The year 2015 was a wild one for the Bay Area culinary scene, with restaurants opening faster than we could blog about them. And 2016 is already looking very promising, with noted chefs experimenting with new concepts and already-successful restaurants planting new flags in the East Bay and South Bay. Here are 10 openings we are particularly excited about:
1. Bywater. Forgive the pun, but the Bay Area’s been a backwater when it comes to Cajun and Creole cuisine. So we can’t wait to see what NOLA native David Kinch, from 3-Michelin-starred Manresa, comes up with for his new Los Gatos place.
2. Telerific Barcelona. Because developer Brian Hirahara fell in love with tapas on his honeymoon in Barcelona, Walnut Creek gets the first U.S. outpost of this noted Spanish tapas and pintxos restaurant. Impresionante!
3. Dominique Crenn’s new thing. The Fairmont-owned Claremont in Berkeley has tapped this acclaimed French-born chef to create a new bistro for the just-renovated hotel. Her Atelier Crenn in San Francisco holds two Michelin stars.
4. Relish Gastrolounge. The chef-owner of Saratoga’s noted Sent Sovi has decided to take things in a new direction. It won’t be the French-California cuisine for which Josiah Slone had become known, but he promises a “really exciting” menu.
5. Bay Wolf, chapter 2. Rich and Rebekah Wood of Wood Tavern in Rockridge have leased the Oakland space that housed the iconic Bay Wolf for 40 years. They’re renovating and will open their brasserie by midyear.
6. Brezza Emporio and Pizzeria. Restaurateur Jonathan Waxman is helping the owners of Ghirardelli Square reinvigorate that San Francisco center. The Chez Panisse-turned-Manhattan chef, known for his Italian cuisine, will build an offshoot of his new Atlanta restaurant, Brezza Cucina, according to Hoodline.com.
7. Forthright. South Bay restaurateur Jim Stump (The Table, AP Stump’s) plans to transform the former Hawgs Seafood Bar in Campbell into an oyster bar and kitchen. Maybe he will put an homage to those popular Hawgs Prawns on the menu.
8. Alfred’s Steakhouse. The Daniel Patterson Group has acquired this circa 1928 San Francisco legend, with plans to relaunch the steakhouse. At least we hope there will still be steak. Chef Charlie Parker, formerly of Haven in Oakland, is at the helm.
9. Tacolicious. Joe Hargrave and Sara Deseran, whose reimagined tacos have become cult faves in the Bay Area, are expanding to Santana Row in San Jose. Our first order? Gotta be “shot and a beer” braised chicken.
10. Lemonade. Can you find food that’s delicious and inventive in a cafeteria-style line? If the concept conquered Los Angeles, it should work in Palo Alto and Walnut Creek.
Closings: The end of 2015 saw the Lark Creek Restaurant Group give up on its latest experiment at Santana Row in San Jose, Lark Creek Kitchen. And the owner of Cafe Dolcetto, Laura Mills has closed her charming spot.
Send tips to Linda Zavoral at lzavoral@mercurynews.com.
