A Michelin‑starred veteran from One Market has taken over Hestan Napa’s kitchen, bringing fine‑dining chops back to downtown Napa. The move pairs seasonal menus with Hestan wines.

Super Duper Burgers opened in San Ramon at the Shops at Bishop Ranch, handing out free burgers to early visitors and serving Brandt Beef patties and Straus shakes.

Causwells debuts at Springline in Menlo Park on April 2 with a tableside martini cart, expanded cocktails and weekend brunch. The Marina favorite keeps its signature burger while stretching the menu.

Four of San Francisco's buzziest new restaurants just got the Michelin nod — and they couldn't be more different from each other. A $248 tasting menu in Dogpatch, a solo live-fire chef in Glen Park, a Filipino jewel box near Union Square, and a British pub where the Scotch egg is already a local legend.

A neighborhood pizzeria with a 4.4-star rating and a monthly pest control contract got shut down by San Francisco health inspectors — because fresh rat droppings were found on the pizza prep surface, inside the deep fryer, and scattered across virtually every surface in the kitchen. This one's uncomfortable.

The Castro's newest restaurant, Ka Kai, is now open, bringing Northern Thai flavors and tradition to the neighborhood, in the former Thai Chef space.

Buri Buri, a food-truck-born counter in downtown Burlingame, serves mix-and-match sushi pieces, bento boxes and playful specialty drinks for quick lunches. The compact shop emphasizes per-piece variety and seasonal rotation.

June’s Pizza has reopened in West Oakland, serving 18‑inch pies smothered in freshly grated Parmesan and a thriving late‑night slice scene.

Oakland’s Two Pitchers is opening a beer‑garden‑style taproom at 3821 Noriega in San Francisco’s Outer Sunset, bringing radlers and $3 pints to the beach.

Family‑owned Carnitas El Rincon is opening in the Mission with $4 tacos and party trays. Local outlets and the company list slightly different 22nd Street addresses.

Johnny's, the Half Moon Bay diner revival, has opened a Brickline location in downtown San Mateo and is soft‑open ahead of an early‑April grand opening.

California is spending $23 million to expand produce-matching incentives at farmers markets and small retailers, aiming to stretch benefits and bolster local growers.

East Oakland favorite Carnitas Carnitas Zamora is opening a 30-seat taqueria at 6633 Bancroft Ave in April, expanding its menu while keeping the Sunday truck ritual.