Food coverage is supported by a generous donation from Susan and Moses Libitzky.
Yes, Hanukkah is the eight-day Festival of Lights when Jews celebrate a great miracle and the rededication of the Second Temple. But let us not forget the modern-day miracle: the delicious foods we are encouraged to eat to remember our ancestors.
Latkes, sufganiyot, brisket … the list goes on. You can buy the ingredients and make these at home, or leave it to the experts. Here are some Bay Area restaurants, shops and markets offering Hanukkah-friendly dishes and meals for eat-in, takeout or delivery, or prepared holiday foods and grocery items.
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Restaurants
Bubbala’s
906 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Anselmo
(415) 785-3440
This new Jewish deli in the North Bay has Hanukkah staples on the regular menu including braised brisket with latkes and horseradish sauce ($21.95), latkes with sour cream and homestyle applesauce ($12) and matzah ball soup ($11). Other favorites include chicken schnitzel with pomegranate sauce and latkes ($16.95), cheese blintzes with fresh fruit compote ($15.95) and reuben sandwiches ($20). Online ordering isn’t available yet, so go in person to dine in or order takeout.
Canela Bistro & Wine Bar
2272 Market St., San Francisco
(415) 552-3000
A four-course Hanukkah menu ($69 per person) will be available for pickup or dine in at Canela. It will include potato and mixed veggie latkes, Jerusalem artichoke soup with challah croutons, seared wild fish fillet (vegetarian substitution available) with cauliflower mash, mixed sautéed greens and celery root slaw plus crepes with citrus zest, fresh fruit, chocolate sauce, mascarpone whip and gelt. An optional fifth course of brisket and several wine pairings are available to add on. Order for pickup or delivery or make reservations to dine in Dec. 26-29.
Che Fico
834 Divisadero St., San Francisco
(415) 416-6980
The popular Jewish-Italian restaurant is offering a takeout feast for four ($295) with meat and vegetarian options to be reheated at home. Tomato braised brisket or butternut squash lasagna come with latkes, heirloom applesauce, housemade sour cream, roasted carrots, roasted beet salad, sesame challah, chocolate gelt and a bottle of Lambrusco or nonalcoholic beverage of your choice. These dishes are also available a la carte ($40) — though still portioned for four — with an add-on dessert option of gianduja (chocolate-hazelnut) babka. Order for pickup or delivery on Dec. 23.
Greens Restaurant
2 Marina Blvd., Fort Mason, Building A, San Francisco
(415) 771-6222
Katie Reicher is the chef at this longtime vegetarian restaurant and has curated a special menu featuring dishes for both Hanukkah and Christmas. The dinner includes family portions (serving four to eight) of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes like portobello mushroom wellington ($50), wild mushroom terrine ($50), potato kugel ($45), roasted baby carrots, ($45), Southern-style beans ’n’ greens ($40), matzah ball soup ($22) and challah pull-apart rolls ($12), plus desserts like cranberry and orange cheesecake ($38), cinnamon roll babka ($38), ginger miso gingerbread cookies ($16/dozen), blood orange rugelach ($16/dozen), hazelnut kumquat Linzer cookies ($16/dozen) and Marian Farms orange liqueur truffles ($16/dozen). Items are a la carte and must be ordered by Dec. 16 for pickup Dec. 24.
Grossman’s Noshery & Bar
308½ Wilson St., Santa Rosa
(707) 595-7707
This season’s menu includes brisket with horseradish cream and potato leek latkes ($29), chopped liver and onions ($16), pomegranate molasses-roasted carrots ($14), matzah ball soup ($14), quinoa tabbouleh ($16), chicken shawarma kebabs ($26), veal-stuffed cabbage ($22) and several boards – sabich ($24), smoked and pickled fish ($28) and smoked meats ($28). Dessert items include sufganiyot with housemade strawberry jam ($5), chocolate-orange or cinnamon-almond rugelach ($4), chocolate crinkle cookies with dried figs ($4) and chocolate or cinnamon babka ($14-$16). Items are a la carte and available for pickup Dec. 26-31.
Hummus Bodega
5549 Geary Blvd., S.F.
(415) 463-6622
Kosher restaurant Hummus Bodega is serving plain kosher sufganiyot ($4) in addition to other favorites like falafel, shawarma, kebab and of course hummus. Available for dine-in, carry out or delivery.
King Knish
660 Fourth St., #479, San Francisco
(628) 246-6783
As the name implies, King Knish specializes in knishes, but the offerings also include artisan latkes. The classic potato ($14) is made with a blend of three types of potatoes and two kinds of onions. There’s a grilled zucchini and yellow squash potato latke ($14) and a pastrami latke ($14), plus chunky applesauce made with an organic blend of seven varieties of apple, caramelized gold and dark raisins, mixed with a high-grade bourbon ($18).
Loquat
198 Gough St., San Francisco
(415) 932-6816
Loquat has a number of Jewish and Levantine-inspired pastries, including an assorted Hanukkah cookie box ($50) and sufganiyot ($27/half-dozen) filled with strawberry and rose jam. Preorder by Dec. 17 for Dec. 20-30 pickup. Other seasonal treats, like red bean caramel babka ($18), pine nut and bay leaf tart ($55), pumpkin babka ($18), Turkish coffee cream pie ($50), labneh cheesecake with seasonal fruit ($65) and pistachio vanilla crumb cake with persimmon and huckleberries ($42) must be ordered at least 72 hours in advance.
Loveski Deli
Napa and Larkspur
(707) 294-2525
This self-described “Jew-ish” deli offers crispy mini latkes year-round. Orders come with 10 ($15) or five ($8) plus applesauce and sour cream. Available for pickup or dining in.
Marla
208 Davis St., Santa Rosa
(707) 852-4098
Marla is offering four-count boxes of sufganiyot ($18) filled with either Meyer lemon cream or dulce de leche cream. The doughnuts come in a festive blue and gold box and are available for pickup Dec. 24 and Dec. 27-29 at the Santa Rosa shop.
Masse’s Pastries
1469 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley
(510) 649-1004
This European-style bakery in Berkeley is offering sufganiyot filled with raspberry jelly, vanilla bean custard or lemon curd for preorder, plus a “wild card” flavor that changes daily and is available for walk-in orders only. Preorder 48 hours in advance for pickup Dec. 26-31.
One Market Restaurant
1 Market St., San Francisco
(415) 777-5577
One Market Restaurant is celebrating Hanukkah all month long with its annual “Festival of Latkes,” featuring nine different options loaded with toppings. This year’s offerings include pulled brisket with BBQ sauce, jalapeño and American cheese ($7.50), pastrami “Reuben” with Mark ’n Mike’s dressing, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese ($7.95), Bodega Bay smoked salmon with chive crème fraîche and salmon caviar ($8.95), “onion soup” with caramelized onion and gruyere cheese ($11), raclette cheese and bresaola ($12), smoked sturgeon rillette ($10), “breakfast” latke with house-made chicken apple sausage and a sunny-side-up egg ($12) and steak tartare and egg yolk ($14). Items are available for dining in through Dec. 31.
Revival Bar & Kitchen
2102 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley
(510) 549-9950
Revival Bar & Kitchen is known for its organic and sustainably sourced ingredients. A latke and brisket dinner ($45) is on the menu for Hanukkah with lox, sour cream, caviar and more goodies to be announced. Preorder for pickup Dec. 27.
Saul’s Restaurant & Delicatessen
1475 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley
(510) 848-DELI
The longtime East Bay Jewish deli is offering several options for your Hanukkah celebration. They’re bringing back their “latke tent,” which is an annual block party with music, doughnuts, coffee, tea, beer, wine, a special Hanukkah cocktail and of course, latkes. Stop by Dec. 24 12-5 p.m. or Dec. 25-29 10 a.m.-6 p.m., no reservations required. If dining in is more your vibe, Hanukkah reservations for inside the restaurant Dec. 26-29 and Jan. 1 will be available soon. For those who want to host at home, they have traditional latkes by the dozen ($49) or half-dozen ($26), plus house-made apple sauce ($12/pint) and sour cream ($4.50/ half pint). If you’d rather fry up your latkes yourself, you can order a quart of batter ($12) and get cooking. Saul’s also has cream or jelly-filled sufganiyot by the dozen ($42) or half-dozen ($22). Order for pickup starting Dec. 15. saulsdeli.com
Speisekammer
2424 Lincoln Ave., Alameda
(510) 522-1300
This authentic German restaurant serves reibekuchen ($9), which are traditional potato pancakes served with applesauce — aka latkes. The menu includes gravlax ($22) and other Deutsch dishes.
Suppenküche
525 Laguna St., San Francisco
(415) 252-9289
For those in the city, Suppenküche also has reibekuchen with applesauce and sour cream ($16) plus pickled herring ($17), braised beef with spätzle ($32) and other items.
Wise Sons
San Francisco and Oakland
Wise Sons’ Hanukkah menu includes multicourse feasts starring family portions of roast brisket for six ($137.75) or chicken for four ($99.75), along with challah, latkes with apple butter and sour cream and braised winter greens. There’s also a pastry box ($56.50) with cinnamon or chocolate babka, assorted rugelach and chocolate chip cookies, plus a la carte items such as matzah ball soup for two ($19), chopped liver ($10.50) and berry preserve-filled sufganiyot ($20/half-dozen). Preorder by 9 a.m. two days prior for pickup or delivery Dec. 22-Jan. 2. Not available Christmas Day or New Year’s Day.
Markets and Stores
Afikomen Judaica in Berkeley has a selection of Hanukkah wares, including “guilt-free gelt” made with Fair Trade cocoa grown by family farmers in Ghana. Other items include menorahs, candles, dreidels, cookie cutters, books, games and toys. 3042 Claremont Ave., Berkeley.
Bi-Rite Market is offering Hanukkah specialties at all three market locations in San Francisco. There’s a full meal of slow-braised brisket, smashed red potatoes with garlic and rosemary, roasted cauliflower sprouts, persimmon, kale and chicory salad and a jar of onion jam that serves four to six ($169.99). A la carte items include latkes ($14.99), buttermilk kugel with vanilla-soaked golden raisins ($14.99), matzah ball soup ($11.99), chopped chicken liver ($9.99) and Star of David cookies ($7.99). Preorder is available for store pickup or local delivery Dec. 22-24.
Dayenu, inside the JCC of San Francisco, has gelt, menorahs, candles, dreidels and picture books. At the JCC, 3220 California St.
Draeger’s Market locations in Menlo Park, San Mateo, Danville and Los Altos have Hanukkah menus featuring grilled chicken breast ($15.99 per lb.), brisket ($32.99 per lb.), plank salmon ($41.99 per lb.), herb-roasted leg of lamb ($199 per eight servings), latkes ($6.99) as well as challah, bagels, appetizers and desserts.
Market Hall Foods in Oakland has Jewish favorites like latkes ($9), matzah ball soup ($16), chopped liver ($9), vegetable kugel ($8), noodle kugel with pineapple ($7.50), rugelach ($9.95), colorful dreidel-shaped cookies ($8.95) and a selection of entrées. Preorder at least two days in advance for pickup Dec. 24-28. 5655 College Ave., Oakland.
Mollie Stone’s Markets have Hanukkah meals available for pickup from any of the nine locations in the Bay Area. Meals serve eight and come with challah, matzah ball soup, chicken broth, latkes, applesauce, sour cream, roasted beet and feta salad, sweet kugel, chocolate Hanukkah cake and choice of either brisket ($299) or roasted chicken ($249). Most items are also available a la carte. Order at least two days in advance.
Whole Foods Market locations has a Hanukkah meal for four with lemon-herb roasted chicken, green beans, honey roasted carrots, latkes, homestyle applesauce and matzah ball soup ($89.99), plus a la carte items like beef and rice-stuffed cabbage ($29.99), mushroom and root vegetable en croute ($14.99), cheese ($54.99), fruit ($29.99) and antipasti ($49.99), chocolate babka ($8.99), chocolate or cinnamon rugelach ($6.99) and Basque cheesecake ($25.99). Order by Dec. 29 for pickup through Dec. 31.