My Distiller Magazine article on 10 of St. Louis’ best bars… Read more →
Upscale Chinese with a View in SF Chinatown: Empress by Boon
San Francisco’s Chinatown is the oldest in North America, a dense, rich Chinese community since the 1850s. In these charming, narrow streets, legendary Empress of China began restoration in 2019 and after a long wait and pandemic delays, opened June 2021 as Empress by Boon, a gorgeous Atelier LLYS-designed, 7,500-square-foot space with killer views over Chinatown, North Beach, Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill and the Bay… Read more →
New, Blissful Temple to Seafood in the Mission: Ancora
At the prime, heavily foot-trafficked location of Valencia between 16th and 17th Streets, Ancora (“anchor” in Latin) opened July 2, 2022, in the former Locanda space. It was opened by Andi and Joe Conte of Water2Table, the venerable sustainable seafood company that many Bay Area restaurants — and more recently, consumers, too — source from since 2011. Read more →
From Louisiana to Jordan, Turntable at Lord Stanley Showcases Global Chefs in SF
In September 2021, I wrote here about the pandemic evolution of Michelin-starred Lord Stanley into Turntable at Lord Stanley, an exciting residency for chefs from around the globe and the U.S. to showcase their beloved menus, concepts they’re working on or other collaborations with the tight and consummate Lord Stanley team. Returning this August 2022, I experienced chef Melissa M. Martin’s cooking from New Orleans’ lauded Mosquito Supper Club: Read more →
My Belgium Checklist: Where to Dine, Drink & Stay in Brussels & Antwerp
October 2021 brought me back to Belgium — both Antwerp and Brussels — for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards, a special but difficult time in pandemic (excessive government tracking and tests, much of Antwerp still closed). But I came away with highlights worth visiting. Here is my latest “best-of” in food and drink Read more →
August 15, 2022
This Issue:
— (Yet Another) Pizza Destination: Yellow Moto Pizzeria reviewed.
Around the Bay — Where to Eat, Drink & Stay in Downtown Napa Now.
On the Town — 7 Foods From Outside Lands 2022 We’re Still Craving: Which you can still eat around the Bay Area.
The Latest — Maybeck’s Reviewed: New neighborhood standout where dinner and dessert shine.
Imbiber — Distiller Magazine Bottle Column, July 2022: I review aquavit, mezcal, genepi, Cognac, rum gin, tequila, rye whiskey, RTDs (canned/bottled cocktails).
(Yet Another) Pizza Destination: Yellow Moto Pizzeria
Opening July 6, 2022, in the former Flour + Water Pizzeria space on the prime corner of 18th and Valencia, Yellow Moto Pizzeria is from Flour + Water Hospitality Group alum David White, no longer with the F+W group). Chef Oleg Sheyner (formerly of RT Rotisserie) is helming the menu at Yellow Moto, continuing on from cooking at F+W Pizzeria since 2021. Read more →
7 Foods From Outside Lands 2022 We’re Still Craving
Published August 8, 2022, at The Bold Italic, seven foods from Outside Lands 2022 that we’re still craving (and thankfully, you can still eat around the Bay Area): Read more →
Where to Eat, Drink & Stay in Downtown Napa Now
I’ve spent twenty-one years day-tripping and overnighting in Napa and written a few hundred articles about this incredible food and drink County in my various editor roles the past 15 years (a few listed here). I have been most everywhere of note across this — and multiple — California Wine Countries. This means each return to this neighboring County to my SF home either leads me to new spots or revisiting longtimers with notable changes. After nights in downtown Napa, here are six standouts to eat, drink and/or stay at now. Read more →
New Neighborhood Standout Where Dinner & Dessert Shine: Maybeck’s
Maybeck’s opened in 2016 in the Marina as essentially a renamed Spaghetti Bros. restaurant, going for modern “red sauce” Italian food. I still remember their spumoni ice cream. The restaurant wasn’t exactly worth crossing neighborhoods for but it was solid, and has been closed in pandemic not just for a refresh but a complete rebirth and ownership change, despite keeping the name. Read more →