It’s been another stellar year of new restaurant openings — and we understand you haven’t had a chance to hit them all yet. Consider this your 2019 dining checklist of the best new kids on the block (last year’s top 12 here and top 12 new bars here):
In my latest Time Out column: in the nation’s baking capital, here are merely 10 of San Francisco’s best bakeries. Time Out bakery article here. Well beyond our famed San Francisco sourdough, the SF Bay Area has been a baking/bread leader for decades. Think legends like Acme Bread pioneering artisanal bread from Berkeley since 1983 or Tartine Bakery’s Liz Pruiett and… Read more →
Published on September 12, 2018, here and in the book accompanying venerable world restaurant awards’ Worlds 50 Best Talks event held in San Francisco that same day, is my article on the wide-ranging diversity and demographics of San Francisco and the Bay Area… and why this makes us one of the best, most exciting food regions in the world: www.theworlds50best.com/blog/News/diversetown-san-francisco-natural-destination-50besttalks-voices-for-change.html… Read more →
In my latest Time Out column, 10 of San Francisco’s most iconic dishes, foods and food categories that have been changing the food world for decades — and the most iconic places to eat them (article here): www.timeout.com/san-francisco/eat-like-a-local-san-francisco Read more →
In my latest Time Out column, here are my top 12 new bar openings of 2017… and the first places you should grab a drink in 2018 (article here): www.timeout.com/san-francisco/news/12-san-francisco-bay-area-bars-you-need-to-visit-in-2018-011218 1. True Laurel2. Cold Drinks3. The Douglas Room4. Rusted Mule5. Gibson6. Charmaine’s and Villon at Proper Hotel7. Junior8. White Cap9. The Kon-Tiki, Oakland10. The Riddler11. The Snug12. Periodic Table, Emeryville Read more →
In my latest Time Out column, here are my top 12 new restaurant openings of 2017… and the first places you should check out in 2018 (article here): 1. Eight Tables / China Live (my full Eight Tables review here) 2. Gibson3. Robin4. Acacia House, St. Helena (Napa)5. The Charter Oak, St. Helena (Napa)6. Foxsister7. Barcino8. RT Rotisserie9. Khai10. Alta in… Read more →
This article was first published here at Table8 where I am national editor. 2016 held steady with many notable new Bay Area restaurants. We lost some greats and said hello to many newcomers, with the heaviest category dose being hardcore Japanese restaurants, whether Tokyo-style edomae sushi temples or pristine kaiseki, fine dining restaurants. A number of the top new openings… Read more →
My editorial best of the year picks were published at Food Republic over December 2015 and January 2016 in a series of articles covering the best in US and international travels, hotels, meals and drink — here is a link to each article I contributed to and my favorites summarized below: – Best Drinking Experiences, International– Best Drinking Experiences, West… Read more →
This article was first published at Zagat on December 17, 2015. All photos and the article by Virginia Miller. 2015 has been another banner year in Bay Area restaurants. New openings remain quick and steady and often of such high quality, it’s tough to call out the most notable. While the East Bay brought us a range of openings from… Read more →
Another year, another 600+ restaurants (YES, this is my annual average). Though I didn’t repeat the marathon travel of 2013 (over 25 cities in 10 different countries!), this year was still packed, taking me from Japan and Hong Kong, back to “regulars” like NYC and New Orleans. 2014 was rife with revelatory flavors, regional dish discoveries, memorable newcomers and wonderfully… Read more →