What NEW places are great in SF/Oakland in the past 5 years?

June 19, 2023 4:06 PM

I lived in SF for years and years, but it was time to go a little over 5 years ago. I'm heading back for a brief trip, and have found many of my favorite places closed or not quite what they used to be. I'll be going to several favorites that are thankfully still around (The Roxie! Forbidden Island!) but I'm hoping for any new hotness is that's opened since 2017 that you'd recommend.
posted by eschatfische to Travel & Transportation around San Francisco, CA (6 answers total)

Best answer: Delightfully weird indie/alt comix/zines shop Silver Sprocket on Valencia might have opened since you left?
posted by Maecenas at 7:35 PM on June 19, 2023 [3 favorites]

Depends on what you want? The area of Uptown in Oakland north of Grand Ave has really picked up in the last few years. Lots of cool bars & restaurants. Same with Jack London Square: there's like four breweries there now, and several new restaurants have opened.

Lake Merritt is basically a party every weekend.

The hangars at the end of the old Navy base in Alameda now have multiple wineries and breweries: it's a hopping place on a weekend afternoon.
posted by suelac at 10:27 PM on June 19, 2023 [3 favorites]

Not sure if this is what you are looking for, but Ministry of Scent on Valencia is superb and full of genuinely passionate scent experts, I really had the time of my life there and became friends with them, and that was based on one of my last AskMeFi questions! (They were so happy when I showed them that they were the top answer.)
posted by yueliang at 12:13 AM on June 20, 2023

Tacos Oscar in Oakland is new to me and pretty fucking delicious. On 40th by Homeroom.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 10:35 AM on June 20, 2023

A favorite place that is going to close on July 23 is Green Arcade Books on Market & Gough. They have a 30% off closing sale.
posted by larrybob at 11:45 AM on June 20, 2023

Best answer: San Francisco restaurants and bars from the last 5 years:
Automat - sadly not an actual automat
Prubechu - modern food from Guam
Breadbelly - Asian/Californian bakery
Palm City - wine and fancy subs
Maison Danel - Patisserie and cafe
Schlock's - good bagels
Ju-Ni - omakase
Last Rites - sick tiki bar

East Bay:
- Bird & Buffalo -Oakland Thai
- Delirama - Berkeley pastrami
- Antojitos Guatemaltecos - El Cerrito Guatemalan
posted by umwelt at 10:57 AM on June 21, 2023 [1 favorite]