Waterbar’s oyster bar. Photo by Virginia Miller. 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 — Bar Iris, The Wild, Che Fico Pizzeria, overnight in Sausalito — these seven are also worth visiting, with last month’s standouts here. As always, I’ve… Read more →
Canela scallops. Photo by Virginia Miller. Chef Mat Schuster opened Canela Bistro & Wine Bar in 2011 on ever-bustling Market Street in the heart of the Castro. I remember those early days when Canela was immediately a cozy, inviting neighborhood Spanish restaurant. This was before still-excellent Spanish spots like Bellota opened in 2016. And since, we’ve lost some of our best… Read more →
La Bande’s fried cauliflower — Photo Credit: Virginia Miller For many of my San Franciscan friends and colleagues, Spain is their favorite European country. Given my Sicilian blood and extensive Italy travels, I’m Team Italy forever. But not to worry: I dearly love Spain. Traveling numerous regions of Spain the last 20 years, I am crazy about sherry, Spanish vermouth, Iberico ham, enchanting… Read more →
FRIDAY FIVE Photo: Courtesy of Canela (@canelasf) While we await the reopening of unique, queer-owned favorites like The Bull Valley Roadhouse in the East Bay, we savor Humphry Slocombe’s good-time Pride flavors, like the current Harvey Milk & Honey Graham. 5 Places in the Castro to Check Out This WeekendSan Francisco’s gayborhood is a mecca for all the things — each with… Read more →
My dining column in Bob Cut magazine covers standout newcomers and longtimers worth supporting.
I’m covering outdoor and indoor dining, takeout and delivery restaurants, all of which I’ve vetted, visited or ordered from. Here are this month’s 10 standouts: Read more →
My dining column at print and online magazine, Bob Cut — column details and my philosophy here; last month’s column here — covers standout newcomers and longtimers we want to keep supporting. During pandemic, I’m covering outdoor dining, takeout and delivery restaurants, all of which I’ve vetted, visited or ordered from, choosing the standouts: Read more →
My dining column at print and online magazine, Bob Cut — column details and my philosophy here — covers both standout newcomers and longtimers we want to keep supporting.
During shelter-in-place pandemic times, the column is in takeout/delivery mode:
My latest at Time Out covers the playful new Pawn Shop, feeling plucked from Miami, Latin America or Europe — and drawing a bit of early controversy for its “tone deaf” themed storefront. But once inside, it’s a party of a tapas wine bar and restaurant that fills a unique niche. My article here. Read more →
The first of my weekly Time Out column digs into four top Bay Area Spanish restaurants, from a vibrant newcomer (Barcino), to two longtime greats (Contigo, Canela), to one downtown Napa treasure (La Taberna)… Read more →
This article was first published here at Table8 where I am national editor. The 10 key openings of May are Itani Ramen in Oakland, Mac Daddy, Fenix, Homage, Sushi Hashiri, Popsons, Orson’s Belly, Bellota, Sababa and Laszlo’s reopening. While there are strengths at each — all but one of which I’ve visited — here are my top three newcomers… and… Read more →