Asian American bakery opens in Alameda: Bay Area gets a new pastry hotspot

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• May 8 updates
• Earlier openings and notable arrivals
• What this wave of openings means
• Quick reference: openings at a glance

New openings across the Bay Area this week signal fresh choices for diners and a burst of activity for neighborhood economies—from a beloved Oakland bakery expanding to Alameda to a large Asian food hall set for downtown Santa Clara. These arrivals matter now: they reshape local dining options, create jobs, and reflect ongoing trends in small-format neighborhood pubs and larger destination food centers.

May 8 updates

Polenta, a new Friulian trattoria on Fillmore Street, has quietly started serving dishes rooted in northeastern Italy. Expect regional plates such as lamb-and-beef cevapcici, braised beef gulash paired with crisp polenta, and a shrimp-tomato spaghetti called busara. The restaurant joins San Francisco’s NOPA dining scene at 803 Fillmore Street.

In downtown Oakland a familiar local team is expanding: chef Michelle McQueen and bar owner Matt Sturm plan to open Five and Dime on July 5 at 329 14th Street. The pair, who run Lucy Blue, describe the new spot as a neighborhood pub geared toward casual meals, drinks and community gatherings.

Bake Sum, the Oakland bakery known for pastries that blend Asian American flavors, opens a second location inside Alameda Marketplace on Saturday, May 9. Owner Joyce Tang’s menu highlights items like yuzu meringue tarts and halo halo–inspired croissant buns. Tang will also release the Bake Sum cookbook, co-authored with Soleil Ho, on September 1. Address: 1650 Park Street, Alameda.

San Jose’s downtown continues to add options: M.O. Hospitality’s new restaurant Strata opens May 13 across from City Hall at 181 East Santa Clara Street. For launch service the kitchen will offer a $75 prix fixe alongside a la carte choices, with plans to later host live entertainment.

Earlier openings and notable arrivals

Several spots that opened in late April and early May are already drawing attention:

• Qua O La — A wine bar serving Croatian and Italian bottles plus small plates such as ćevapi and cicchetti. Opened April 25 at 1318 Grant Avenue, North Beach.
• Elaichi Co. — Berkeley’s chai cafe has launched a SoMa location through San Francisco’s Vacant to Vibrant program, offering chai, seasonal drinks and baked goods at 360 Third Street. Open May 1.
• Rose Pizzeria — The popular Berkeley pizzeria opened a second location on Clement Street, expanding the menu with tonda Romana–style pies while keeping fan favorites in rotation. Address: 1 Clement Street.
• Maillards + Two Pitchers Brewing Co. — A smash-burger counter paired with a brewery serving lagers and radlers opened on Noriega Street, featuring burgers, chicken sandwiches and soft serve at 3821 Noriega Street.
• The Lodge (Oakland) — Reopened April 17 under new ownership at 3578 Piedmont Avenue, maintaining the bar’s familiar atmosphere while adding a budget-friendly menu and plans for summer pop-ups.
• Asia Live — A large, multi-kitchen Asian food and retail complex will open June 1 at Westfield Valley Fair, with stations for noodles, dumplings, barbecue, tandoori and more. Location: 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd #1891, Santa Clara.
• Tai Er Sichuan Cuisine — The China-based chain opened a second Bay Area unit at Valley Fair on May 1, serving sauerkraut fish, mapo tofu and other Sichuan specialties at Unit A268 in Santa Clara.

What this wave of openings means

Several themes emerge from this batch of launches. First, there’s a mix of intimate neighborhood investments—pubs, bakeries and single-room wine bars—and larger-scale projects like Asia Live that target regional foot traffic and mall visitors. That dual trend offers both local hangouts and destination dining within the same weeks.

Public-private efforts such as Vacant to Vibrant are visible in the new SoMa chai shop, showing how programs that repurpose empty storefronts can help independent operators test downtown locations with lower risk. Meanwhile, established local names expanding to new neighborhoods underscore steady demand for familiar culinary brands.

For readers planning visits: reservations are recommended for evening service at sit-down restaurants, while bakeries and wine bars may operate on a walk-in basis. Price points vary—from the accessible pub fare at The Lodge to the $75 introductory prix fixe at Strata—so there are options for different budgets.

Quick reference: openings at a glance

• Polenta — Open now; 803 Fillmore Street, San Francisco.
• Five and Dime — Opens July 5; 329 14th Street, Oakland.
• Bake Sum (Alameda) — Opens May 9; 1650 Park Street, Alameda. Cookbook out Sept 1.
• Strata — Opens May 13; 181 East Santa Clara Street, San Jose. Prix fixe $75 at launch.
• Qua O La — Opened April 25; 1318 Grant Avenue, San Francisco.
• Elaichi Co. (SoMa) — Opened May 1; 360 Third Street, San Francisco.
• Rose Pizzeria (SF) — Open now; 1 Clement Street, San Francisco.
• Maillards + Two Pitchers — Open now; 3821 Noriega Street, San Francisco.
• The Lodge (Oakland) — Reopened April 17; 3578 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland.
• Asia Live — Opens June 1; 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd #1891, Santa Clara.
• Tai Er Sichuan Cuisine — Opened May 1; Unit A268, Westfield Valley Fair, Santa Clara.

If you know of a new opening we haven’t listed, send details to the local listings team—these weekly updates aim to capture both small neighborhood arrivals and larger restaurant projects shaping the Bay Area’s dining landscape.