Portlandia references may be old news, but I can’t help but hear the show’s Dream of the 90’s song in my head when I return to these two great restaurants — Gary Danko and Boulevard — that have been showing San Francisco how it’s done since the 1990s. Here’s multiple reasons why they’re still relevant. Read more →
Healdsburg has long been the favored Sonoma town square, packed with charm, shops and great food. Over the 24 years I’ve been visiting, it has grown into a destination for world travelers and foodies since SingleThread opened in 2016. Earning one, then two, and eventually three Michelin stars, Healdsburg has attracted upscale resorts, hotel remodels, pricey condos and a chic reputation.
Alternately, Sonoma’s larger town square has remained steady, even old-school, the past 24 years I’ve visited. With Enclos opening December 5, 2024, in a cozy Victorian cottage a half block off the square, the town is set to change: Read more →
Published February 1, 2025, at Distiller Magazine, my bottle review column is about what is unique, standout, new and/or trending in spirits with my review ratings on a 1-5 rating scale. My 10 bottle reviews of the month: Read more →
Bon Délire debuted in October 2024 along the Embarcadero from restaurateur Kais Bouzidi, who owns Sens and Barcha. Whereas his Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurants are directly correlated to his North African roots and Tunisian father, this newcomer nods to his childhood on tiny Ile Saint-Louis, the island where Notre-Dame Cathedral sits in the middle of Paris. It also nods to his French mother, who ran a creperie. Read more →
Baltimore is Charm City for a reason: it’s deep hospitality and diversity, its rich history that plays out in architecture to waterside views, classic seafood houses and craft distilleries. I’ve been writing about Baltimore since my first visit in 2016 and haven’t written a dining update since then. As I visited and researched twice in 2024 to speak at a major drink conference and do research, here are my 8 top Baltimore spots to dine now, along with my latest bar recommends here: Read more →
My article on 10 of Guadalajara’s best bars Read more →
These newcomers or new menus cover the gamut, from restaurants with views and good food to a modern German beer hall and Spanish sherry and tapas gem. Alongside my latest restaurant reviews, these seven are also worth visiting, with last month’s standouts here. As always, I’ve personally vetted and visited each: Read more →
In my series of Bay Area/NorCal overnights (like these recent visits to Sonoma, Napa, Yountville), it’s a joy to hit somewhere so spectacular less than 20 minutes from home. Enter The Inn Above Tide in Sausalito. This enchanting seaside community village…
The Inn Above Tide is one of our most special local getaways (or destinations if you’re coming from afar) for Bay views and an intimate respite in the City’s backyard that feels worlds away in a Mediterranean-esque village. Here are three places to eat nearby: Read more →
My interview with distiller Guillermo Sauza of Fortaleza Tequila Read more →
A tough reservation to snag ever since it opened in 2018 in San Francisco’s Western Addition neighborhood, Che Fico remains a destination for chef David Nayfeld’s inspired pastas and unique take on pizzas with sourdough crust done in certified Neapolitan style.
I wrote of the restaurant being reborn in pandemic, then in November 2023, their gorgeous Menlo Park location opened, along with Che Fico Mercato, a market, wine shop and gelateria. Now there is a fourth entrant — and third restaurant — in the growing Che Fico family. Nayfeld and Matt Brewer of Back Home Hospitality opened Che Fico Pizzeria in Thrive City October last year; part of a growing web of new restaurants surrounding the Chase Center. Read more →