Jay Barmann
San Francisco Civic Center Tenderloin
Gin-centric bar Whitechapel is closing for the season in Civic Center
The days of bars reopening and then closing again appear not to be over, as once-bustling Tenderloin/Civic Center cocktail spot Whitechapel (600 Polk Street) has decided to close temporarily once more due to flagging business, and it will operate temporarily as a private event space.
San Francisco Divisadero
New French crepe and kebab spot La Sarrasine from downtown's Cafe Med owner to replace Zaytoon on Divis
Divisadero Mediterranean restaurant Zaytoon (607 Divisadero) has closed up shop after five years on the corridor — and three years after the closure of Zaytoon's original Mission District location.
San Francisco
Hangar 1 to close its vodka distillery and tasting room in Alameda
One of the early craft distilleries to gain traction in the Bay Area, Hangar 1, whose tasting room on the old Naval Air Station on Alameda Island has been a popular tourist destination for the last decade, is closing up shop and taking its production to an undisclosed location elsewhere in the region.
San Jose
Former labor group leader Cindy Chavez outspends rival Matt Mahan by double in San Jose mayor's race
San Jose is one of several big cities in California — including Oakland and Los Angeles — voting for brand new mayors on Tuesday, with their incumbents termed out. And spending in the San Jose mayor's race is reaching record levels for the two top candidates seeking to replace Mayor Sam Liccardo.
San Jose
Longtime Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith abruptly resigns as corruption trial continues
Sheriff Laurie Smith has left the building at the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office, having suddenly submitted her resignation Monday effective immediately. Smith remains on trial over corruption charges relating to concealed-carry gun permits that she reportedly issued in exchange for campaign donations, as well as other charges.
San Francisco Pacific Heights
Johnny Doughnuts reopens this weekend next door to Pizzeria Delfina in Pac Heights
Johnny Doughnuts is coming back to life again in SF about a mile away from their shuttered Gough Street shop at California and Fillmore streets. The doughnuts will start coming out of the fryer on Saturday, October 29, with the public grand opening starting at 7 a.m.
San Francisco North Beach
Remembering Finocchio's, the North Beach club that arguably gave birth to American drag
Once upon a time, there was a cabaret-style nightclub in San Francisco's North Beach that featured a cast of female impersonators. The place gained nationwide notoriety, and became a go-to destination for tourists, sailors, and celebrities alike.
San Jose
San Jose's 18-story, quake-ready City Hall gave city employees a good ride during Tuesday earthquake
San Jose City Hall, the 2005-completed complex with its 18-story tower designed by architect Richard Meier (of Getty Center fame) was built to withstand earthquakes, but boy does it sway, say city employees.
San Francisco Mission
Delfina to finally reopen this month with new bar, pizza on the menu, and a private dining space
Mission mainstay Delfina (3621 18th St.), which has been one of the neighborhood's great success stories and go-to restaurants for all of its 24 years, is finally reopening this month after a planned four-month renovation has turned into a nearly year-long wait.
San Francisco Castro
Frances chef-owner Melissa Perello talks about the new prix-fixe format, and the process of relaunching the 13-year-old neighborhood restaurant
"Ultimately this was a decision rooted in wanting to offer the best possible dining experience with the resources at our fingertips while maintaining as much of the original Frances character as possible," Perello says.
San Francisco
César sets closing date in Berkeley, but owners tease new location
César, the 24-year-old tapas bar next door to Chez Panisse, is closing in two weeks, on July 23. But this likely isn't the end of the North Berkeley neighborhood favorite — which had its own crew of regulars who only sometimes might patronize the more lauded restaurant next door.