Meet Suzette, Sausalito’s newest bayside bistro
Marin restauranteurs Olivier and Susannah Souvestre bring a slice of France to Sausalito’s Bridgeway Promenade with last month’s opening of Suzette Cafe & Bistro, their second restaurant in town and a move that takes them from Caledonia Street out to the waterfront.
Chef Souvestre is familiar in local dining circles for his French cuisine at Le Garage in Sausalito that he stepped away from in 2019, San Anselmo’s L’Appart Resto that closed in 2010 and the Frenchified American comfort food at Fast Food Francais (F3) that the couple transitioned to Mediterranean-inspired Zalta in 2021.
The Suzette brunch/lunch and dinner menus focus on the classic French dishes that reinspired Olivier Souvestre during his recent travel to old-school bistros in France.
Stop in early for espresso and coffee drinks made with beans from Vallejo-based Moschetti Artisan Coffee Roaster and croissants, pain au chocolat, kouign amann, pain au raisin, flan pâtissier and scones made in-house and by Sausalito’s Cibo Bakery.
Cafe fare is served between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily and includes brioche French toast with fresh berry compote; smoked salmon eggs Benedict; ventreche (French bacon) omelet with caramelized onions and Saint-Nectaire cheese; croque madame; and a caramelized onion burger with a choice of cheeses.
On the dinner menu, you’ll naturally find French onion soup, frisée salad with poached egg and Bavarian steak frites, but also elevated versions of escargot presented with roasted bone marrow and bordelaise sauce; choucroute de la mer, or fisherman’s sauerkraut, with PEI mussels, scallops, Tiger shrimp and salmon and champagne beurre blanc sauce; duck confit with smashed fingerling potatoes, caramelized onions and smoked kalamata olives; and andouillette sausage (pork offal) served with fries.
The limited beer selection is local, but the extensive wine list, which includes smaller producers, biodynamic wines and champagnes by the glass, is all French.
The Souvestres spent a full year renovating the former Bridgeway Cafe, turning it into a crisp, causal-coastal, French-inspired setting complete with bistro chairs, a marble countertop, blue and white wallpaper, copper tabletops and gold-rimmed mirrors that reflect the majestic bay and views of San Francisco.
Visit Suzette from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily at 633 Bridgeway in Sausalito. Reservations are accepted for six or more. Find additional information at suzettebistro.com or call 415-324-7070.
Fun in San Anselmo
Nearly two dozen downtown San Anselmo restaurants, shops and other businesses are opening their doors for wine tasting, mocktails and appetizers during the San Anselmo Chamber of Commerce’s second annual Sip & Stroll event from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday.
Magid Nazari, owner of Ludwig’s Fine Wine & Spirits, curated donations from 12 wineries including Carte Blanche; Altamura Vineyards & Winery; Paetra Wine Co.; Kendric Vineyards; Sullivan Rutherford Estate; MacRostie Winery; Handley Cellars; Raptor Ridge Winery; Santa Margherita Wines; Champagne Henriot; Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits; and Roederer Estate. Head High Wines, West Shore Wine Co. and Box Wine Co. are also pouring, and Ludwig’s is offering a 15% discount on bottles of featured wine to all ticket-holders.
Kientz Hall, Insalata’s, Cucina, the Baan Thai Cuisine and Taco Jane’s are donating the food along with United Markets and Andronico’s, and many shops and businesses are staying open late with special offers.
Pre-purchase wristbands at visitsananselmo.com/event ($50 including a commemorative glass; $25 if under 21 or for designated drivers) and pick up on Saturday with a map of participating merchants at City Hall at 525 San Anselmo Ave. A limited number of tickets are sold on-site; last year’s event was a sellout. Proceeds help offset the cost and maintenance of the hanging flower baskets lining the downtown corridor from May through October.
Leanne Battelle is a freelance food writer and restaurant columnist. Email her at ij.lbattelle@gmail.com with news and recommendations and follow on Instagram @therealdealmarin for more on local food and updates on the launch of The Real Deal Marin restaurant search guide.