4 Restaurants and Bars to Try This Weekend in the Bay Area: March 1

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 suggestions of places to check out this weekend around the Bay Area. And if you’re looking for places to grab a drink, try these lists of the best new places to grab a cocktail in San Francisco and the East Bay.

For an award-worthy lunch or dinner in the city: Mandalay

Big news for Burmese restaurant Mandalay landed this week when the Richmond District mainstay won one of six James Beard America’s Classics awards bestowed this year. If you haven’t experienced the restaurant yet, now is as good a time as ever to roll into the yellow-walled dining room and order a tea leaf salad. The restaurant is one of the oldest Burmese restaurants in San Francisco, a city that’s relatively rich in food from the Southeast Asian country. At Mandalay, that legendary tea leaf salad is a must-order, but fans also endorse the Mandalay Special Noodle, and the ong no kaw soi, a coconut noodle soup with chicken. You can make reservations for parties of four or more online; Mandalay also offers online ordering for takeout and delivery through third-party apps including UberEats, Doordash, and Grubhub. Mandalay, 4348 California Street, San Francisco

— Lauren Saria, Eater SF editor

For a last Lunar New Year hurrah: Viridian

The team behind Oakland’s Viridian puts on a monthlong Lunar New Year pop-up called Red Envelope, which offers new food and drinks, plus over-the-top decor. The tradition started in 2022, and this year’s version sees chef Kevin Tang roll out fun dishes including whole crab fried rice, with crab fat-infused rice and claws on the side for picking; whole, deboned branzino in sizzled ginger scallions; and Chinese Breakfast arancini with lap cheong and salted duck yolk aioli. The new drinks also go hard, including the Goji-Groni, a gin- and baijiu-based Negroni made with blood orange and Viridian’s aperitivo blend, and the Red Bean Durian Cream, made with scotch, red bean, olorosso, sfumato, and yes, a durian egg cream. Viridian’s known for its stylish interior year-round, but for Lunar New Year, dragons crisscross the ceiling, paper lanterns are strung everywhere, and red envelopes decorate the wall. This is all to say that there are only a few more days to partake in this Lunar New Year event and its limited-run dishes and cocktails, as the pop-up ends this weekend on Sunday, March 3. Viridian, 2216 Broadway, Oakland

— Dianne de Guzman, Eater SF deputy editor

For a luxury dinner and dessert in Silicon Valley: Flea Street

It’s always a good time to follow a chef’s rise through the local kitchen scene — there’s a reason people can’t get enough of The Bear — and this weekend might be the time to tap in on one such Bay Area journey. Pastry chef Anthony Le is now behind the scenes at Menlo Park’s Flea Street, a staple in the community since the 1980s, after stints at Sausalito’s Ditas and Orchard City Kitchen in Campbell. He joins chef and general manager Bryan Thuerk in keeping Flea Street on Michelin’s radar. Most importantly, this weekend it looks like Le is rolling out a blackberry sesame cheese tart, a dish inspired by peanut butter and jelly sandos and Le’s background cooking Japanese cuisine. It won’t be a cheap endeavor, but watching Le ascend the ranks, and trying his indulgent creations along the way, will be worth every penny. Flea Street, 3607 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park

— Paolo Bicchieri, Eater SF reporter

For an indoor dinner that feels al fresco: Azalina’s

Another winter storm will likely keep most San Franciscans indoors this weekend. And while I’ve already made the bold statement that the most comforting antidote might be a slice of this pasta pie, you could also lean into a little escapism instead. For that, try Azalina’s, the Malaysian restaurant in the Tenderloin, where chef Azalina Eusope takes inspiration from Southeast Asian street food to craft a four-course set menu ($100) that also includes one mocktail and either a glass of wine or beer. The current menu starts with a buttery apom meant to be dunked into a bowl of yellow curry, followed by a peppery and light jicama soup. Your meal culminates with a large portion of black curry lamb, and concludes with a dense chocolate and cassava cake topped with an airy coconut “cloud.” But it’s the decor that makes Azalina’s a smart dinner choice on a stormy weekend; the tall ceilings, vibrant color palette, and warm hospitality will transport you far from these rainy shores. Azalina’s, 499 Ellis Street, San Francisco

— Lauren Saria, Eater SF editor