Jay Barmann
San Francisco
Pacifica yoga studio owner touts '#NoMasks' as Yelp fury grows
A Pacifica yoga studio owner is now advertising mask-free indoor yoga classes on social media with hashtags like "#fearfree", "#cowardfree," and "#Trump2020." Read More
San Francisco Mission
Central Kitchen reopens as wine bar with hearty snacks
Flour + Water sister restaurant Central Kitchen reopens for outdoor dining Friday, October 9 as Central Kitchen Wine Bar, with a pared-down menu meant for enjoying with a glass or bottle of vino. Read More
San Francisco Inner Richmond Outer Richmond Union Square
This week in restaurant closings: Neiman Marcus rotunda, Orson's Belly in the Richmond
The Rotunda at Neiman Marcus is closing indefinitely, and beloved neighborhood wine bar and cafe Orson's Belly is calling it quits. Read More
San Francisco Mission
Allegedly planned "free speech" rally featuring QAnon figures in Dolores Park has not sought permit
A rally featuring Proud Boys adherents and QAnon conspiracy folk for which there is an online flyer and website is purported to be happening in Dolores Park on October 17. Read More
San Francisco Mission Terrace
Beloved Mission Terrace sandwich spot Roxie Food Center changes hands as longtime owners retire
The many ardent fans of a San Francisco cheap-eats institution will need to stay calm and hope for the best as news arrives that Roxie Food Center has been sold. Read More
Oakland
Seabreeze on the Dock debuts in Oakland in former Il Pescatore space
A new seafood spot offering Maine lobster, Dungeness crab, crawfish, and raw oysters on the half-shell has just opened in Oakland's Jack London Square with a limited menu. Read More
San Francisco Financial District
New Four Seasons hotel opens in former Loews/Mandarin Oriental
After the second change of ownership in five years and a full renovation, the former Loews Regency (nee Mandarin Oriental Hotel) has reopened as the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco at Embarcadero. Read More
San Francisco Nob Hill
House of Prime Rib readies to reopen at 25-percent capacity, fermented salad dressing and all
The House of Prime Rib is waking from its pandemic slumber, and surely a large segment of San Francisco meat-lovers is excited to have a martini and a hunk of hand-carved prime rib once more. Read More
San Francisco SoMa
SoMa gets two new transit-only lanes to speed up service on the 19-Polk
The SFMTA is installing temporary "emergency" transit lanes on Seventh and Eighth Streets in SoMa this week and next, in an effort to speed up service on the popular 19-Polk bus line. Read More
San Francisco Chinatown
House of Nanking offers takeout for the first time in 32 years, outdoor seating on the way
This week, as some restaurants are beginning to bring diners indoors, House of Nanking is just now reopening for takeout and delivery — for the first time in its history. Read More
San Francisco Financial District
85-year-old Harrington's Bar & Grill shuts its doors for good in the FiDi
A classic Irish bar that has served up pints of Guinness to the downtown set in SF for much of the last century has decided to close, seven months into the pandemic that shut down its business. Read More
San Francisco Mission
AL's Place reopens for indoor and outdoor dining in the Mission
You can go enjoy the Michelin-starred AL's Place experience once again, in person, at socially distanced, plexiglass-separated tables. Read More
San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf
Iconic Ghirardelli sign returns to Ghirardelli Square after restoration
The landmark illuminated Ghirardelli sign went back up Thursday morning, after a dark and dismal couple of months in which it was missing. Read More
San Francisco Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks neighbors balk while others support 25-year lease renewal for longtime area gas station
Citing the city's climate-change goals, some Twin Peaks area residents are objecting loudly to extending the life of a gas station on Portola Drive that's been there for almost 50 years. Read More
San Francisco
SF to reopen indoor dining and places of worship September 30, movie theaters October 7
After a very long wait, San Francisco restaurants will be allowed to reopen for indoor seating at limited capacity starting Wednesday, September 30 — just in time for fall. Read More
San Francisco Potrero Hill
New SF Flower Mart Moves Forward In Potrero
The drama about the redevelopment of the wholesale San Francisco Flower Mart in SoMa goes back many years. But now a new Flower Mart in a different part of town is one step closer to being a reality. Read More
Oakland
Oakland Coliseum to become temporary voting center for 2020 election
Starting on Halloween, October 31, voters in Alameda County will be able to drop off ballots or vote in person at the Oakland Coliseum, up until Election Day on November 3. Read More