What’s come and gone in Marin’s food scene in 2024

As 2024 came to a close, San Anselmo experienced a trio of notable restaurant closures. Pan-Latin restaurant Marinitas announced via Instagram that it would end its 16-year run today. The restaurant cited lingering challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic and rising operating costs as the reasons behind its decision.

Marin residents Marc Quinones and Linda Salman, co-owners of 3-year-old Kientz Hall, served their final patrons on Dec. 24. The closure marks the end of a striking expansion that featured an interior by Doug Washington Design and the town’s first and only rooftop deck.

Souvenir all-natural wine and bottle shop shuttered its vibe-driven space on San Anselmo Avenue last month. Enthusiasts can find consolation just down the street at the equally enticing Voyage, a  venue with wine, low-proof cocktails and shareable plates that opened in late 2023 by the same team.

Creekside Pizza & Taproom owner Pat Townsley summed up the recent closures in his ever-insightful Heard on the Street blog: “They say tragedies come in threes, so hopefully this is the end of bad news here in town.”

Also in San Anselmo, Bistro Viz announced on its website in August that it had served its final dinner, writing that the decision came after the building’s owners requested the restaurant sign an NDA as a condition of their tenancy.

Despite these setbacks, the town’s community-fueled momentum remains evident.

Jackie Suthon, owner of The Baan Thai Cuisine, expanded his San Anselmo footprint in July with Kuro Nami Japanese Kitchen, taking over the former home of Sushi 69, which closed in late 2023 after nearly 17 years.

On the outskirts of downtown, local celebrity chef and former “Top Chef” contestant Ryan Scott began serving a locally inspired breakfast and lunch menu from The Boutique Food Trailer, which is permanently parked in the historic Yolanda Station neighborhood. The trailer is located next to a soon-to-be full-service event space for Ryan Scott 2 Go, his 16-year-old catering company.

At Red Hill Shopping Center, father-daughter culinary duo Greg Bernson and Janelle Loiselle opened Bubbala’s Jewish-inspired delicatessen in November, where they share the classic comfort foods of their heritage with a few unique twists.

The year brought many transitions to downtown San Rafael’s dining scene.

Worker-owned cooperative Arizmendi Bakery closed its Fourth Street location in September 2023, initially planning to reopen two blocks away six months later. But, in November, much to the disappointment of its loyal customers, the bakery announced that, after 14 years, it “ultimately faced too many unforeseen challenges” and would not return.

“It has been an incredibly unpredictable journey, and we are grateful for each and every one of you who have been a part of this experience with us,” they wrote on Instagram.

Sister bakeries in San Francisco, Oakland, Emeryville and Berkeley remain open.

In January, Oakland resident and chef Jeff Tiaekalarp opened TuTu Lounge in the former Bogie’s Too space on Fourth Street, retaining many breakfast menu favorites while adding Asian fusion fare in the evenings.

Magnolia Park Kitchen sandwich shop owner Robert Wellbeloved announced in March on Instagram that after nearly eight years of “memories, meals and celebrations … the time (had) come to close (the) chapter and begin another.”

He says he has since rejoined the senior management team at China Live in San Francisco.

That same month, Dai Takeda, owner of Sushi to Dai For, retired after 30 years. In September, the space was taken over by Paradise Sushi & Grill, which operates four restaurants in Sonoma County and offers an all-you-can-eat option.

Bombay Grill Indian restaurant closed its doors but will soon reopen as Everest Curry & MoMo House.

In August, Sana’a Cafe debuted its fourth of five locations — and its first in Marin — introducing the community to the rich history, culture and flavors of Yemeni coffee.

Double Rainbow Café, a downtown San Rafael go-to ice cream shop for 36 years, relocated two doors down to a coffee shop space at Autistry Studios, a nonprofit supporting autistic and neurodivergent individuals through vocational job training. It currently has a limited menu of coffee and ice cream but plans to expand its offerings once renovations are complete. Updates are available on Instagram @double_rainbowcafe.

Mexican and Salvadorian restaurant Casa Mañana closed its 901 Fourth St. location but continues to operate at its original 46-year-old spot on D Street. A few blocks down, Taqueria San Jose also closed.

In December, Darren Preston opened a second location of his popular East Bay vegan burger joint, Malibu’s Burgers, in the former Caribbean Spices restaurant that closed earlier this year.

Marin welcomed a few new refreshing dessert options. In Corte Madera, local resident Meggie Sichi ushered in the summer season with the opening of nostalgic ice cream parlor The Shack in downtown Larkspur.

In July, Petaluma-founded Angela’s Organic Ice Cream debuted its fourth North Bay location in Mill Valley.

Three months later, Daily Recess, a small-batch gelato shop known for its inventive natural flavors, opened as a pop-up at the Northgate Mall in Terra Linda. Kentfield resident Brian Bowen and professional pastry chef Kristi Gauslowa aim to secure a permanent location in 2025.

In West Marin, Palace Market in Point Reyes Station began a now-completed renovation in January to upgrade its infrastructure and add a new kitchen that allows for its expanded lunchtime menu.

Renowned chef Mark Malicki, who was most recently at the Casino Bar & Grill in Bodega for 13 years, brought his decades of creative culinary expertise to cozy kitchen quarters in Tomales with taco spot Out the Door, owned by local resident Shannon Gregory of the Marshall Store and Route One Bakery & Kitchen. In similar fashion to its predecessor K&A Take Away that closed at the end of 2023 after 11 years, Malicki offers a unique, daily-changing menu using ingredients sourced nearby.

In November, Mable’s opened with a Mediterranean-style menu at the Lodge at Marconi, an upscale coastal retreat in Marshall. A few weeks later, Eleven Wine Bar Bistro closed after seven years in Bolinas.

Waldscraft put a wrap on its brick-and-mortar bakery in downtown Mill Valley in February but can still be found at many farmers markets throughout the county and one in Noe Valley in San Francisco. Purchases can also be made at waldscraft.com.

Mill Valley got its first swanky day-through-midnight craft cocktail and chef-driven food venue with the opening of Corner Bar in April, moving into the prominent downtown space briefly occupied by Coho in 2023 and, before that, Vasco for 23 years.

Oni Kuma Izakaya & Hand Roll Bar debuted in June in the Whole Foods Market shopping plaza on East Blithedale. Owner, Novato resident and accomplished chef Yasuo Shigeyoshi also owns Shiro Kuma Sushi in San Rafael.

In August, Tam Valley resident and chef Tony Adams opened Mill Valley Pasta Co., a downtown retail store catering to cooks and gift givers alike. Adams also operates a factory store in San Rafael and maintains a strong presence at seven Bay Area farmers markets along with other retail outlets.

Marin restaurateurs Olivier and Susannah Souvestre brought a slice of France to Sausalito’s waterfront with the April opening of Suzette Cafe & Bistro, but closed their 3-year-old Mediterranean restaurant Zalta on Caledonia Street in June, which they opened as Fast Food Français (F3) in 2013.

Sausalito said goodbye to two storied dining institutions.

Seafood Peddler Restaurant & Fish Market, which first opened in San Rafael in 1998 before relocating to Sausalito in 2012, closed in May.

In December, Sean Saylor, owner of Saylor’s Restaurant and Bar, made the difficult decision to close his iconic Sausalito establishment and retire, marking the end of a 26-year legacy.

“We are proud, blessed and forever grateful for your longtime support and to have been referred to as ‘The Cheers’ of Sausalito,” the team shared on its website in a heartfelt message to patrons.

Larkspur’s Marin Country Mart added two new culinary destinations.

Chef Christopher Kostow, whose distinguished career has included earning three Michelin stars, opened Loveski Deli a year ago. And, in July, Patrick Ascaso and his wife Joanna Pulcini-Ascaso opened Buvette du Marais, a French cafe, crêperie and wine bar. This is their fifth eatery and second location in Marin. (Le Marais Bakery opened in Mill Valley in 2021.)

Restaurateur and chef Munther Massarweh (the Speakeasy, the Board Room, Scrumptious Occasions Catering), along with a team of investors from Bend, Oregon, revived the former Rickey’s Restaurant in Novato with the opening of Blacksteer Steakhouse & Saloon in January. Less than a year later, they announced on Instagram that its final day of service would be in November.

Co-owner and executive chef Victor Viera, owner of Golden Gate Bistro in Richmond, opened a second location in Novato in June. It replaced Blazers Smokehouse & Beer Garden, which owners Erick and Keri Hendricks closed in May after a year.

In Larkspur, the longtime owners of DJ’s Chinese Cuisine retired but the restaurant has resumed service under new ownership.

Cal-Italian restaurant The Rustic moved into the Magnolia Avenue space that Locanda Marin left in July. A block away, Don Antonio closed after owner Antonio Volpicelli sold the Italian restaurant and moved to the East Coast.

In Corte Madera, Redwood High School graduate Josh Spiegelman, co-owner of Roam Artisan Burgers, opened the fast-casual restaurant’s sixth location — and first in Marin — in August at the Town Center Corte Madera.

In November, Laguna Beach-based Endless Quest Roasters expanded north and filled the Marketplace shopping plaza space vacated in 2023 by Ohana Acai Cafe.

Andy’s Corte Madera Market closed, though its San Rafael locations at Loch Lomond Marina and Sun Valley remain open.

The grassroots investment of 38 local “ambassadors” brought Fairfax Brewing Co. in Fairfax to life, reviving a 25-year-old brewing facility operated by Ross Valley Brewing Co. (1998), Iron Springs Pub & Brewery (2004 to 2021) and HenHouse Brewing Co. (2022 to 2023) and introducing the town’s first namesake beer brand.

Marin’s dining scene continues to evolve, with beloved establishments departing and new ventures enriching the culinary landscape. If something has slipped my notice, feel free to send me an email.

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.