That Much-Anticipated Hayes Valley Trader Joe’s Is (Fingers Crossed) Back on Again

If you’ve been following the will-they-won’t-they drama that’s surrounded the proposed Hayes Valley Trader Joe’s store, it seems the latest news is that they will. According to the San Francisco Business Times, the proposed Trader Joe’s slated to open on the ground floor of the residential building at 555 Fulton Street is closer to fruition. Z&L Properties, the developer behind the building, said in a public hearing on April 5 that the building is closing a deal to sell. The grocery store was approved back in 2021 but has yet to open due to a number of issues, including the building being caught up in a corruption probe involving former San Francisco Public Works chief Mohammad Nuru.

Supervisor Dean Preston confirmed the news of the anticipated sale and says the new buyer “is eager to prepare the buildout for Trader Joe’s.”

Mark your calendar for a Flint’s Barbecue pop-up

Although Oakland’s Flint’s Barbecue, hasn’t existed as a permanent restaurant since the later ‘90s — instead, these days, the business does catering and private events — there’s an upcoming chance to have Flint’s ribs, links, and sides. KQED reports that while owner Crystal Martin is looking for a new location for Flint’s, she will host a pop-up on Sunday, April 30, selling plates out of the business’s commercial kitchen space at 2428 Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley. Tickets must be purchased in advance, with sales ending on Sunday, April 16.

Ring the new food hall alarm

Rooster & Rice and Square Pie Guys will expand their footprint in the region with a new outpost in Sacramento, the Sacramento Bee reports. The two businesses are part of the third Sacramento-area food hall from Local Kitchens, which is set to open Monday, April 17 at 8680 Sierra College Boulevard, Suite 195. Along with Detroit-style pizza and khao mun ghai, the food hall space will host locations of Sushirrito, the Melt, Oren’s Hummus, and Nash and Proper.

Shuggie’s 86s brunch

After a few short months, the fine folks at Shuggie’s Trash Pie + Natural Wine pulled the plug on its brunch menu as of Sunday, April 9. “It’s been a grueling addition that very honestly isn’t working for us in the cost or quality of life departments,” an Instagram post explaining the change reads in part. “Busy Friday nights straight into a 16-hour double, then back to Sunday AM—it’s rough for all of us. But we had to try! As a small business with the smallest of margins, we have to give everything a shot.”

Cassava launches new menu

San Francisco favorite Cassava is known for its affordable prix fixe menu and Japanese breakfast, and now the restaurant teased a new addition to its offerings via Instagram: an a la carte menu launching next week. The restaurant offered few other details, other than the new menu will be revealed Wednesday, April 12.