However you feel about 2025, that year is ready to sunset and 2026 is waiting in the wings, ready to take center stage. With the new year’s arrival, it’s time to start making plans — lots of ’em — to eat and drink. Afterall, that’s what keeps the year feeling fun and bright. Here’s where Eater SF comes in. We’ve collected some of the most exciting winter restaurant openings on the horizon so you can mark it in your calendar and fire up the group chat when it’s time. Happy eating in 2026.
West
Las Vegas, New Orleans attacks not connected: police
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Local and federal authorities said back-to-back attacks in Las Vegas and in New Orleans were not connected.
In a press conference Friday afternoon, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill revealed why authorities aren’t considering the attacks connected.
“The simple answer to that is we don’t find anything to actually point us in that direction,” McMahill said. “There are those coincidences that we have spoken very openly about, but we have not found throughout this entire investigation anything that ties the two attacks directly together.”
Online speculation soared after it was revealed Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the New Orleans attack suspect, and the driver of the Tesla Cybertruck, Livelsberger, both spent time at the large military base formerly called Fort Bragg in North Carolina.
NEW ORLEANS TERRORIST, MAN IN LAS VEGAS CYBERTRUCK EXPLOSION SHARED MORE LINKS IN ATTACKS JUST HOURS APART
The driver of the Tesla Cybertruck that blew up outside Trump International Hotel Las Vegas New Year’s Day was identified as active-duty U.S. Army soldier Matthew Livelsberger, right. Livelsberger’s attack took place within hours of Jabbar’s in New Orleans. (Fox News)
Local and federal enforcement also revealed that the U.S. Army Green Beret wrote it was “time to wake up” in notes penned before his death.
Police officials released sections of Livelsberger’s “manifesto,” and said they would release the full document later.
“This was not a terrorist attack, it was a wake up call” Livelsberger wrote, according to the cropped notes shared by Las Vegas police. “Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives?
BOMBMAKING MATERIALS FOUND AT NEW ORLEANS AIRBNB POTENTIALLY TIED TO BOURBON STREET TERRORIST: REPORT
“Why did I personally do it now? I needed to cleanse my mind of the brothers I’ve lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took,” he wrote.
“We are the United States of America, the best country people to ever exist! But right now we are terminally ill and headed towards collapse.”
The driver of the Tesla Cybertruck that blew up outside Trump International Hotel Las Vegas New Year’s Day was identified as 37-year-old Matthew Alan Livelsberger (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
Livelsberger likely had PTSD and ongoing family problems that contributed to his actions, sheriff’s officials said.
“Although this incident is more public and more sensational than usual, it ultimately appears to be a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who is struggling with PTSD and other issues,” McMahill said.
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT VICTIMS OF NEW ORLEANS TERRORIST ATTACK
The Las Vegas chief said this is why authorities are prioritizing the mental health of law enforcement officials and veterans.
“Quite frankly, this is the reason why we started our wellness bureau here at Metro and taking care of the heart, mind, body and soul of the people that are out there doing this work, because they’re exposed to things, they see things, they hear things, they feel things and they smell things that most normal people don’t have to do,” McMahill said.
“And the heroes that are serving in the military and on the front lines of America’s policing are challenged that way,” he said. “And, so, I think we need to really pay attention to those individuals, pay attention to what mental health in America looks like.”
Livelsberger did not appear to dislike President-elect Trump, local and federal authorities said.
“There’s a variety of different reporting out there,” McMahill said. “Notable on what some of the people around him and what their particular political views were. I think when you read some of these documents, you’ll see that he actually calls it a stunt.
“In one of these documents that we’re going to release to you … he was trying to get the attention of the American people because he was upset about a number of different things.
“I’m not conclusively telling you anything about his political affiliations at this point, but I think there’s … more to come on that.”
WHO IS MATTHEW LIVELSBERGER? WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE TESLA CYBERTRUCK EXPLOSION SUSPECT
Police noted Livelsberger was considering other locations, pointing to excerpts from his manifesto.
“I think when you read through some of that, you might find that, you know, there were some other considerations as well for other locations,” McMahill said. “We can’t verify all of that at this point. And, so, that’s why I haven’t talked about that publicly.
“There was one, one location in Grand Canyon that was specifically talked about, but we haven’t been able to verify that.”
The driver of the Tesla Cybertruck that blew up outside Trump International Hotel Las Vegas on New Year’s Day was identified as 37-year-old Matthew Alan Livelsberger. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
Documentation that Matthew Alan Livelsberger was carrying at the time of the Tesla Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas Jan. 1, 2025. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren said Livelsberger died from a self-inflicted gunshot. He noted that the suspect placed gun in his mouth and discharged it
“We know also, as mentioned by the sheriff yesterday, there was a self-inflicted gunshot wound by the suspect,” Koren said. “The coroner was very specific in saying it was an intro orbital gunshot wound, which essentially means that the suspect put the firearm in his mouth and discharged the gun. And, ultimately, the wound came out the left side of his head.”
Read the full article from Here
San Francisco, CA
Most Anticipated Winter Restaurant Openings in the Bay Area
Merchant Roots’s big move to SoMa gave the tasting menu restaurant a chance to spread its wings, with a space big enough to fit chef Ryan Shelton and his team’s big ambitions. Now the team is moving into new territory with the opening of Bar Orso, a cocktail lounge housed inside the Merchant space with just 12 seats to its name. Befitting the restaurant’s wild themed dinners, the bar is planned to be just as immersive, a “redwood forest dreamscape,” per a press release. There are 15 cocktails created for the bar, folding in elements like fernet made by the team, green tea cotton candy, plus small plates to nosh on, and visitors can stay for an hour or a five-course cocktail and food tasting menu. 1148 Mission Street, San Francisco
Opening: Late January 2026
Flour + Water continues the expansion of its pizza division with the opening of its latest F+W Pizza Shop location. This time, the team is making a big leap across the Bay Bridge, setting up East Bay headquarters in Uptown Oakland on 24th Street. The dough will come from the pizzeria flagship in North Beach, and the new shop will offer the company’s 13-inch pies, gluten-free Sicilian-style squares, and quick slices to-go. There will also be salads, antipasto, and soft serve, plus beer and wine to boot. 269 24th Street, Suite 100, Oakland
Chefs Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz, the couple behind Presidio gem Dalida, have embarked on their next project, and are just about ready to debut their new restaurant, dubbed Maria Isabel. This time they’re setting up in the Presidio Heights neighborhood, taking over the former Ella’s American Kitchen location on Presidio Avenue. The menu is based on chef Laura Ozyilmaz’s roots in Mexico’s Guerrero and Sinaloa, per a press release, utilizing seasonal California ingredients. 500 Presidio Avenue, San Francisco
Another restaurant is making the leap out of San Francisco, and this time it’s Marina favorite Causwells. But rather than the East Bay, chef Adam Rosenblum and restaurant partner Elmer Mejicanos are traveling down the Peninsula to Menlo Park, which has become a hotbed for new restaurant openings in the last two years. The new space is twice the size of the Marina location, and with it comes Causwells favorites, yes, but Rosenblum and Mejicanos will expand the food and drink menu a bit to match their ambitious new location. Springline, 550 Oak Grove, Menlo Park
Club Deluxe is a storied part of San Francisco’s jazz scene, first opening in 1978 and maintaining a live-music presence that lasted decades. It was with much sadness that the business officially shut down for good in April 2023, but now Club Deluxe is being lovingly resurrected by industry vets Jay Bordeleau and Christian Beaulieu. Renamed the DeLuxe, visitors can expect more live music, from both new and returning artists and bands. A new cocktail menu is also in the works, leaning toward takes on classic drinks. 1511 Haight Street, San Francisco
David Barzelay and Colleen Booth of Lazy Bear and True Laurel are readying their highly anticipated French restaurant JouJou, taking up space in the Design District. The a la carte menu is seafood-centric — “but not exclusively so,” a press release adds — with dishes such as a vichysoisse with caviar and a showy shellfish plateaux. The place also sounds like a stunner, with semi-circle booths in the main dining room, a raw bar with a view of the kitchen, a glass-enclosed patio featuring seating and the main bar, as well as a sunken area called the Rose Room. This is one to look out for. 1 Henry Adams Street, San Francisco
Meyhouse burst onto the Bay Area dining scene in August 2023, moving from pop-up status to full-on restaurant, sharing Turkish culture and cuisine with Palo Alto. Owners Omer Artun and Koray Altinsoy have been on a roll since then, quickly expanding into a second location in Sunnyvale, and even adding live jazz to the Palo Alto branch. Now the duo is set to expand their restaurant to the East Bay, adding a new outpost to City Center Bishop Ranch in San Ramon, both as a restaurant and jazz venue. Expect the same style of food with California produce and ingredients, just in a new part of the Bay. 6000 Bollinger Canyon Road, San Ramon
Denver, CO
A franchise quarterback is vital to winning division titles
You might respond to this headline with ‘and water is wet’ and I wouldn’t blame you, but I was looking over the Denver Broncos history and how often they have won a division title. In their 65 years, the Broncos have brought home 16 AFC West division titles. That’s not very many, but given their first winning season was almost 20 years into it then it doesn’t look so bad.
The other thing I noticed is that only those teams who had a franchise quarterback type player under center did they repeat often as division winners. 11 of those 16 titles were won while John Elway or Peyton Manning were quarterbacking the franchise. Craig Morton won two backed by the vaunted Orange Crush defense of the 70s, but the rest were one-off division winners like Jake Plummer and Tim Tebow. Now that latter list includes Bo Nix.
The craziest stat that I found researching this topic was that all but one Broncos team that did not win the division were one-and-done in the playoffs. The lone team that wasn’t was that 1997 Super Bowl winning squad. Every single other team that finished second or third in the division and made the playoffs did not win a game once they got there. That doesn’t have much to do with the franchise quarterback topic here, but I found this little tidbit too interesting to not share.
As for the division winners, there were plenty of one-and-done seasons there too, but all of their playoff wins sans-1997 are also there.
The question I meant to get to sooner before going off on that side quest regarding the playoff outcomes was whether or not Bo Nix joins Elway and Manning or ends up with the Plummer and Morton’s of history of pretty good but not all-time great. A few playoff wins over the next month would certainly move the needle some before adding more division titles down the road.
Seattle, WA
Rams vs. Atlanta Falcons: How to watch, start time, odds and prediction
Kicker Harrison Mevis aims to get back on track when the Rams play the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Mevis, signed by the Rams in November, made all eight of his field-goal attempts before missing from 48 yards late in the fourth quarter of the Rams’ 38-37 overtime defeat by the Seattle Seahawks on Dec. 18 in Seattle.
“Just continuing to keep firing away,” Mevis said. “I’m not going to be perfect in my career — nobody is. And it’s all about how you respond and bounce back and make the next kick.”
-
Share via
Gary Klein breaks down everything you need to know heading into Monday night’s matchup between the Rams and the Atlanta Falcons.
In the aftermath of the loss, which included a fourth-quarter punt return for a touchdown by the Seahawks, Rams coach Sean McVay fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn.
Three of the Rams’ four losses have resulted from major kicking-game miscues, and Blackburn’s firing was just the latest change made to solve the issues.
When the Rams signed Mevis to replace Joshua Karty — who last week was signed by the Arizona Cardinals off the Rams practice squad — they also brought in veteran snapper Jake McQuaide to replace Alex Ward.
The game against the Falcons will serve as Ben Kotwica’s debut as interim special teams coordinator.
Kotwica has worked in the NFL for most of the last 18 years, and he coached with McVay on Washington’s staff. Kotwica was the Denver Broncos special teams coordinator in 2023 and 2024 before joining the Rams staff as a special teams assistant.
“We’ve had a couple of plays that have cost us during the course of the year, but I love the way that our guys are going about the business,” Kotwica said. “They understand the urgency. We’re part of a championship football team and we’re just ready to contribute to holding up that Lombardi [Trophy] early next year.”
Key injuries
Rams: OL Kevin Dotson (ankle, out); DB Josh Wallace (ankle, out); WR Davante Adams (hamstring, doubtful); OL Alaric Jackson (knee, questionable); DL Braden Fiske (ankle, questionable but expected to play); CB Roger McCreary (hip, expected to be activated to roster from injured reserve).
Falcons: CB Mike Hughes (ankle, out); CB Clark Phillips III (triceps/illness, out); DL Sam Roberts (knee/ankle, out); WR Drake London (knee, questionable).
How to watch and listen to Rams vs. Falcons
The Rams (11-4) and the Atlanta Falcons (6-9) will play at 5:15 p.m. PST Monday. The game will be shown on ABC in the Los Angeles area and nationally on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. In Southern California, fans can listen to the game on 710 AM, 93.1 FM and 1330 AM (Español).
Betting odds and lines for Rams vs. Falcons
Who will win Rams vs. Falcons?
Gary Klein’s pick: A few weeks ago, this looked like a potential easy victory for the Rams. Now it could be more difficult. Still, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford will outduel Kirk Cousins. Rams 30, Falcons 24
-
Entertainment3 days agoHow the Grinch went from a Yuletide bit player to a Christmas A-lister
-
Connecticut4 days agoSnow Accumulation Estimates Increase For CT: Here Are The County-By-County Projections
-
Entertainment4 days agoPat Finn, comedy actor known for roles in ‘The Middle’ and ‘Seinfeld,’ dies at 60
-
Milwaukee, WI5 days ago16 music and theater performances to see in Milwaukee in January 2026
-
World1 week agoPutin says Russia won’t launch new attacks on other countries ‘if you treat us with respect’
-
Indianapolis, IN2 days agoIndianapolis Colts playoffs: Updated elimination scenario, AFC standings, playoff picture for Week 17
-
Southeast2 days agoTwo attorneys vanish during Florida fishing trip as ‘heartbroken’ wife pleads for help finding them
-
World3 days agoSnoop Dogg, Lainey Wilson, Huntr/x and Andrea Bocelli Deliver Christmas-Themed Halftime Show for Netflix’s NFL Lions-Vikings Telecast