The weather is warming up, our clocks have moved forward an hour, and the allergy levels are high: That means spring is nearly here. The start of a new season means a wealth of restaurant openings, ready to welcome in diners as the daylight hours get longer. Among the new openings is a reboot of a beloved queer bar in Oakland, a seafood raw bar and high tea spot from the couple behind a popular Thai brunch spot, and an all-day cafe from an award-winning chef in Jackson Square. These are the most anticipated restaurant and bar openings in the Bay Area this spring.
Gastropub favorite Tipsy Pig closed in May 2025, and now the Marina space reopens as Lobalita, a new Mexican cantina. Details are scarce, but the project comes from Nate Valentine and Jamal Blake-Williams, the team who operated Tipsy Pig and who are behind nearby cocktail spot Bar Darling, North Beach’s April Jean, Peacekeeper, and more. 2231 Chestnut Street, San Francisco
Pastry chef Marisa Williams won over fans with her pop-up Sol Bakery, and now she is set to open a permanent space in NoPa toward the end of March. She’ll bring her roster of pastries that made her a favorite at Outerlands (and later Neighbor Bakehouse), such as the beloved guava tarts, plus cakes, cookies, focaccia, and more. Williams also told the San Francisco Standard that she plans to add light breakfast and lunch options. 1696 Hayes Street, San Francisco
Jezreel “Jae” Rojas and Krissana “Tanz” Tussanaprasit, the couple behind Eater SF award winner Tanzie’s Cafe, will open their second restaurant Nudi Blue in March. This time around, they’ll ditch the Thai brunch and dinner food of Tanzie’s; Nudi Blue instead focuses on artisanal teas from Chiang Mai during the day, transforming into a seafood raw bar that serves wine at night. They’ll launch with high tea, pastries, scones, salads, and tea sandwiches first, and launch dinner in the months to come, per the San Francisco Chronicle. 2049 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley
The owners behind the popular Thai restaurant Khao Tiew are set to open their new restaurant, Tur, in April. The menu focuses on breakfast and brunch with Asian flavors, such as Thai-style congee, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Chef Varunthorn Ratanakachain, formerly of Darla Cafe in Saratoga, leads the new restaurant. 1 West Portal Avenue, San Francisco
The queer community mourned when Oakland’s Friends and Family announced it would close at the end of 2025. Now, it seems there’s some excellent news on the horizon: Former Friends and Family chef Alli Li bought the place with plans to relaunch it as There/There. Li plans to continue it as a queer bar for the community, with more affordable food, cocktails, and NA drinks. 468 25th Street, Oakland
It’s been three long years since the announcement of a new Jackson Square cafe from restaurateurs Michael and Lindsay Tusk (of Quince, Cotogna, and Verjus fame), but now it seems the wait is over. Bar Coto is rumored to open this spring, per the San Francisco Chronicle, a cafe serving espresso, pastries, and sandwiches during the day, along with pastry chef Jennifer Felton’s popular gelato, which is served at Cotogna and a gelato cart parked outside over the last few summers. Low-ABV cocktails, along with wine, beer, and snacks, will be served at night. 596 Pacific Avenue, San Francisco
It’s been over a year since chef and restaurateur George Chen announced plans for Asia Live, another massive food complex akin to San Francisco’s China Live, opening at Santa Clara’s Westfield Valley Fair mall. Visitors can expect a restaurant, cafe, bar, lounge, and retail shop, spanning Chinese, Southeast Asian, Indian, Korean, and Japanese cuisines; the offerings will take over a 12,000-square-foot space spanning two floors and a rooftop. 2855 Stevens Creek Boulevard, #1891, Santa Clara