{"id":199340,"date":"2026-03-01T14:19:17","date_gmt":"2026-03-01T14:19:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/199340\/"},"modified":"2026-03-01T14:19:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-01T14:19:17","slug":"5-most-anticipated-sf-restaurants-opening-in-march","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/199340\/","title":{"rendered":"5 most anticipated SF restaurants opening in March"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"paragraph-block article-body text-left\">San Francisco\u2019s dining scene will get an injection of old-school glamour when two of the year\u2019s most anticipated restaurants debut in March. First up: JouJou, a fine-dining French restaurant from the team behind Lazy Bear, followed by the reopening of The Big Four, a wood-paneled, white-tablecloth restaurant inside the Huntington Hotel.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-block article-body text-left\">Other notable openings include a gluten-free neighborhood restaurant from the team behind Montesacro, a Mexican cantina from the bar pros behind April Jean and Bar Darling, and a NoPa bakery that\u2019s made headlines for its guava tarts.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-block article-body text-left\">Here are the most exciting San Francisco restaurants to add to your must-try list in March.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>JouJou<img alt=\"A smiling chef in a white shirt and red apron holds a pastry filled with cream, sitting at a table with a decorative bowl and a lamp in the background.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"3000\" height=\"2000\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"block lazyloaded\" style=\"color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 3000 2000'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'\/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'\/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'\/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'\/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3C\/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw=='\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;)\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1772374750_109_-S3840x2560-FPNG.png\"\/>Lazy Bear chef and owner David Barzelay. | Source: Carolyn Fong for The Standard<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-block article-body text-left\">The newest project from David Barzelay of two-Michelin-starred Lazy Bear will join a cluster of high-end restaurants \u2014 including Niku Steakhouse and Omakase \u2014 at the intersection of SoMa and the Design District. But rather than a New American tasting menu that plays out like a communal dinner party, JouJou will be an \u00e0 la carte French restaurant with an emphasis on seafood. That means classics like vichyssoise and trout almondine alongside towers of shellfish and mountains of caviar. Taking over a space that formerly housed The Grove, Barzelay and partner Colleen Booth enclosed the former porch to create a 6,000-square-foot, fine-dining juggernaut that they hope will rival the bygone Stars and La Folie. This will no doubt be one of the year\u2019s splashiest debuts.<\/p>\n<p>Date and timeOpening March 6The Big Four<img alt=\"A dimly lit, elegant dining room features long tables with white linens, floral centerpieces, candles, and vintage framed artwork on dark wood-paneled walls.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"3600\" height=\"2400\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"block lazyloaded\" style=\"color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 3600 2400'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'\/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'\/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'\/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'\/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3C\/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw=='\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;)\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1772374752_8_-S3840x2560-FPNG.png\"\/>The Crimson Room at The Big Four. | Source: Courtesy of The Huntington Hotel<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-block article-body text-left\">Six years after going dark, the <a href=\"https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2025\/12\/05\/the-huntington-hotel-nob-hill-2026\/\" data-post-id=\"3da79796-9169-472d-b1fb-2c7f66ef5859\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">historic Huntington Hotel atop Nob Hill will reopen<\/a> next week. That means the long-awaited return of The Big Four, the hotel\u2019s glamorous restaurant and piano bar, which was loved for its dark wood paneling, green leather booths, and old-school hospitality. The ground-floor restaurant (and entire property) has been beautified by Ken Fulk. Details about the new look and menu have yet to be released, but according to a release, \u201cFulk\u2019s design blends the intimacy of an ancestral home with the allure of an iconic, insider space.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Date and timeOpening mid-MarchLobalita<img alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"3000\" height=\"2001\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"block lazyloaded\" style=\"color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 3000 2001'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'\/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'\/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'\/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'\/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3C\/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw=='\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;)\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/-S3840x2561-FPNG.png\"\/>Jamal Blake-Williams, co-owner of Bar Darling. | Source: Morgan Ellis\/The Standard<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-block article-body text-left\">We finally know what\u2019s going into Chestnut Street\u2019s former Tipsy Pig space, which has been vacant since May: It will be a Mexican cantina called Lobalita. Owners Nate Valentine and Jamal Blake-Williams are keeping mum on the details, but the duo \u2014\u00a0who operated Tipsy Pig throughout its 16-year run and own North Beach\u2019s April Jean and Nob Hill\u2019s Prizefighter, as well as Bar Darling, a few doors down Chestnut \u2014 have a track record of neighborhood bars with full food programs and harmonious interiors.<\/p>\n<p>Date and timeOpening in mid-MarchClementina<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-block article-body text-left\">There are a handful of Italian restaurants serving gluten-free pasta and pizza in San Francisco, including\u00a0Fiorella and Flour + Water Pizzeria. Diners will have a new option in Clementina, a trattoria from the Italian-born owners of Montesacro, Gianluca Legrottaglie and Viviana Devoto. They, along with chef Giorgio Brunella, have pulled together a casual menu that spans pizza and pinsa, the Roman-style, oval-shaped, flatbreads that are famous at Montesacro, as well as meats, fish, risotto, gnocchi, and antipasti. There will be an all-Italian wine list plus gluten-free beer, wine-based spritzes, and non-alcoholic options.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Date and timeOpening the week of March 9Sol Bakery<img alt=\"Round chocolate tarts decorated with white cream, thin yellow strands, and colorful flower petals are neatly arranged on a parchment-lined baking sheet.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"3024\" height=\"4032\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"block lazyloaded\" style=\"color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 3024 4032'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'\/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'\/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'\/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'\/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3C\/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw=='\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;)\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/-S3840x5120-FPNG.png\"\/>Guava tarts from Sol Bakery. | Source: Courtesy of Marisa Williams<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-block article-body text-left\">For a year, fans have been flocking to Neighbor Bakehouse for Marisa Williams\u2019s semi-regular pastry pop-up, Sol Bakery, which earned <a href=\"https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2024\/12\/09\/the-best-pastries-at-sfs-hottest-new-bakeries\/\" data-post-id=\"5ec560d0-7a86-45fa-afdb-ee534296452e\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">local<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/12\/09\/dining\/best-desserts-america.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">national acclaim (opens in new tab)<\/a> for stunning guava tarts and fluffy focaccia. But after bouncing around town, Williams is ready to put down roots in a corner space just off the Panhandle. With a team of bakers, all of whom previously worked at Tartine, she\u2019ll open Sol Bakery\u2019s first brick-and-mortar outpost, offering a menu of familiar favorites and new creations, such as an oolong custard choux. Grand Coffee and Song Tea &amp; Ceramics will provide beverages.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Date and timeOpening in late March<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"San Francisco\u2019s dining scene will get an injection of old-school glamour when two of the year\u2019s most anticipated&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":199341,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[35067,8456,412,101,103,102,104,106,105],"class_list":{"0":"post-199340","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-san-francisco","8":"tag-eat-here","9":"tag-restaurant-openings","10":"tag-restaurants","11":"tag-san-francisco","12":"tag-san-francisco-headlines","13":"tag-san-francisco-news","14":"tag-sf","15":"tag-sf-headlines","16":"tag-sf-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199340","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=199340"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199340\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/199341"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=199340"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=199340"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=199340"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}