Shutterstock Read through all of Eater’s coverage on how a new California law targeting “junk fees” will impact the state’s restaurant and bar industry On July 1, 2024, California’s sweeping junk fee ban goes into effect and will likely reshape the state’s restaurant and bar scene in major ways. Senate Bill 478 aims to crack down on so-called junk fees, the surcharges most often associated with hotel, car rental, and ticket sale companies, which have become the target of the Biden-Harris administration and California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who co-sponsored SB 478 along with Northern Calif ..read more

Covo Coffee is popping up at Jerusalem Coffee House on Telegraph Avenue. | Covo Coffee / Reem’s Covo Coffee, a cafe based in Khan Younis, Gaza, will have an ongoing pop-up at Jerusalem Coffee House in Oakland Jerusalem Coffee House is a new-ish cafe in Oakland. But it’s quickly become more than just another coffee shop on Telegraph Avenue by acting as a warming station for activists and organizers throughout the Bay Area. Beginning in April, the cafe’s owner Jerusalem’s Abdulrahim “Raheem” Harara also forged a partnership to provide a temporary storefront for former Khan Younis, Gaza-based bus ..read more

Enjoy this weekend’s sunny weather on the tree-covered patio at Folsom Street’s Stable Cafe. | Stable Cafe The best things to do, eat, and drink this weekend from San Francisco to Napa As we head into the weekend, Eater SF editors have compiled a list of recommendations to answer one of the most persistent and, arguably, pressing questions of the day: “Where should I eat?” Of course, we have several resources to help guide your dining and drinking decisions — for example, the San Francisco and East Bay heatmaps, which reflect the hottest new restaurants to try right now. But here we offer four ..read more

Daeho Kalbijjim will open a new restaurant in Concord. | Luke Tsai Daeho Kalbijjim and Beef Soup will open its next location in Concord, the business announced via Instagram Five years after bursting onto the San Francisco dining scene with spicy-sweet beef short rib stew and other Korean comfort fare, Daeho Kalbijjim & Beef Soup will expand to the East Bay. The company shared the news on Instagram, writing simply that “Daeho Concord is coming soon.” On top of the original location in San Francisco’s historic Japantown, the group also operates outposts in San Mateo and Milpitas, plus a sec ..read more

Lauren Saria The next time you’re walking downtown and in need of a pick-me-up, detour down Maiden Lane to Iron Horse Coffee Bar There’s a certain buzz in the air when the weather is pitch-perfect in San Francisco. When puffy vests are no longer necessary and jean jackets get slung over an arm, rather than worn, that’s when San Francisco is at its best. It’s when the sun sets late and a leisurely stroll seems not optional, but required. It’s also the time of year when a walk and snack is inevitable, so if your strolls take you to the edge of Union Square and FiDi, do yourself a favor and stop ..read more

Steven Liles, known for his long tenure at Smuggler’s Cove, was an ardent San Francisco lover his whole life long. | Dylan + Jeni Liles spent more than a decade bartending at legendary tiki bar Smuggler’s Cove Steven Liles, a bartender with more than 30 years in the bar and cocktail industry including 13 years behind the stick at Hayes Valley’s legendary tiki bar Smuggler’s Cove, died at the end of April 2024 of natural causes. He was 55. Allison Webber Steven Liles died of natural causes at the end of April 2024. Born in Compton, California, Liles began his mixology career at 30 when he ..read more

Koolfi Creamery, known for its South Asian ice cream, will open an outpost in San Francisco. | Koolfi Creamery The Vacant to Vibrant initiative will bring Paper Son, Koolfi Creamery, and six other businesses to SoMa A new crop of eight businesses will come swinging into downtown San Francisco in the coming months. The city’s Vacant to Vibrant program, a joint effort with the nonprofit SF New Deal and the Office of Economic Workforce and Development (OEWD), is back this spring to provide reduced or free leases to entrepreneurs throughout the Bay Area. Thankfully, that means more primo food and ..read more

This August, fine dining restaurant Merchant Roots will move to a new location in SoMa. | Merchant Roots Chef Ryan Shelton will relocate his fine dining restaurant Merchant Roots from Fillmore Street to 7th and Mission in August One of San Francisco’s most unique restaurants is making moves this summer. Merchant Roots, the fine dining destination known for its imaginative and immersive menus, will move into a new home at 1148 Mission Street this August. Right now, the restaurant is located at 1365 Fillmore Street and, at just 900 square feet, offers dinner to just a handful of customers each n ..read more

California’s junk fee ban will require all restaurants and bars in the state to remove mandatory service charges from diners’ bills. | Shutterstock It’s official: California’s so-called junk fee ban will require all restaurants and bars to remove mandatory fees and surcharges from diners’ bills. The California Attorney General’s office has officially laid out how the state’s so-called junk fee ban will impact restaurants and bars. On Wednesday, May 8, the office released a much-anticipated list of Frequently Asked Questions about SB 478, specifically addressing whether or not the legislation w ..read more

The first edition of the Cacio e Pepper Tarot deck launches later this summer. | Cacio e Pepe Tarot The 78-card Cacio e Pepe Tarot deck features pancakes, a stiff cocktail, fondue, and paella “You know when it’s time to eat papaya? When it’s knocking at death’s door.” No, this isn’t the opener of an esoteric novel. It’s an excerpt from a booklet that explains why, of all the foods out there, the exotic fruit was chosen to symbolize the tarot card of Death. Another important card, The Tower — symbolizing transformation and awakening — is represented by creme brulee. “Don’t let the fractures of ..read more