Chow all the cheese—from SF Cheese Fest to grilled cheese night at March—dine at Kaiyo, the new Nikkei-style restaurant and cocktail lounge that everyone is buzzing about; and head to Bluestem Brasserie for a bake sale bonanza. Need a culture fix? See a free al fresco Shakespeare play, check out MoAD's fall exhibitions, catch Pop-Up Magazine at The Curran, hit Sunday Streets in the TL, and so much more.
The Cheese School's New Home
When: 11am to 9pm daily
Where: The Cheese School, 900 North Point St. (Fisherman's Wharf), thecheeseschool.com
Why: Visit SF's beloved Cheese School in its bigger and better cafe and shop in Ghirardelli Square. Order sandwiches, soups, and salads from the cafe menu, or pick up cheese, charcuterie, and bottles of vino to go.
Veggie Grill fires it up in Berkeley
When: 10:30am to 10pm Monday through Friday; 11am to 9pm Sunday
Where: 48 Shattuck Square (Berkeley), veggiegrill.com
Why: Yep, it's kinda sorta fast food—Veggie Grill has 30 other locations. But this new fast-cas eatery, opened in Berkeley on Friday, also serves up a fully vegetarian menu composed of antibiotic- and hormone-free fresh ingredients. Swing by to try its innovative plant-based products, including Beyond Meat, which mimics the look and taste of beef, and Just Egg, which scrambles and tastes like the real thing.
Grilled Cheese Monday
When: 5 to 7pm
Where: March, 3075 Sacramento St. (Pac Heights), marchsf.com
Why: Chef Gail Defferari (of Universal Cafe fame) will be toasting up seasonal grilled cheese bites on the store's Aga cooker. Break bread, mingle, and shop the store's selection of gorgeous tabletop, cookware, and pretty pantry items. // Event is free; RSVP to info@marchsf.com.
Oakland Cocktail Week
When: Through Sunday, Sept. 23
Where: Participating bars and restaurants in Oakland, Alameda, and Emeryville; oaklandcocktailweek.com
Why: Time to booze it up on the other side of the bay! Oakland Cocktail Week is in full swing with 40+ bars and restaurants coming together for a full lineup of events including competitions, dance parties, dinners with drink pairings, hands-on workshops, and tiki bar crawls. // Tickets vary in cost (from free to $85); see the full schedule at oaklandcocktailweek.com/events.
Kaiyo is now open!
When: 4pm to midnight, Sun. through Weds; 4pm to 2am, Thurs. through Sat.
Where: 1838 Union St. (Cow Hollow), kaiyosf.com
Why: You love the cocktails at Whitechapel and Novela. From the same proprietor comes Kaiyo, a Japanese-meets-Peruvian hangout for craft drinks and Nikkei-style eats such as smoked duck breast nigiri; tiradito; heirloom tomato ceviche; and anticuchos of Wagyu A5 beef and Hokkaido scallops.
(Cristiana Ortiz)
Marin County king salmon, on the new tasting menu at Sorrel.
A Basque Dinner
When: 6:30pm reception, 7pm dinner
Where: Piperade, 1015 Battery St. (Jackson Square), piperade.com
Why: Because honestly, none of us has enough Basque food in our lives—and no one in SF cooks it better than chef Gerald Hirigoyen. Dig into five courses all paired with Spanish wines—think a duet of rabbit with tempranillo and a sheep's milk custard with moscatel. // $125/person includes tax and tip; reservations are required via events@piperade.com or by calling (415) 391-2555.
Tasting Menu du Jour
When: 5 to 10pm, Tues. through Sat.
Where: Sorrel, 3228 Sacramento St. (Presidio Heights), sorrelrestaurant.com
Sup on a new, seasonal prix fixe tasting menu without totally breaking the bank. For $85 per person, you'll get five legit courses made with bounty sourced from local farmers markets and Sorrel's rooftop garden. The rotating menu might include such dishes as sourdough focaccia, tuna crudo, farfalle with Maine lobster and sweet corn, and Wagyu ribeye with summer squash. Wine pairings are also available for $55.
Slims' 30th Anniversary Concert
When: 8pm
Where: Slim's, 333 11th St. (SoMa),
Why: Celebrate the iconic SoMa venue's 35th at a special show featuring thrash metal band Exodus, whose OG guitarist, Metallica's Kirk Hammett, made an appearance on their most recent album, Blood In, Blood Out, which ranked #38 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart. // Tickets ($30/advance, $35/door) are available at eventbrite.com.
MoAD's Fall Art Opening
When: 11am to 6pm Wednesday - Saturday; noon to 5pm Sunday; through Dec. 16th
Where: Museum of the African Diaspora, 685 Mission St. (SoMa), moadsf.org
Why: Fresh from its summer vacay, MoAD reopens its doors today to reveal three new exhibits: the paintings of Eritrean-American artist Ficre Ghebreyesus; a group show of 15 critically acclaimed printmakers of African descent; and an immersive text- and image-based installation from interdisciplinary artist Shushan Tesfuzigta. // $10 general admission.
A Spectacle of a Pop-up
When: 10am to 8pm, through Sept. 30th
Where: 190 King St. (SoMa)
What: Zenni—the 15-year-old Bay Area–based online glasses brand—is bringing its game IRL for the first time at this SoMa pop-up. Swing by to try on classic and new fall collection frames from the local label that purports to sell 10 times the number of frames as Warby Parker. // For more info, go to zennioptical.com/blog/eyewear-lounge.
Barcino x Vancouver Chef Exchange Dinner
When: 6 to 10pm
Where: Barcino, 399 Grove Street (Hayes Valley), barcinosf.com
Why: Barcino's Cal-Spanish cuisine meets Canada tonight as the restaurant's chef Ryan McIlwraith welcomes chef Chris Whittaker, of the Vancouver restaurant Forage, for a tag-team seven-course dinner featuring such dishes as wild salmon tartare and slow-roasted bison filet. // Tickets ($110/person; $40 wine pairing optional) are available at eventbrite.com.
(Courtesy of 9:20 Special, via Facebook)
She the People Summit
When: 8am to 5pm
Where: Julia Morgan Ballroom, 465 California St. (FiDi)
Why: More than 500 women of color will come together for a day of empowering conversations with movement leaders, strategists, elected officials, and political candidates including Black Lives Matter cofounder Alicia Garza, 7x7 Hot 20 honoree Kimberly Ellis, icon Dolores Huerta, and more. // Tickets ($150/general admission) are available at eventbrite.com; for more information, go to shethepeople.org.
Bake Sale Bonanza
When: 5 to 7pm
Where: Bluestem Brasserie, 1 Yerba Buena Lane (SoMa), bluestembrasserie.com
Why: The powerhouse pastry chefs of SF are coming together for an evening bake sale of delectable treats from the likes of Nicole Krasinski and Kathleen Kwuan (State Bird Provisions, The Progress), Penelope Lao (Liholiho Yacht Club), Belinda Leong (B. Patisserie), Jake Godby (Humphry Slocombe), and Lori Baker (Bluestem Brasserie). It's all to benefit CUESA's Foodwise Kids. // Tickets ($45) are available at here.
Pop-Up Magazine
When: 7:30pm; 9/20 - 9/22
Where: Curran Theater, 445 Geary St. (Union Square), sfcurran.com
Why: There's a reason Pop-Up Magazine events consistently sell out—they're that good. The IRL mag will no doubt once again bring its A game for three nights at the Curran, with onstage contributors including NYT bestselling author Rebecca Skloot, Call Your Girlfriend cohost Ann Friedman, photographer Lara Shipley, and more. Tickets sell out quickly but, at press time, balcony seats (from $45) are still available online. // For more info, go to popupmagazine.com.
Lost in Translation
When: 9:30pm
Where: The Roxie, 3117 16th St. (Mission), roxie.com
Why: It's been 15 years (can you believe it?!) since Sophia Coppola's second feature film—and an Oscar winner at that—first graced the big screen. Celebrate the anniversary with a screening, and take home a special screen print as part of Spoke Art's ongoing poster series for the Roxie. // Tickets ($12) are limited and available online.
9:20 Special's 20th Anniversary Party
When: 9:30pm to midnight
Where: 9:20 Special, 2460 Sutter St. (Lower Pac Heights), 920special.com
Why: Celebrate 20 years of Thursday-night swing with lessons and dancing at this beloved SF venue. Practice your Lindy Hop to the tunes of special guest, the Gordon Webster Band. // Tickets ($20) are available on Facebook.
Balanced BreakFEST
When: 5pm to 2am, through Sept. 23
Where: Various SF venues
Why: From a group that typically meets for breakfast and conversation about the music industry comes this first-annual music festival at popular venues in SF (Make-Out Room, The Knockout, Elbo Room, and more), featuring 60 Bay Area bands across 14 shows over three nights. // Tickets ($32-$46) are available at Eventbrite.
(Brian Skerry/National Geographic)
Monterey Jazz Festival
When: Through Sunday, Sept. 23
Where: Monterey County Fairgrounds and other venues (Monterey)
Why: An annual mecca for true lovers of jazz, this year's festival brings boldface names of the genre including Joshua Redman, Winton Marsalis, Norah Jones, Regina Carter, Dianne Reeves, the Dap Kings, and more. Plus, it's a great excuse to road trip down to the Monterey Peninsula! // For full schedule and tickets, go to montereyjazzfestival.org.
Fort Point Oktoberfest
When: 11am to 8pm, Fridays through Oct. 12th
Where: Fort Point Taproom, One Ferry Building (Embarcadero), fortpointbeer.com
Why: Indian summer is upon us and what better way to celebrate the sunny days ahead than with a few beers outdoors? Fort Point is expanding their Ferry Building kiosk into a pop-up beer garden to take over the promenade along the Embarcadero. Choose from classic beers on draft as well a limited releases such as the Lobos Session IPA, Sonder Belgian-Style Pale Ale, and Native IPA. // Admission is free; beer, pretzels and hot dogs will be available for purchase.
Nat Geo's Sharks!
When: 9 am to 5 pm weekdays, and 10 am to 2 pm Saturdays; through Feb. 14, 2019
Where: David Brower Center, 2150 Allston Way (Berkeley), browercenter.org
Why: This exhibit, opening today, is your chance to come face to scary face with the largest predators of the deep dark sea thanks to the stunning images and videos of award-winning photojournalist Brian Skerry, who's spent more than 10,000 hours underwater capturing ocean life with his camera. You'll learn about the habitats and threats facing tiger sharks, great whites, oceanic whitetips, and shortfin Makos. // Free opening reception is tonight from 6 to 8pm; register at eventbrite.com.
Post:Ballet's Annual P:B Jam
When: 6 to 10pm
Where: SomArts Cultural Center, 934 Brannan St. (SoMa), somarts.org
Kick off Post:Ballet's 10th season at this annual fundraiser featuring a performance of "Junction" in collaboration with The Living Earth Show. There will also be a fab auction. // Tickets ($85/single, $150/pair) are available at flipcause.com; for more information, go to postballet.org.
The Art Critique Comedy Show
When: 8pm
Where: Art Attack SF, 2358 Market St. (Upper Market), artattacksf.com
Why: Because comedians roasting thrift store art. This monthly show, held every third Thursday, is followed by an auction and guarantees some laughs. // Tickets ($20) are available at eventbrite.com.
(Photo by Di Bella Coffee on Unsplash)
Drink all the coffee at Spark Social SF today till 3pm.
Coffee Throwdown
When: 11am to 3pm
Where: Spark Social SF, 601 Mission Bay Blvd. (Mission Bay), sparksocialsf.com
Why: Start your weekend with a heavy dose of caffeine at this barista challenge featuring perfect espressos, latte art, signature coffee cocktails, and more. There will be food trucks, pop-up vendors, and the first 200 guests get a swag bag. // Tickets ($12) are available at eventbrite.com.
Ligne Roset Sample Sale
When: Through Tuesday, Sept. 25
Where: Ligne Roset, 150 De Haro St. (SoMa), ligne-roset.com
Why: Window shopping for all the stuff we can't afford gets depressing—which is why we love us a good sample sale. Through Tuesday, swing by the Design Center locale of the mod-chic French brand Ligne Roset for 15 percent off the entire collection.
Tiburon Beer Festival
When: 1 to 4pm
Where: Shoreline Park, (Tiburon)
Why: Drink on the waterfront at the Tiburon Taps Beer Festival, where they'll be pouring more than 70 beers alongside light bites and live music. Pro tip: Take the ferry over so no one has to be the designated driver. // Tickets ($25-$50) are available at eventbrite.com.
The Fire Tapes: A Special Storytelling Event from Snap Judgment and KQED
When: 7 to 9pm
Where: Fort Mason Center (Marina)
Why: Wildfires are a disturbing new way of life in California. As part of the ongoing Coal + Ice documentary photography exhibition and climate festival (through Sept. 23rd), KQED's Devin Katayama and Snap Judgment MC Glynn Washington are hosting an eventing of storytelling with people who survived the October 2017 firestorm. Hear their harrowing tales and learn about the environmental conditions that made the firestorm so deadly. // Tickets ($15) are available at fortmason.org/event/coal-and-ice; for more info, go to coalandice.org.
Wine Walk on the Waterfront
When: 4 to 8pm
Where: Jack London Square (Oakland), jacklondonsquare.com
Why: Oaklanders already know that this iconic waterfront entertainment hub is home to an excellent Urban Wine Trail, populated by several tasting rooms and wine shops. City folk won't be disappointed to cross the bridge for this first-ever group tasting event with participants including Wente Vineyards, Dashe Cellars, Schug Carneros Estate, and many more. There will also be live synesthesia piano and food from local restaurants. // Tickets ($30-$50) are available at eventbrite.com.
(Courtesy of @rituindiansf)
Head to Ritu for a truly family-style dinner.
Sunday Streets in the Tenderloin
When: 11am to 4pm
Where: Sections of Larkin, Ellis, and Jones Streets and Golden Gate Avenue
Why: The car-free block party returns to the TL with plenty of snacks (think bahn mi and bubble tea), a dog show, and performances from Glide, Non Stop Bhangra, and Saxophone Summit in celebration of the birthdays of John Coltrane and Glide Rev. Cecil Williams. // For more info, go tosundaystreetssf.com; facebook.com/events.
Shakespeare's As You Like It
When: 7 to 9pm
Where: CIA at Copia, 500 1st St. (Napa), ciaatcopia.com
Why: Cap off a glorious day in Wine Country with a bit of poetry, presented by Shakespeare Napa Valley, onstage at Copia's outdoor amphitheater. Food and drink will be available for purchase. // Register for free at Eventbrite.
An Indian Supper
When: Until 10pm
Where: Ritu, 3111 24th St. (MIssion), ritusf.com
Why: Because it's just like the chef's mom used to make. This Sunday Supper—now being held every fourth Sunday of the month—will showcase recipes prepared by chef Rupam Bhahat and his greatest culinary inspiration—his mother, Sudha Bhagat. Go for a three-course family-style meal including hara bhara kebab; onion mustard braised fish;and a fried banana pancake with caramelized white chocolate pot de crème for dessert. // $40/person (exclusive of tax, beverage, and gratuity); reservations are available through OpenTable.
From Our Partners
Salesforce.org Philanthropy Cloud Keynote: Transform Your Corporate Giving Culture
When: Wednesday, September 26, 1:30 to 2:30pm
Where : Moscone West, 747 Howard St. (SoMa)
Why: Are you going to Dreamforce? While you're there, find out how you can harness purpose to drive your business and your community! Join Salesforce.org's CEO Rob Acker and EVP Nasi Jazayeri as they walk us through the most compelling idea to ever hit workplace giving. Philanthropy Cloud is where companies and nonprofits engage to serve their communities in a brand new marketplace. Learn how Sprint and Adidas are driving meaningful impact in their communities in partnership with United Way. // Register to receive Salesforce.org limited edition swag or a chance to donate to your favorite cause, success.salesforce.com.
