5 New Spots to Eat and Drink in the Bay Area

This week, Napa charcuterie Fatted Calf slides into a stall at the Ferry Building, slicing up fresh butchery and deli sandwiches. A health-conscious Mediterranean bistro by the name of Elena adds to the slate of popular new eateries in North Beach. And for those looking for a novel spot to spend happy hour, Lost Cat Bar & Bites, Gambit Lounge and Eco Terreno’s tasting room and underground supper club all fit the bill. 

1. Fatted Calf

Embarcadero
📍 1 Ferry Building
☎️ (415) 400-5614

This prime butcher adds an SF location, filling a vacant stall in the Ferry Building. Fatted Calf began slicing last Saturday and the staff hopes the expanded kitchen will help maximize their selection of salumi, smoked meats and deli sandwiches. 

2. Lost Cat Bar & Bites

Union Square
📍 587 Post St.
☎️ (415) 429-5200

A feline-themed cocktail lounge ambled into Union Square at the end of October. Dimly-lit and adorned with portraits of tabbies, the bar’s signature drink is a daiquiri made with butterfly pea flower syrup. Also notable on the cocktail list is the Sagittarius, a variation on the gin fizz that’s mixed with cream soda. Food offerings include panini and personal pizzas.

3. Eco Terreno

Jackson Square
📍 140 Columbus Avenue
☎️ (415) 264-1283

Bringing a taste of Sonoma wine country to the city, Healdsburg-based biodynamic vintner Eco Terreno unearthed the Urban Tasting Room and Lyon & Swan subterranean supper club last week. Along with a lengthy wine list, the cheese pairing is designed around the flavor profiles of their varietals.   

4. Gambit Lounge

Hayes Valley
📍 581 Hayes St.
☎️ (415) 846-4562

Hayes Valley barhoppers have been anticipating the arrival of Gambit Lounge since Table Hopper shared the scoop back in April that the new drinking den would be taking over where Noir Lounge left off. Open for business as of Nov. 9, co-owner Cezar Kusik, formerly of Rubicon and the Loews Regency Hotel, sent us two recommendations from his Polish-meets-Southern menu: three varieties of pierogi and chicken roulade.  

5. Elena Mediterranean Cuisine

North Beach
📍 347 Columbus Avenue
☎️ (415) 757-0059

Elena is the newest kid on the block in a string of recent business openings that are helping to revive North Beach’s dining and nightlife scene. Taking over the location of Ristorante Franchino, the lime green-painted bistro is Nader Parhizgari’s first foray into restaurants. The previous owner of nearby grocery The Nature Stop, Parhizgari hopes to offer a healthy alternative to the neighborhood’s array of pizza parlors, emphasizing entrées like salmon filet served with farro. The baklava with date syrup is more delectable than health-conscious, of course, but we’ll let this one slide.