Fridays, Berkeleyside reports.

NORTH BEACH — Tosca Cafe, San Francisco’s century-plus restaurant known for its house cappuccino, VIP back room, and troubled recent ownership, opened under new ownership and with takeout family-style meals on March 25. Co-owner Anna Weinberg (of Marlowe renown; the other owners are Nancy Oakes of Boulevard and designer Ken Fulk) tells the SF Chronicle that they’d planned to open on April 1, but that with a management team already in place, it made sense to launch takeout now.

APTOS — Three-Michelin-starred chef David Kinch, of Manresa fame, opened his eagerly awaited Franco-Italian spot Mentone in Aptos Village on March 25. The San Jose Mercury News reports that its specialty is artisan pizza made with dough that’s fermented for 48 hours, but craft cocktails, salads, and wine are also available for curbside pickup Wednesday through Sunday.