Breakfast and lunch get an infusion of Palestinian flavor at Lulu, the debut restaurant from Palestinian-American chef Mona Leena, formerly executive chef at Dyafa. At Lulu she brings forth a menu of sweet and savory pastries — including her popular mana’eesh — and takes deviled eggs to the Middle East with whipped labneh yolks and a za’atar rim. On weekends, mezze brunch means a family-style spread of hummus, labneh, and more in a bright space with hot pink neon accents and a healthy number of plants. 

Rockridge has a new crown jewel in Sunday Bakeshop, a bakery using French techniques and Asian American flavors to create craveable, flaky pastries. For example, the aloha croissant combines sweet pineapple pork sausage, green onions, furikake, aged parmesan, and house-made kimchee spiced salt, while a dim sum cookie incorporates sesame tahini, roasted sesame seeds, and sweetened red bean paste. Order ahead or stop by to ogle them all, in person.

Hard to say whether it’s the charm of the space — with its sunny interior and checkered floors — or the selection of brightly hued natural wines or the menu of always-rotating chalkboard menu of small plates that’s captivated the attention of Bay Area diners. But in any case, Snail Bar is ready to serve interested parties delicate crudos, colorful crudites, and, naturally, plates of escargots. Chef and owner Andres Giraldo Florez brings experience at Michelin-starred restaurants including Saison and WD-50 in New York to the endeavor.

Bake Sum has brought its audaciously airy croissants punctuated with slivers of green onion and Technicolor lilikoi- and ube-flavored mochi bites to a storefront in Oakland. Though hours at the brick-and-mortar are currently limited to Friday and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. But fans can also pre-order pastry boxes stuffed with Loco Moco danish (completely with a jiggly egg garland), black sesame snickerdoodle cookies, and fluffy purple ube buns for pick-up at locations in San Francisco and beyond.

Downtown Oaklands’ historic Tribune Tower (formerly the home of the Oakland Tribune newspaper) now houses an American brasserie from the team behind Town Revival. Here partners Omri Aflalo, John Cahill, and Darrin Ballon give familiar classics like steak tartare and a chopped salad a slight refresh and offer up cocktails like the Rumble In The Jungle made with both dark and pineapple rum, Campari, and lime juice. 

It’s been a long wait and slow open for the much-anticipated brick-and-mortar location of this hit birria truck. And though there’s been a truck parked and serving food outside the restaurant at 95 Linden Street, La Santa Torta finally celebrated its soft opening in mid-September. The new digs mean new menu items — including weekend brunch of chilaquiles rojos with choice of birria or chile relleno — though you can never go wrong with a trio of golden, beef-filled tacos on amber-hued tortillas.

Former Kin Khao chef Intu-on Kornnawong, who’s eponymous pop-up was one of the highlights of Bay Area dining in 2020, partnered with local owner Kao Saelee to bring pork laab burgers and splashy cocktails to Oakland at Jo’s Modern Thai. Kornnawong’s uncompromising flavors are inspired by her Issan roots and shaped by the flavors of northern California, which means dishes like pad Thai come crowned with lobster or soft shell crab while spicy pad kee mao will showcase brisket sourced from Oakland’s Smokin’ Woods BBQ. Paired with tropical cocktails from Tayler Sampson (Starline Social Club) on the restaurant’s beachy back patio, Jo’s makes escapism easy. 

The Bussdown is weaving in Jamaican, West-African, and Nigerian flavors into its takeout- and delivery-only offerings, liked smoked sofrito seafood, Jamaican beef patties, and more. The duo behind it, chefs Solomon Johnson and Mike Woods, are also working on a new concept, that they’re previewing in a series of monthly supper club dinners. Grab a ticket to OKO for an eight-course tasting menu built to highlight the African and Afro-Latino diaspora at a loft space in Oakland, with plans for a fine dining restaurant down the line. More details and tickets can be found here.