The second location of Little Original Joe’s launched in the Marina to plenty of fanfare (and packed seats) on Chestnut Street. Expect comforting Italian American food in an upscale setting with plush banquette seats and a stunning bar at one end of the restaurant. Fill up on pizza, hearty pasta such as the house-made meat ravioli, and five styles of Parmigiana, among a plethora of other dishes. Sip on the restaurant’s spin on various cocktails, such as the Italian Margarita, or indulge in one of four Negronis.

Kais Bouzidi, the restaurateur behind San Francisco restaurants Barcha and Sens, expands on his French upbringing at his newest restaurant at Pier 3. Part wine bar, part groovy bistro where vinyls stay on rotation, Bon Délire offers a menu of smart French classics like parsley-and-butter escargot; steak tartare crowned with a golden yolk; miniature croque-madames; steak au poivre served with a tangle of crispy French fries; and much more from executive chef Vernon Morales.

Joyride’s been on an expansion tear these last few years, with new locations popping up across the Bay Area, but its location at Pier 1 is the pizzeria’s waterfront flagship with new offerings. Along with Joyride’s usual roster of Detroit-style pizza options, there is also buffalo milk soft serve, coffee drinks, and cocktails, with breakfast items on the way.

One of San Francisco’s biggest pandemic comeback stories roared to life in early November as Michael and Lindsay Tusk introduced version 2.0 of their very popular wine bar, Verjus. In revamping the restaurant for its 2024 reopening, the Tusks left certain things untouched: The bistro-like design, crimson ceiling, and marquee menu board; the convivial and energetic vibe. New to Verjus is a cocktail list, a new menu of contemporary bistro fare from chef Walker Stern, and an installed DJ booth.

Southern grandma food gets a fine dining update at Prelude, the newest restaurant inside the Jay hotel on Clay Street. Chef Celtin Hendrickson-Jones is putting his spin on dishes, such as smoked catfish dumplings, dirty rice-stuffed chicken wings, and pimento cheese with fish skin crisps and roe.

The San Francisco location of Oakland takeout sushi spot Ebiko is finally here, serving pristine boxes of sushi to go. It’s part of a burgeoning takeout sushi moment here in the city, featuring sashimi, rolls, and more for under $20. Go with the omakase nigiri to get a sampling of the wares or a plate of inari (marinated tofu skin). Add on a Daifuku red bean mochi for dessert.

The chef behind formerly Michelin-starred Baumé now leads the kitchen at Le Parc Bistrobar, located inside the Galleria Park Hotel in Union Square. Expect chef Bruno Chemel’s takes on French classics, including escargots Baumé, or faithful recreations such as the les moules marinieres (steamed mussels in garlic cream sauce). There is also a happy hour menu that spans both food and drink, that runs from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

Bombay Brasserie is the new restaurant set inside hotel Taj Campton Place, serving both Indian and French dishes in an updated dining room. Order dahi puri filled with spiced yogurt and Kerala beef pepper fry, or indulge in a lobster thermidor — everything is fair game here. Wash things down with a Bombay spritz or a chai paloma made with blanco tequila, Aperol, chai, grapefruit, lime, and grapefruit soda.

Estrellita’s Snacks built up a following through its years at local farmer’s markets and time in La Cocina’s incubator program, but now the pupusas are parked at 483 Ellis Street. Breakfast stans will want to order the all-star breakfast pupusa stuffed with chorizo, egg, and cheese, which comes with refried beans and plantains on the side. The mini taquitos dorados, six mini chicken taquitos served with cabbage salad on top, are another winner. Otherwise, it’s hard to go wrong with any of the offered pupusa flavors, plus, vegetarians have a number of clearly marked options, making it amenable to group meals.

Soba Ichi has been holding things down in the East Bay with its handmade soba noodles, and now San Francisco has its own soba specialist with the opening of Sobakatsu. Expect hot and cold variations of soba, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, as well as tempura and tonkatsu options. Be prepared, however: Sobakatsu is an 10-seat restaurant, which might mean a wait depending on when you arrive.

The owners of Daeho and chef Jin Lim of Bansang quietly opened the sushi takeout restaurant Aji Kiji on Fillmore Street. Taking over the former Avery space, Aji Kiji serves gorgeously arranged sushi boxes at surprisingly low prices (especially given the quality). On the higher end of the price spectrum, diners can pick up a 10-piece sushi omakase with a six-piece negi toro maki for $54; sake don, or sushi rice topped with both fresh and torched salmon, goes for $26; meanwhile, a classic, 10-piece sushi roll will go for $13. There are no seats at the restaurant, as it’s strictly to-go, so prepare to take your sushi treasure elsewhere.

Whimsical fine dining restaurant Merchant Roots replanted itself in SoMa, opening a grand, new space in the former City Beer Store location. Here, the team will stretch its legs and utilize a full kitchen for its themed, multicourse dinners — such as the recent Color Theory dinners which feature monochromatic dishes — with a bar set to open in the next few months. Reservations are required.

Xebec is a new restaurant “where the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean meet the refined techniques of Japanese cuisine,” as its Instagram states. As such, expect crossovers at various points in the menu, such as the restaurant’s Mediterranean Japanese sea bar, which features items such as hamachi sashimi with green olive tapenade and citrus supremes, or the uni-risotto arancini with ginger kumquat dipping sauce. There’s also a fresh list of cocktails to order, such as the Return of the Sumac, which pairs mezcal and cream sherry with sumac bianco vermouth.

Chef David Nayfeld is betting big on pizza at the new Che Fico Pizzeria at Thrive City. Pizza is the star of the menu at this open-air restaurant with bay views. Nayfeld’s naturally fermented crusts, served in either 14- or 20-inch sizes, come heaped with combinations like crispy pepperoni, mushroom, and sausage; paper-thin slices of pineapple paired with Calabrian chile bomba; and four-cheese combos lashed with honey. Salad and sandwiches (think muffulettas, chicken cutlet sandwiches, et cetera.) are also on the menu.

Pastry chef Michelle Hernandez is dishing out exceptionally artful cakes, brioche, canelés, nougat, and more at new Potrero Hill bakery Le Dix-Sept Patisserie. Thanks to the addition of a sheeter, she’s also delving into croissants and other layered pastry styles. Stop by for glazed sweet potato Danishes, silky pistachio croissants with fragrant notes of orange blossom, and chai palmiers.

Japanese sandos are the main characters at the new Tadaima in the Mission. Think bacon, Spam, and egg musubi or sweet options such as strawberries and cream sandos on milk bread. Pair that with an iced drink, such as a hojicha latte with a salted cheese cream top, and you’ve got pitch-perfect picnic food for nearby Dolores Park.

Smokin’ D’s BBQ has fully moved to its new restaurant in the Inner Sunset, serving the same delicious food that’s made it a farmer’s market favorite. Expect Texas-style barbecue and options such as brisket, pulled pork, and spare ribs. The ever-popular brisky bao, the shop’s brisket-stuffed buns, will be on offer, too.

Galinette is a new French bistro by the ocean, perfect for locals and daytrippers looking for a place to stop for food after a day at the beach. The restaurant is from the team behind Union Square’s Bouche, but here Galinette skews more casual (and less phone-focused) with a choice between snacky items like duck confit croquette or brandade, and heartier items like the bourride with seafood and hanger steak frites. The restaurant is open from morning to night, with pastry and coffee offerings if you’re looking for something more on the go.