Three new Bay Area spots
This week brought three notable Bay Area debuts—JouJou (buzzy new concept), North Italia (from‑scratch pastas), and Grand Lake Kitchen’s new San Francisco outpost—each highlighted as openings to try right now. They’re listed among the week’s top dining picks for March 23–26, making them easy bets for fresh local restaurant outings (7x7.com).
JouJou opened March 6 at 65 Division Street in San Francisco’s Design District under the partnership of David Barzelay and Colleen Booth of Lazy Bear. (sfist.com) The multiroom restaurant occupies roughly a 6,500‑square‑foot conversion of the former Grove and centers a marble‑topped raw bar, a zinc‑topped main bar and an enclosed “menagerie” patio, with bookings running on Tock. (hoodline.com) Chef de cuisine Nick Vollono (Quince, Atelier Crenn) and pastry chef Yesenia Castañon (Birdsong) are leading a menu built around theatrical seafood towers, black cod a l’ananas, steak au poivre and classic French desserts such as baba au rhum. (sfist.com) North Italia’s first San Francisco Bay Area location is set to open March 25 at Plaza Escuela in downtown Walnut Creek. (hoodline.com) The Walnut Creek build‑out will span about 8,500 square feet, seat roughly 200 guests, and include an al‑fresco bar plus an open‑view scratch kitchen where pasta will be made fresh every day. (newsbreak.com) North Italia — part of Fox Restaurant Concepts and owned by The Cheesecake Factory since 2019 — will showcase handmade pastas, pizzas and brunch items like Breakfast Carbonara alongside mains such as pappardelle bolognese. (hoodline.com) Grand Lake Kitchen opened its first San Francisco outpost on March 14 at 1199 Church Street in Noe Valley. (grandlakekitchen.com) The Noe Valley location ran soft openings mid‑March, moved to brunch and dinner service starting March 20, and plans permanent 9 a.m.–9 p.m. hours beginning April 1 while bringing signature playful items such as Dole Whip‑style slushies and a retro caviar pie. (grandlakekitchen.com) (hoodline.com)
