José Andrés Is Coming to the Bay Area to Open a Mystery Restaurant in Silicon Valley

Everyone’s favorite Spanish chef and humanitarian José Andrés is finally planning his first Northern California restaurant, according to the San Francisco Business Times. The mystery restaurant, about which there are essentially no details to share at this time, will be located in Palo Alto, specifically at the Stanford Shopping Center. It’ll join a roster of restaurants that currently includes large chains such as California Pizza Kitchen, Shake Shack, Sushi Roku, and P.F. Chang’s.

The Bay Area news comes on the heels of the announcement that Andrés will also open two new restaurants in Las Vegas, including a location of his Mediterranean restaurant Zaytinya to be located at the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace and a second restaurant at the Shops at Crystals, also a mystery concept. All three restaurants come as the result of a partnership between the celebrity chef and Simon Property Group, which owns the three retail centers.

Leopold’s on Polk reopens soon under new owners

After going dark for the entirety of the pandemic, Leopold’s on Polk Street will resume pouring pints of cold beer on Wednesday, April 26, per Tablehopper. The restaurant has new owners: Michael Lamina, who previously worked as Leopold’s chef, and Carla Anne Suntjens, who spent 20 years as a server at Balboa Cafe. The couple tells Tablehopper they plan to keep things mostly the same but will “add some technique, ingredient upgrades, and fine-tuning.”

Napa is getting a new woman-owned wine bar

Per a post on Instagram, chef Leilani Baugh, who runs Roux and Vine catering and Magnolia Street Wine Lounge and Kitchen in Oakland, is opening a wine bar in Napa called Vin En Noir. Located at 1001 Caymus Street, the wine bar should open late next month.

Castro neighborhood favorite launches happy hour

Starbelly, the casual restaurant and bar in the Castro, recently added a new happy hour menu to the mix. Offered Monday through Friday, plus Sunday, from 3:30 to 6 p.m, the deals include chicken liver paté, mini Dungeness crab cakes, and a burger with fries and a cocktail for $20. Drink specials include beer and wine for $6 or a shot with a half-lager for $8.

Argentinian cuisine arrives at Turntable this month

Catch Argentinian chef Mercedes “Mecha” Solis this month at Turntable at Lord Stanley, the rotating chef space on Polk Street. Solis will be cooking Patagonian cuisine ahead of the opening of her own restaurant Mecha, slated to debut in Patagonia in 2024. Reservations for the $68 tasting menu are available online.