Hopefully you had a delicious Thanksgiving and have finally recovered enough to try these incredible new restaurants.
Flores
They've done it again. The Back of The House team (owners of Belga, Starbelly, Lolinda, El Techo, Unos Dos Tacos & Super Duper Burgers) just opened their newest restaurant earlier this week on Union Street. Flores serves traditional Mexican food paired with contemporary cocktails. Housemade tortillas are reminiscent of the chef's childhood, and they'll be served with dishes such as the mole negro, enchiladas de Pato Confitado and the pork shoulder carnitas. As for cocktails, try the Bonita, made with vodka, Velvet Falernum, hibiscus, pineapple and lime; or the Excelsior made with rye, sweet and dry vermouths, Montenegro, and Amargo Vallet. // 2030 Union St. (Cow Hollow), floressf.com
Lobster Cioppino for two with grilled foccacia rouille.(credit: Lara Hata)
Finn Town
The Castro welcomes it's newest addition, Finn Town, a tavern sharing comfort food from former Top Chef-alum Ryan Scott. Finn Town's chef de cuisine Jason Raffin (formerly of Scotland Yard) curated a menu of essential, yet updated comfort food cuisine. Dishes include everything from Beet Blini with white sturgeon caviar & Aquavit-cured salmon to the Finn Burger with "Jason's Secret Sauce" on a housemade brioche bun. Larger sharable dishes include lobster cioppino for two with grilled foccacia rouille (shown above). The cocktail menu was created by Anthony Parks of Fifty Fifty Cocktail Co (The Palm House, Dorian and Mourad) and includes such drinks as the Call of the Wild with gin or vodka, French vermouth, lemon, cucumber and absinthe. Open Monday to Wednesday 5:00 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.; Thursday and Friday 5:00 p.m. - 1:30 a.m.; Saturday from 10:00 a.m. - 1:30 a.m. and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 a.m. // 2251 Market St. (Castro) finntownsf.com
Babu Ji
San Francisco welcomes Babu Ji, a New York restaurant from Jessi and Jennifer Singh, the team who created four highly acclaimed restaurants in New York and Australia, each showcasing various takes on Indian food. The restaurant offers a chef's tasting menu for $62 or, if a la carte is your jam, try the Colonel Tso's cauliflower, tandoori chicken, naan pizza, or duck curry. The relaxed environment includes a self-serve beer fridge. Open Monday to Saturday 6:00 p.m. - late (closed Sunday). // 280 Valencia St. (Mission), babujisf.com
Assorted Jane The Bakery pastries (Audrey Pick)
Jane The Bakery
Jane The Bakery will have a similar menu to Jane on Fillmore plus a more extensive selection of pastries, breads and muffins. Led by head baker Jorgen Carlsen, menu items will include mini peanut butter tahini cookies, almond fennel biscotti, chocolate shortbread, and meringue kisses. Fresh breads including chocolate sourdough, walnut fig, and braided challah (Fridays only). A smaller grab-and-go menu of salads and sandwiches are also available with items changing seasonally. Open daily from 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. // 1881 Geary St. (Pacific Heights), itsjane.squarespace.com
The historic Fiddler's Green—closed last year for renovations after 24 years operating at Fisherman's Wharf—has reopened. The new menu by Chef Jamie Harrington offers San Francisco and Irish classics such as burgers, Irish egg rolls, buffalo wings, and Irish breakfast. Aiming to offer more entertainment, there will be plenty of live sports on the television, live music and even DJs. Fiddler's Green is open Sunday through Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. and Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. // 1333 Columbus Ave. (Fisherman's Wharf),fiddlersgreen-sf.com
(Courtesy of Fort Green facebook)
Fort Green
Oakland has a new sports bar from Demetrius Chapin-Rienzo, Adi Taylor, and Nathan Johnson, the team behind Miranda and Drexl. Fort Green aims to offer a relaxed, old-school sports setting with affordable food and drinks. The bar snacks created by Nick Balla and Cortney Burns (of Bar Tartine) include fried and smoked potato flatbread with cheese and garlic ($9), iceberg wedge with buttermilk dressing ($9), peanuts ($4), pickled mushrooms with caraway and paprika ($4), and brined and picked cucumber and okra ($5). Expect classic cocktails with a twist such as an Irish Mule with Tullamore Dew Irish whisky, ginger beer and lime ($9). Canned and tap beers plus a selection of house wines are also available. // 736 Washington St. (Oakland).
Doughnut Dolly
San Franciscan doughnut lovers will be thrilled with the arrival of Doughnut Dolly. For opening week featured flavors include the Naughty, their most popular creation, filled with crème fraiche-vanilla bean pastry cream. Owner Hannah Hoffman has two other East Bay locations in Temescal Alley and Gillman. The new SF location plans to start serving savory donuts including a donut filled with pulled pork and pickled onions. Open daily from 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. (or until sold out). // 1355 Market St (Mid-Market), doughnutdolly.com
