Dining

Dining

Though robo is in its name, the only labor robots actually perform is the cooking itself, which happens in rotating drums right behind the counter; the preparation and doling out of dishes requires humans to take over. For an affordable and quick option, Robowok more than fits the bill, but don't expect the same heart (or flavor) as your favorite neighborhood Chinese restaurant.

Our aspiration is to bring great Indian food all over this country-not just to New York, Miami, or Los Angeles, but to put it alongside any of the great ethnic cuisines you get in America, and what better city to do that in than Las Vegas?

Three Italian immigrants are putting on a show at a new restaurant in Danville. Rosario Mazzocchi, Giovanni Della Peruta and Valerio Viscopo are bringing more than 60 years of combined restaurant experience to Taverna Sorrentina, which had its grand opening on Monday. The restaurant features a mix of modern and classic Italian dishes, but served with a side of entertainment, as the owners and servers are often delivering food and cocktails with a dazzling presentation.

I'll admit I'm a bit of a travel snob and have always avoided big all-inclusive resorts. I assumed they'd be packed with people getting drunk on all-you-can-sip cocktails by 10 a.m. and crowding over buffets of subpar food. However, when my family needed a hotel for a few days in Montego Bay, a large all-inclusive resort was my only option.

In France, calling a server 'garçon' is generally considered outdated and can come across as dismissive. It literally means 'boy,' and while historically it was used in cafés and brasseries, today it feels impersonal.

Again this year, restaurants are sweetening the deal for customers who purchase gift cards for those on their holiday lists. Both the recipient and you will benefit. Here's a roundup. Note that most bonus cards are not redeemable the day they are purchased. Know of others we should include? Email us at lzavoral@bayareanewsgroup.com. Applebee's: Buy a $50 gift card, receive a $10 bonus card.

The chef behind the now-closed has opened a Southern diner-inspired spot in the old Wesburger space. The Mission restaurant serves comfort dishes like patty melts, blooming onions, and of course, chicken fried steak.

While many of us celebrate Thanksgiving at home surrounded by family and friends, the joy of eating out cannot be denied. Heaven is someone else stressing over the turkey, preparing the roster of sides that accommodate all dietary needs, and then sticking around to clean up and do all the dishes. But going out on Thanksgiving also means that all those folks cooking in restaurant kitchens and working the dining room are giving up their holidays to make yours flawless and festive. Good manners and generous tipping should be standard practice at a restaurant any night of the week, but diners need to be extra mindful of their etiquette and gratitude on Thanksgiving.

When you think about the top pizza destinations in the country, your mind probably goes straight to the usual suspects: New York, New Haven, or Chicago. But there's one local pie shop in Utah that's well worth a visit if you're ever in the area. In fact, seeing as Tasting Table listed it as one of the top 15 best restaurants in the U.S. for wood-fired pizza, you may just want to make the trip.

"801 Chophouse has the best prime rib I've ever had," gushed one Reddit user. "I'm really picky on steak and any meat, and it was amazing."

They naturally turn dinner into a shared experience, and You never know who you'll be seated next to; that's the fun of it! The fun of having dinner interrupted by someone explaining loudly that their therapist says they're a highly sensitive empath as they elbow you in the face reaching for the soy sauce? Or being squeezed next to a Hyrox bore chomping chicken breasts to fuel his farmer's carries?

First, cutting your whole filet at once makes it seem like you are preparing it for a toddler. Second, you don't want the whole table to shake under your movements, Lisa From Temecula style. Third, and perhaps most important, preserving moisture in your steak is key, and if you cut it all up at once, those succulent juices will spill out, leaving the (probably) very expensive piece of meat dry and cold.

PIER FOR THE HOLIDAYS December 5, 2025 - January 11, 2026The Holiday season comes alive at PIER 39 beginning mid-November with twinkling lights, decorations throughout The PIER, holiday photo opportunities and a majestic 60' Live Christmas Tree in Entrance Plaza. From December 5th - January 11th, the tree will "come to life" and perform every half hour from 5-10pm. Synchronized to holiday music, the tree becomes a kaleidoscope of swirling color, adorned with thousands of specialty lights and ornaments.

I'm not big on Thanksgiving decorating, but I do live for a good holiday tablescape. After all, the table is to Thanksgiving what the tree is to Christmas, right? And I'm a firm believer that the food tastes even better when the table setting is stylish. My tablescape obsession may be a side effect of being a style editor, yes.

Whether or not to try the $38 caviar-topped chicken nuggets appetizer is just one of the choices facing visitors to Cafe Vivant, a new restaurant concept in downtown Menlo Park pushing the boundaries of the farm-to-table movement that's also home to one of America's rarest wine collections. Which chicken to share is another - there are three breeds of heritage chickens on offer at the restaurant, raised on a nearby 80-acre farm in Pescadero, and then there's the question of which wine to try.

Spago in Los Angeles is the flagship in Wolfgang Puck's international empire a vital part of the city's culinary history, and represents possibly the greatest vibe shift ever in American restaurants. I went back several times because I wanted to see how this restaurant that, both influenced and anticipated some major American food trends over 40 years ago, fit into the scene it helped shape today.

Stonestown Galleria is in the middle of a restaurant renaissance.

While traditionally the quality and price of dishes on a menu go hand in hand, that's not the case with Community Kitchen. Everyone gets the same quality food, the same care in preparation, with no consideration given to what the diner might pay for it. Community Kitchen works on a sliding scale where you are asked to pay what is fair based on your income. They don't police this idea, either.

Though they may imply a level of formality, the best cloth napkins are a sustainable alternative to too-rough paper towels or flimsy take-out extras shoved in a drawer on any occasion. We think these utilitarian tools should be lowered from the pedestal of waitlist-only restaurants and at-home holiday dinners. For the hostess extraordinaire, cloth napkins are a no-brainer addition to your curated tablescape.

It looks effortless when done well: hips swaying, bodies gliding in sync-the kind of chemistry that makes onlookers swoon. But take one class, and you'll quickly realize: Oh...this is a masterclass in feeling inadequate. First, there's the proximity issue. You're asked to step into a stranger's arms, chest to chest, and breathe normally. Easier said than done. You become hyper-aware of everything: your posture, your scent, whether your hips are doing that figure-8 thing, up-back-and-down, or more of a "confused washing machine" motion. It's like mindfulness with a side of mortification.

Some hole-in-the-wall restaurants turn out to be exactly that - a hole you don't want to climb into, much less eat at. This is not that, and far from it. Tucked into a cozy spot on North 10th Street in Philadelphia's Chinatown district is a tiny but mighty gem called Chubby Cattle Shabu. From all-you-can-eat Wagyu Shabu to various seafood courses, all served in the restaurant's authentic Chinese-style hot pot setup, you definitely want to eat whatever its dishing out.

For years, I've brought friends to Mercado la Paloma, the food hall and cultural center that is home to Gilberto Cetina's Holbox, the seafood counter that was our L.A. Times Restaurant of the Year in 2023 and last year was awarded a Michelin star. These days, there's always a line for Cetina's exquisite seafood plates, including his octopus taco with squid-ink-stained sofrito.

I visited Gordon Ramsay Burger and Ramsay's Kitchen for lunch, and spent a similar amount at each. I was surprised that my meal at Gordon Ramsay Burger came out in five minutes and was not that hot. For a similar cost, I got a better burger at Ramsay's Kitchen, plus a course of lobster bisque.

When you think of vintage dishware that's worth a fortune, your mind might automatically wander to Pyrex. Its lifelong durability and whimsical patterns painted on borosilicate glass certainly make it a collector's dream. Or, maybe you think of Fire King's oh-so collectible jadeite green line or the mid-century aesthetic and unique Pyroceram dishes of Corningware. Nostalgia and retro appeal are what make these brands so desirable, even in the 21st century. And there's another vintage name that should be on your thrifting radar: Dynaware.

Spots such as the minuscule clubhouse 4 Charles Prime Rib and Jon Neidich's the Nines, with its burgundy velvet and caviar-topped baked potatoes, helped to establish the template for a proper swankstaurant. The past few months have seen a rush of them - from the gaslight glow of Chez Fifi uptown to the latest Chumley's reboot, known as the Eighty Six, downtown - often coming from chefs and restaurateurs who had initially followed a more casual path.