New restaurants bubbling up
A fresh wave of openings is driving dining chatter — FOO & KOKO in Mumbai and Jacob’s Brew House in Jaipur are reshaping India’s scene, while Dallas’s Astra Kitchen & Lounge, a new izakaya near SF’s Union Square, Northern Thai in Castro, and multiple Miami spots are getting heavy buzz ( ). Video highlights and reviews (Bold Outline, RT Bistro clips) are fueling discovery and bookings across these markets ( ).
FOO’s new Borivali outlet spans roughly 4,400 sq. ft. and seats about 100 guests, marking the chain’s ninth Mumbai location and 14th across India. (restaurantindia.in) Pebble Street Hospitality’s KOKO opened a 5,500 sq. ft. Goregaon location inside Oberoi Garden City’s International Business Park to bring its luxury Cantonese‑Japanese format west of Kamala Mills. (hospitality.economictimes.indiatimes.com) Jacob’s Brew House in Jaipur bills itself as a design‑led, all‑day specialty coffee café inspired by architect Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob, with the coffee program led by UAE Barista Champion Sonam Dorje Sherpa. (hospitality.economictimes.indiatimes.com) ASTRA Kitchen + Lounge relaunched the HALL Arts Hotel restaurant on March 4 at 1717 Leonard Street in Dallas with Executive Chef Miguel Antonio running a modern bistro menu and an interior anchored by Spencer Finch’s 2019 “Asteroid” light installation. (diningout.com) The new Union Square izakaya — occupying 431 Bush Street, the original Akiko’s address — is a partnership between sushi chef Ray Lee and yakitori specialist Tommy Cleary, positioning yakimono and Hokkaido scallops as cornerstones of the menu. (hoodline.com) The Castro’s Northern Thai spot, Ka Kai, is helmed by alumni of Farmhouse Kitchen and has opened in the former Thai Chef space, signaling a neighborhood shift toward regional Thai specialties. (hoodline.com) Local coverage and critic reviews have translated into high demand for several debuts: RT Bistro’s once off‑menu burger has been made permanent after cult interest, and multiple outlets report hard‑to‑get tables following positive writeups and clips; Miami meanwhile saw a cluster of March openings including Fuku, GAIA’s U.S. debut and Seia among other buzzy launches. (sf.eater.com)
