Beers, burgers and Bad Bunny
I never was much of a beer drinker until I spent a summer in Ireland and tried Rockshore Lager. That was the gateway beer – crisp, refreshing and a tad toasty and malty.
Like food, there’s an art to beer, and a ton of innovation, science and creativity that goes into it. SF Beer Week is back for another year beginning on Friday, with a plethora of Peninsula breweries and taprooms participating. Barebottle Brewing Company will release a triple IPA with prickly pear cactus fruit, Taplands will host a Wake n’ Break with breakfast beers and Out of the Barrel will host a ticketed tasting event.
Contributing writer Jake Hutchinson compiled a list of upcoming Peninsula SF Beer Week events.
With all this rain, it’s feeling like Ireland again. (I guess it’s time for a pint.)
Stay tasty,
Adrienne
SF Beer Week 2026 brings beer releases, food trucks, live music and more to Silicon Valley
The crown jewel of the Bay Area’s beer calendar is back. SF Beer Week kicks off Feb. 20 and runs through March 1. The festivities, which started in 2009, will include more than 100 different events and 130 participants, including breweries, bars and kitchens in Silicon Valley.
Chef-driven smashburgers are coming to Redwood City, a spot for Hong Kong-style snacks opens and Sprinkles unexpectedly returns
- Redwood City native Xavier Pereznegron is using his fine-dining background to open a burger joint in his hometown.
- Downtown Mountain View has a new shop specializing in Hong Kong-style egg waffles.
- Sprinkles, which closed all of its locations Dec. 31, reopened its Palo Alto shop on Thursday and plans to later open a Burlingame shop.
- Bad Bunny rented out Macarena in Palo Alto on Sunday evening after his Super Bowl halftime show.
- Paris Baguette, a South Korean bakery chain, recently expanded to Redwood City.
- Kathmandu Cuisine, a Nepali and Indo-Chinese restaurant in Milpitas since 2020, recently expanded to downtown Los Altos in the former Callao space.
- Timber & Salt in Redwood City is hosting a whiskey tasting Saturday from 4-5:15 p.m.
- Cafe 86, an ube-focused dessert shop, is hosting the grand opening of its Daly City location Saturday from 6-9 p.m.
- Fresh Approach is hosting a cooking demonstration at the Foster City Library on Friday from 8-10 a.m.
- Slice House by Tony Gemignani is hosting its grand opening in Millbrae on Saturday with a hat giveaway and a raffle to win free pizza for a year.
- Anton SV Pâtisserie at Palo Alto’s Stanford Shopping Center is hosting a Lunar New Year celebration Saturday with a lion dance performance and a special eye dotting ceremony.
- Truffle Poke Bar is giving away poke bowls Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in celebration of its grand opening in Belmont.
Dinner at Evvia Estiatorio
At Evvia Estiatorio, flavors are bold, portions are big and the ambiance is stunning.
The upscale Greek restaurant has been a downtown Palo Alto staple since 1995, and I completely understand why.
The open kitchen is mesmerizing to look at. The grillmaster cooks large cuts of meat over an open flame, and the waiters cut slices of complimentary housemade sourdough below hanging copper pots and pans. The table is covered with white linen and plates are painted with charming blue fish.
And the food matches the vibe – it’s more classic, less contemporary. Plating is straightforward and nonfussy, and the flavors aren’t overly complicated. The roasted beets with skordalia (Greek garlic-potato dip) was a punch of astringent, spicy garlic complemented by sweet, earthy beets and a crunch from toasted almonds ($15). Dipping the complimentary bread in the skordalia was heavenly.
The yiouvetsi, a Greek casserole of stewed meat, orzo and tomato sauce with goat and artichoke hearts, was equally spectacular ($44.50). Easily feeding four as an appetizer or two as an entree, the goat was super tender, with fragrant warm spices. Plump raisins added sweetness, and a grated cheese on top added tang.
The braised lamb shank with orzo and myzithra cheese had similar ingredients to the yiouvetsi, but a more savory flavor profile ($45.25), and the arni souvlaki (grilled lamb skewer) was cooked perfectly, with a caramelized exterior and tender interior ($45.75). Served with a refreshing cucumber salad, tangy tzatziki and wonderfully seasoned potato wedges, this dish is a must order.
Evvia Estiatorio, 420 Emerson St., Palo Alto; 650-326-0983, Instagram: @evviapaloalto. Open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5-10 p.m.
Turkish restaurant Esnaf opens in San Carlos
‘We want to showcase the amazing and diverse food of Turkey,’ said Esnaf co-owner Cansel Tok
FROM THE FOODIST
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