It’s the last month of the year, and new eateries are sprouting up across the Bay Area just in time for the holiday festivities. East Bay fans of Montesacro may be pleased to learn that they’ll no longer need to cross the Bay Bridge to enjoy their favorite SoMa pinseria. The restaurant has expanded in the 925, introducing their hand-pressed pies to Walnut Creek’s Broadway Plaza shopping district—near the intersection of Interstate 680 and State Route 24.
Building on the success of its 8-year-old SoMa outpost, Montesacro added the East Bay location last weekend. Pinsa is a Roman-style hand-pressed pizza that’s been popping up at other restaurants in the city (though Montesacro claims its San Francisco location is the first pinseria in the US).
The newly minted trattoria at Broadway Plaza offers a selection of pinsa named after the working-class neighborhoods of Roma, along with bronze-drawn pasta, a technique that gives noodles more surface area for Montesacro’s selection of sauces.
Montesacro
Walnut Creek
📍1686 Locust St.
☎️ (925) 476-5844
🔗 montesacro.com
Montesacro is not the only new Bay Area restaurant to sample this week. The Great Highway is still partially closed to traffic on weekends for now, and good thing, because a new Outer Richmond location of Andytown Coffee Roasters is now serving coffee and breakfast across from the beach. Lehr’s German Specialties made its triumphant return to Noe Valley. And this week in fish news, Saru Handroll Bar in Polk Gulch and Salmon Bar in Mission Dolores are freshly open and mongering.
1. Salmon Bar
Mission Dolores
📍3214 16th St.
☎️ (628) 213-4221
🔗 salmonbarsf.com
The name sort of says it all. With at least ten preparations, from teriyaki to nacho, this Mission Dolores newcomer serves seasonally caught salmon from Alaska, Canada, Norway and Scotland. If you’re dining with anyone fish-phobic, Salmon Bar has you covered with salads and meaty entrées.
2. Saru Handroll Bar
Polk Gulch
📍2206 Polk St.
☎️ (415) 875-9798
Previously known as Saru Sushi Bar, Michelin-starred chef Billy Kong’s newly renovated restaurant reopened as a minimalist prix-fixe omakase concept. The chef’s choice format capitalizes on the moment that temaki, or hand rolls, appear to be having, offering inventive compositions that incorporate favorites like ebi and hamachi. Diners can also customize their own hand rolls.
3. Lehr’s German Specialties
Noe Valley
📍1581 Church St.
☎️ (415) 282-6803
🔗 lehrssf.com
We’ve been patiently awaiting the return of this German grocer since SFGate reported that a loyal customer had plans to resurrect it in September. As of last week, Lehr’s doors are finally back open, purveying Central European products like spaetzle, knackwurst and Ritter Sport chocolate bars. The store proudly displays photos of the old Lehr’s by each shelf, creating a before-and-after effect. Back in business with weeks to spare before Weihnachten, Lehr’s Christmas sweets display is sure to get the kinders caroling “O Tannenbaum.”
4. Andytown Coffee Roasters
Outer Richmond
📍 800 Great Highway
🔗 andytownsf.com
Local favorite Andytown just unveiled its newest coffeehouse across from Ocean Beach. Operated in partnership with architecture firm MKThink, the Great Highway cafe serves coffee, juice, granola and pastries. Childhood development nonprofit Recess Collective provided Andytown’s new location with a kids’ corner full of building blocks and other educational toys.