These 17 Bay Area Restaurants Just Got Added to the Michelin Guide

The Michelin Guide announced a handful of new additions to its California Guide, scattered across the Bay Area and northern half of the state. The restaurants, which range from San Francisco fine dining destinations swimming in caviar and aged fish to a Mexican restaurant hidden inside a Napa bowling alley, could either be designated as Bib Gourmands or Stars later this fall.

Here’s the full list of Michelin “New Discoveries”:

• Abaca, San Francisco
• Be.Steak.A, Campbell
• Birch & Rye, San Francisco
• Dela Curo, Oakland
• Donaji, San Francisco
• Ernest, San Francisco
• Good Good Culture Club, San Francisco
• Hawks, Granite Bay
• Lane 33 Café, Napa
• Le Fantastique, San Francisco
• Miller & Lux, San Francisco
• Nisei, San Francisco
• San Ho Won, San Francisco
• Sato Omakase, San Francisco
• Sorella, San Francisco
• Stokes Adobe, Monterey
• The Matheson, Healdsburg

California pinot noir pioneer dies at 78

Josh Jensen, a California winemaker credited with proving pinot noir grapes could thrive outside of France, died on June 11 at 78. The San Francisco Chronicle honored his legacy, writing that his wines “won global acclaim and served to refute the then-widespread perception that California could not produce great Pinot Noir.”

2 Northern California ice cream icons expand with new locations

San Francisco’s own boozy ice cream brand Humphry Slocombe will open its newest location in Redwood City on July 5, bringing its off-the-wall flavors like Peanut Butter Curry and Pepper & Mint Chip to the Peninsula for the first time. Meanwhile, Sacramento’s beloved old-school ice cream shop Leatherby’s opened its fourth location in Lincoln on Monday, the Bee reports.

Berkeley-made seaweed ‘bacon’ makes a Michelin debut

Berkeley-based startup Umaro Foods has landed its first-to-market seaweed-based “bacon” on the menu at none other than Michelin-starred San Francisco restaurant Sorrel, the company announced via press release. The bacon-like product will be integrated into the tasting menu and incorporated into a little gem salad, the announcement says.

Update: June 15th, 2022 2:10 p.m.: This story has been updated to reflect that Josh Jensen was a California winemaker who founded Calera Wine Co. on the Central Coast.