Early riser
RT Bistro, Oakland listings, Ghirardelli Square, Ashes and Diamonds, Soho House Sonoma, Gymkhana, MORE
RESTAURANTS • First Word
Casual Friday
The Skinny: Evan and Sarah Rich have branched out yet again. RT Bistro, opening today, is the latest restaurant from the couple behind much-loved Rich Table and counter-service/delivery operation RT Rotisserie.
The Vibe: RT Bistro shares a building with Rich Table, which allows the two businesses to share prep spaces, staff, and farmers market hauls. It also shares the Riches’ terrific taste and inventive mixtures of French, Italian, and Asian influences, this time in a spare and cozy space (formerly O-Toro Sushi) that’s now paneled in Douglas fir and oak. The remodel reflects the couple’s love of the Kirkwood ski mountain at Lake Tahoe, with a carved-wood topographical map and vintage photography on the walls. It’s akin to a lively mountain dinner party, and will clearly be a prime spot for buyouts when you need to seat 35.
The Food: While distinct from Rich Table’s menu in some ways — less pasta and fancy snacks, more hearty fare and French bistro twists — the DNA of the two restaurants is clearly linked. There’s a burger, formerly an off-menu item at Rich Table, featuring Parmesan cheese, bistro sauce, and dill-pickled onions, served with beef tallow fries. An endive Caesar salad includes shinko pear, and a Japanese spin on oysters Rockefeller adds garlic miso and kombu. Winter entrees include a Bay Area-style duck a l’orange, a dish of persimmon-braised oxtails, and a dish loosely inspired by the Riches’ time working for chef Daniel Bouley, a New York strip featuring cubes of potato pavé and an Armagnac and pluot glaze. Vegetarian options include sweet potatoes dressed like walnut prawns, and a “one-layer” lasagna that will change with the seasons and currently features honey nut squash and black truffle. For dessert, there is a seasonal icebox pie featuring either roasted fruit or a chocolate custard, topped with graham cracker crumble; and a semi-savory “cheese course” disguised as a creme brulee, with a custard made from Humboldt Fog cheese.
The Drink: Cocktails from bar director Marisa Miller include batched creations from a service bar just inside the new kitchen, like her well-crafted (and potent) clarified milk punches and seasonal twists on classics. Wine selections come from Rich Table sommelier Kevin Born, and span the new and old worlds.
The Verdict: As much of an enduring hit as Rich Table is, RT Bistro seems poised to debut in even higher demand. –Jay Barmann
→ RT Bistro (Hayes Valley) • 205 Oak St • Daily 5-10p • Reserve.
REAL ESTATE • First Mover
Three properties that came to market in Oakland in the last 30 days.
→ 260 Brooklyn Basin Way #519 (Brooklyn Basin) • 2BR/2BA, 954 SF condo • Ask: $539.9K • 5th-floor Caspian Residences unit w/ waterfront-view balcony • Days on market: 7 • Agent: Garrett Frakes, Polaris Pacific.
→ 4737 Redding St (Maxwell Park, above) • 5BR/6.1BA, 2676 SF • Ask: $1.439M • new construction w/ fully equipped ADU • Days on market: 8 • Agent: Denise MaNguyen, Michael James.
→ 2276 Arrowhead Dr (Piedmont Pines) • 3BR/3.1BA, 3220 SF • Ask: $1.48M • custom-build 4-story w/ elevator • Days on market: 10 • Agent: Bonnie Chui, BC.
REAL ESTATE LINKS: SF’s third-tallest building coming to 10 S. Van Ness • 2026 kicks off downtown with top dollar office building sales • The spendiest home sales of the past year.
WORK • Friday Routine
Coffee talk
CALLIE JONES (above, right) • co-founder • COL Gallery
Neighborhood you work in: Fisherman’s Wharf
Neighborhood you live in: North Beach
It’s Friday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
Julia Li and I co-founded a gallery in Ghirardelli Square two years ago, with a beautiful waterfront view overlooking the Bay. You can find us here planning exhibitions or meeting with visitors to chat about the artists we show and love, typically women, ranging anywhere in age from 25 to 95.
What’s on the agenda for today?
Most mornings begin with a call to an artist to plan upcoming projects or simply catch up. Currently, we’re focused on Lily Alice Baker: Risk of Delight, which opened on November 21. Lily, an artist from London, created new paintings during a recent residency in San Francisco. I fell in love with her work immediately — how her paintings celebrate being together, the communities we build, and the simple moments that connect us (like sharing time at a bar or restaurant with friends).
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
We’re frequent visitors to The Buena Vista down the street from the gallery for burgers and Irish coffees. Ghirardelli Square is full of great options including Barrio for the best birria tacos. Julia and I often meet at Original Joe’s or Tony’s in North Beach to plan over spicy rigatoni or pizza. Kokkari is a longtime favorite for souvlaki and Nopa is always a go-to.
How about a little leisure or culture?
I love stand-up comedy and live close to Cobb’s Comedy Club, which I often frequent. I also love seeing concerts at Bimbo’s — I saw The Last Dinner Party playing there, and I haven’t stopped thinking about the show! The Presidio Theater is another favorite.
Any weekend getaways?
I often visit Cavallo Point for a weekend away or Stanly Ranch in Napa. After moving here from New York, I fell in love with all of the nearby vineyards like Ashes and Diamonds in Napa or Flowers in Healdsburg.
What was your last great vacation?
This year, I visited Dublin for my best friend’s wedding at Luttrellstown Castle. It was my first time in Ireland and I loved exploring the city, and Toners Pub, the Guinness Storehouse, and Trinity College were all highlights.
Afterward, we visited friends in London which might be my favorite city after San Francisco. We always go to Gymkhana for dinner and this trip we also made it to the Churchill War Rooms.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
Almost all of my big purchases are paintings. Most recently, I bought a piece by Oakland-based artist, Esteban Samayoa, and another by Maya Fuji at Root Division’s annual art auction. Root Division is a wonderful nonprofit that provides studio space for artists and teaches art to over a thousand students who might not otherwise have access. My friend PJ Policarpio also curates incredible exhibitions there that are free and open to the public.
What store or service do you always recommend?
I really believe in supporting the local arts ecosystem so I frequently recommend Orion Custom Framing. Lately, I’ve also been hooked on Substack — particularly one by Max Blue, a local writer and arts critic, whose thoughtful essays explore what it means to lead a creative life. For photography, Zabrina Deng is the absolute best at capturing important moments; she balances weddings, editorial work, and our art events with her ongoing personal project Women of Chinatown. And lastly, my business partner, Julia Li, just opened a new café in Waterfront Plaza called Lulu Fresh.
Where are you donating your time or money?
I’m part of the Creativity Explored Friends Circle. Creativity Explored is an incredible non-profit that supports artists with developmental disabilities. Visitors can stop by, meet the artists and purchase art to continue to support their organization.
Earlier this year, Julia and I founded KARL, a collaborative pop-up initiative that brings together local galleries and nonprofits to present rotating exhibitions. Each presentation includes an opening or event that’s free and open to the public. Most recently, Brandin Vaughn (best known for dressing Beyoncé) staged a fashion show in the middle of our exhibition that celebrated textile-based artists.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Get Into It
Pete Holmes • Cobb’s Comedy Club (North Beach) • Fri @ 945p • GA, $144 per
Lalah Hathaway • Yoshi’s (Oakland) • Sat @ 930p • GA, $102 per
Warriors v Hawks • Chase Center (Thrive City) • Sun @ 530p • Sec 21 A2, $885 per
CULTURE & LEISURE LINKS: SF theater artists embrace AI • Quantifying rave vibes for SF’s JoyScore • Potrero Hill’s legendary music venue Bottom of the Hill announces 2026 closure.
GETAWAYS • The Nines
Dining, North Tahoe
The Nines are FOUND’s distilled lists of the best in the Bay Area and surrounds. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or found@itsfoundsf.com. For the full archives, click here.
Whitecaps Pizza (Kings Beach), pizza, comfort food, craft beers on tap, reserve
Moody’s (Truckee), lively bistro and bar w/ a good burger, reserve
Pianeta (Truckee), excellent pastas, chicken marsala, cozy pub atmosphere, reserve
Christy Hill (Tahoe City), fine dining w/ great seafood, optional tasting menu, reserve
River Grill (Tahoe City), high-end but casual bistro fare, solid short rib, reserve
Sierra Surf Club (Tahoe City), fun new all-day cafe, poke bowls, sandwiches, pulled-pork poutine, walk-ins only
Shadyside Lounge (Tahoe City, above), Mexican food w/ clever twists, good cocktails, walk-ins only
Sylva (Tahoe City), modern comfort dishes w/ Peruvian touches, reserve
Wolfdale’s (Tahoe City), fine dining on the lake, off-menu filet cheeseburger, reserve
GETAWAYS LINKS: Soho House to open club in rural Sonoma Valley • Oahu’s Paradise Cove Luau makes way for new resort • On Kauai, Waimea Canyon Drive closes for two months • Travel loyalty program members are surprisingly fickle.
LOST & FOUND • Behind the paywall
→ A handful of favorite Bay Area restaurants from new subscribers: Frances (Castro) • Original Joe’s Westlake (Daly City) • Cholita Linda (multiple locations) • Monti’s (Santa Rosa) • Noah’s (Saratoga Springs, NY).
Fantasitc curation as always, especially the North Tahoe dining list which I desperately needed. That Soho House Sonoma news is huge for wine country hospitality. I dunno, every time I visit Napa or Sonoma I feel like there's a gap between the winery experiences and proper accomodation options. This could really elevate the whole region.