Food coverage is supported by a generous donation from Susan and Moses Libitzky.
It’s not too early to start preparing for Rosh Hashanah, which begins at sundown Monday, Sept. 22. Whether you’d prefer to pick up a complete holiday meal, buy prepared dishes to complement your own cooking, visit your local bakery for round challah and other treats, or grocery shop for whatever you need to cook a feast, you’ll get guidance from our annual directory of Bay Area sources for Jewish holiday foods. There are offers for Yom Kippur break-the-fast, too.
Because this was compiled in advance, please contact stores if you plan to shop early to make sure items you want are in stock. And do let us know of places we’ve missed. Send the information to [email protected] and we’ll add them!
Markets
Andronico’s S.F., with its large kosher display, will offer Rosh Hashanah items starting the week of Sept 8. In the grocery department: matzah ball mixes, egg noodles, honey, onion soup mix, gefilte fish and grape juice. The frozen department will have blintzes, kishka, make-at-home gefilte fish and ready-to-heat matzah balls and soups. Preorders, available now, are encouraged for fresh kosher chicken and beef in the meat department. The bakery department offers round challahs, honey cakes and assorted pastries. For the Yom Kippur break-fast, look for packaged kosher sliced deli meats and packaged salads, dips and kosher cheeses, plus whitefish salad and herring. 1200 Irving St., S.F.
Bay Kosher, managed by Chabad of Lamorinda, is a small market with an extensive online grocery that carries challah, honey, meats, bakery items and just about anything else needed for your kosher Rosh Hashanah table, including plates and shofars. Many recipes are provided; each includes a “Shop Ingredients” button that allows you to click-and-buy what you’ll need to make it. Delivery available, or pickup at the Lamorinda Jewish Center, 3477 Golden Gate Way, Lafayette.
Bi-Rite Market sells house-made dishes that include potato latkes, tahini carrots and cauliflower, a salad featuring apple, fennel and Brussels sprouts, slow-braised brisket with red wine, matzah ball soup, chopped chicken liver, coconut macaroons, apple crumble pie and honey-lavender ice cream. Challah from Wise Sons and other traditional products Sept. 18-25; other menu items Sept. 19-24. Order 24 hours in advance in person or by phone. 3639 18th St., 550 Divisadero St. and 2140 Polk St., S.F.
Draeger’s Market carries challah (round and braided) and Manischewitz products and also offers ready-made dishes such as: beef brisket, plank salmon, butternut squash lasagna, Draeger’s own matzah ball soup, potato pancakes, grilled asparagus, vegetable pasta salad, French potato salad and a winter kale salad. Available Sept. 21–Oct. 3. Order online for pickup at 1010 University Drive, Menlo Park; 342 First St., Los Altos; 4100 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Danville.
Mollie Stone’s offers an especially large kosher section in its Palo Alto store, one of nine locations from the Peninsula to San Francisco and Marin County. Its holiday menu is available online now through Oct. 5, with customizable meals that can be ordered for pickup or delivery. Options include entrée (brisket, rotisserie chicken or grilled salmon), salad (spring mix with roasted beets and feta or kale with almonds and dates), potatoes (herb-roasted fingerling or mashed), vegetables (rainbow carrots, garlic butter green bean), plus latkes, deviled eggs, round challah (plain or raisin), a fresh fruit tart and an apple tart. Also a large selection of kosher wines. Items are also available in stores, but quantity and availability vary. Order online at least 48 hours in advance for pickup or delivery ($40), or call the catering department at (415) 301-1147.
Oakland Kosher Foods offers honey cakes starting Sept. 17 and will be making 1- and 2-lb. round challahs (plain and raisin), available starting Sept. 18. Assorted types and sizes of honey available. Prepared foods include homemade chicken soup, roasted chicken, brisket, herbed rice, roasted potatoes and baby carrots, grilled vegetables and chopped liver. Call (510) 839-0177 or send an email to oaklandkosherfoods.com. Pickup at 3419 Lakeshore Ave., Oakland.
Pars Kosher Market will have various flavors of domestic honey cakes and some from Israel starting Sept. 9. Round challahs in different sizes and flavors (classic raisin, sesame, plain, and pretzel with apple and honey) will be available Sept. 21-22. Ordering in advance is not necessary. 3978 S. Bascom Ave., San Jose.
Piedmont Grocery sells brisket and matzah ball soup, as well as challah and other breads and pastries from Grand Bakery. Every day, the store carries an array of kosher items and varieties of honey. 4038 Piedmont Ave., Oakland.
Safeway on Hamilton Avenue in San Jose will offer Rosh Hashanah items starting the week of Sept 8. The grocery department will have matzah ball mixes, egg noodles, honey, onion soup mix, gefilte fish and grape juice. The frozen department will have blintzes, kishka, make-at-home gefilte fish and ready-to-heat matzah balls and soups. Preorders, available now, are encouraged for fresh kosher chicken and beef in the meat department. The bakery department offers round challahs, honey cakes and assorted pastries. For the Yom Kippur break-fast, look for packaged kosher sliced deli meats and packaged salads, dips and kosher cheeses, plus whitefish salad and herring. 1530 Hamilton Ave., San Jose.
Whole Foods Market has ready-to-serve Rosh Hashanah meals and other holiday foods, including Burgundy-braised brisket, honey-lemon salmon, cider-glazed chicken, honey-apple walnut salad, matzah ball soup, honey-roasted carrots, round raisin challah, honey cake and apple pie. Check with the store nearest you for specific items, and order at least 48 hours in advance.
Businesses by Region
San Francisco
Arizmendi Bakery has two locations in San Francisco and two in the East Bay. The store at 1331 9th Ave. offers round challah (plain and raisin-almond) and honey cake tea bread. The 1286 Valencia St. location offers round challah and apple honey cake. The shops at 4301 San Pablo Ave. in Emeryville and 3265 Lakeshore Ave. in Oakland offer round challah. Preorders are advised; call your local shop or order online.
Canela Bistro and Wine Bar has a four-course dinner available for takeout or dine-in (reservations recommended). Course 1 includes chopped liver (chicken or mock), feta and apple dip with honey drizzle, and a veggie crudité with herb labneh. Course 2 is artichoke and roasted pepper. Course 3 is headlined by a seared fresh fish filet with charred tomato, olives and shallot. Dessert is a creamy kugel with a honey-cinnamon streusel topping. For delivery or pickup, order online at least one full business day ahead; pickup after 3 p.m. Sept. 21-24 at 2272 Market St. Closed Mondays.
Che Fico offers a full Rosh Hashanah catered meal plus a la carte items. The meal includes a choice of tomato-braised brisket, roasted chicken with Sungold tomato relish, or mushroom and black truffle-stuffed peppers, plus three sides. Meals also include tomato salad with marinated beets and candied walnuts, roasted potatoes, challah and a beverage (red wine, if desired). Additional items include apple cake with walnuts and cinnamon. A la carte or full meal orders close at 11:59 p.m. Sept. 17 or when sold out. Delivery available, or pick up Sept. 22 at 838 Divisadero St.
Delfina Restaurant will offer a dine-in menu Sept. 22-24 that includes John’s gravlax (with giardiniera, creme fraiche and rye carta di musica), nettle farfalle (kasha, shmaltz onions, porcini mushrooms and smoked butter), wood-grilled brisket (horseradish, celery root and black truffle gratinate), baked apples with bourbon cream and Jessica’s honeycomb candy. Advance reservations on the website are advised. 3621 18th St.
Greens Restaurant offers a menu of plant-based items for pickup that includes: round challah; miso matzah ball soup; wild rice salad with apples, raisins, mint, parsley and pumpkin seeds; pomegranate-glazed Lion’s Mane mushrooms; veggie knishes; apple upside-down cake with salted caramel; and a box of vegan cookies including apple butter almond thumbprints and chocolate walnut rugelach. Orders close Sept. 17 and pickup is available only on Sept. 21 at 2 Marina Blvd., Building A, Fort Mason.
Hummus Bodega is certified kosher and carries honey cakes, challah, cookies and other sweet treats. Starting Sept. 10, order online or call (415) 463-6622 for pickup. Or just stop by the store; the fast-casual restaurant anticipates having plenty on hand. 5549 Geary Blvd.
Jane the Bakery offers round challah, honey cake, apple brandy cake, babka (apple butter or chocolate-hazelnut), rugelach (currant-walnut or apricot-raspberry), apricot-pistachio macaroons, sumac shortbread and a gift box. Availability at shops is not guaranteed. Order by 3 p.m. Sept. 17 for Sept. 21-22 pickup; order by 3 p.m. Sept. 18 for Sept. 23-24 pickup. Pickups in S.F. at main shop, 1881 Geary Blvd., or at Jane/Cal-Mart, 3585 California St., or at Jane/Marin, 1 Blackfield Drive, Tiburon.
Loquat, which specializes in Jewish pastries and Middle Eastern–inspired fare, offers round challah, apple honey cake and a Rosh Hashanah-inspired rugelach. Order on the website for pickup at 198 Gough St.
Noe Valley Bakery has round challah (plain, sesame seed, poppyseed, raisin and almond), honey cake, apple streusel cake, rugelach (chocolate/cherry or raisin pecan) and macaroons in three varieties. Orders made Sept. 11–Oct. 2 are available for delivery or pickup Sept. 19–Oct. 13 at both 4073 24th St. and 28 West Portal Ave.
Schlok’s Bagels & Lox is accepting limited orders for break-the-fast platters with bagels, schmear and salmon (cured, smoked and hand-sliced in-house). Catering orders require a $200 minimum and 48 hours notice; delivery within S.F. only or pickup at 1263 Fell St.
Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen is offering round raisin challah, matzah ball soup, matzah balls, carrot tsimmes, braised brisket, roast chicken, an autumn rice salad, potato latkes, a fruit platter, sweet noodle kugel, holiday honey cake, a pastry platter, cinnamon or chocolate babka and rugelach. A pre-selected meal for four is also available. For Yom Kippur, items include smoked salmon platter, veggie platter, bagel-and-schmear boxes and a cold-cut platter. Order online by 9 a.m. two days prior to pickup in S.F. at 3150 24th St. or 1520 Fillmore St., or 3838 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. Delivery available.
East Bay
Afikomen Judaica carries round challah (plain, or Slivovitz-soaked raisin and saffron) from Boichik Bagels, local honey from Marshall’s Farm, specialty matcha and chocolate honey — plus halvah, wine, treats and other holiday items including shofars, Rosh Hashanah greetings cards, tableware, gifts, calendars, books, a lulav and etrog set for Sukkot (early bird special until Sept. 7) and yahrzeit candles. 3042 Claremont Ave., Berkeley.
As Kneaded Bakery offers round challah (plain, raisin and poppyseed) and jars of honey from Sweet Serendipity, available 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 22 at the shop or one of three farmers markets. Founded and run by Iliana Berkowitz. Order on the website. 585 Victoria Court, San Leandro.
Boichik Bagels offers 1-pound round challahs in two varieties: plain, or saffron and Slivovitz-soaked raisin (both certified parve). Order online at least five days before pickup Sept. 20-23. Limited quantities will be available in stores. Find Boichik in San Francisco (three locations), Berkeley (two), Concord, Larkspur, Palo Alto, Santa Clara and Los Gatos.
Grand Bakery has 1- and 2-pound braided round challahs (plain, sesame seed, poppyseed or raisin) and honey cakes. Find Grand Bakery goods at grocery stores including Oakland Kosher, Draeger’s, Mollie Stone’s, Diablo Foods, Lunardi’s, Andronico’s, Farmer Joe’s, Berkeley Bowl, Piedmont Grocery, Gene’s Fine Foods, Piazza’s Fine Foods and select Safeways.
Mariposa Baking Co. offers apple galettes, apple cider doughnuts, round challah (plain or raisin), coconut pecan macaroons and honey bundt cakes — all gluten-free. Most are available Sept. 18–Oct. 10. Order online for pickup in Oakland, or visit the shop in the S.F. Ferry Building. Challah can be shipped out of state. For help on an order, call (510) 595-0955 ext. 108. 5427 Telegraph Ave., Oakland.
Rockridge Market Hall offers plain or raisin-spiral challah; chopped liver; pineapple or vegetable noodle kugel; tsimmes; matzah ball soup; baba ghanoush; smoked salmon spread; rice with chickpeas, currants and herbs; broccolini with lemon; harissa- and maple-roasted carrots; grilled salmon with preserved lemon; and more. Honey-saffron chicken is available for Rosh Hashanah; pomegranate-braised chicken for Yom Kippur. Desserts include strudel, spiced honey cake, brown butter almond torte and rugelach. Items available in the store while supplies last. Menu items must be ordered by 12 p.m. one day before pickup Sept. 20-24 or Sept. 30-Oct. 2. 5655 College Ave., Oakland.
Saul’s Restaurant & Delicatessen is accepting dine-in reservations and also offering a catering menu that ranges from “scratch-made gefilte fish to apple cake and everything in between.” This includes vegan or chicken chopped liver spread, vegetable succotash, roasted chicken with figs and grapes, whole rockfish matbucha, braised brisket, Moroccan pumpkin and chickpea stew, Jerusalem kugel, honey cake, and chocolate or apricot-pecan babka. Bonus: The challah will be house-made for the first time. Order online or call (510) 848-3354 for consultation. 1475 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley.
North Bay
The Bagel Mill is offering round challah (plain or raisin) for the holidays. Order online for pickup. 212 Western Ave., Petaluma.
Bubbala’s in San Anselmo offers a holiday menu that includes challah, brisket, chicken Marbella, baked salmon, stuffed eggplant, saffron rice with cherries and pistachios, harissa carrots, tsimmes, noodle kugel, latkes, chopped liver (chicken or vegan), smoked whitefish salad and matzah ball soup. For dessert, there’s B.T.B. (Better Than Babka), rugelach, sour cream coffee cake, brown butter honey apple galette and brown butter chocolate chip cookies. Order for Rosh Hashanah by Sept. 19 and pick up Sept. 21-23. Order for Yom Kippur by Sept. 28, pickup Oct. 1-2. 906 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Anselmo.
Grossman’s Noshery and Bar has dine-in and takeout options that include sweet-and-sour braised brisket, slow-braised lamb shank, a smoked meats board, a smoked and pickled fish board, potato leek latkes, pomegranate-molasses roasted carrots, matzah ball soup, and chopped liver and onions. Round challah (raisin or currant), honey cake with apple-buttercream and rugelach (cinnamon or chocolate) are also available. Make a dine-in reservation or place an order for pickup 8 a.m.–8 p.m. Sept. 22-24. 308 Wilson St., Santa Rosa.
Loveski Deli offers thick-sliced brisket, matzah ball soup, plain or seeded challah, honey cake and a mini honey bear at their two locations. Order online and allow 24-48 hours for confirmation. Pick up Sept. 21-24 at Oxbow Public Market, 610 First St., Napa, or Marin Country Mart, 1813 Larkspur Landing Circle, Larkspur.
Marla Bakery carries round raisin challah and a bagel box among its long list of cakes, tarts and sweet treats. Order online for pickup Sept. 19-21 or for break-the-fast items. 208 Davis St., Santa Rosa.
The Tish offers round honey cake, a round challah with a center bowl for honey, an apple tart and chocolate babka. The baking operation is run by Jerusalem-raised Dana Koschitzky. Order online by 5 p.m. Sept. 19 for pickup at 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Sept. 21-22 at Rory’s Bakehouse, 2766 Old Sonoma Road, Napa.
South Bay / Peninsula
Bubbelah, recently opened by Che Fico chef David Nayfeld, has a full Rosh Hashanah catered meal plus a la carte items. Options are the same as Che Fico (see above), and the three entrées are also available a la carte (without the salad, bread, and glass of wine or other beverage). Order by 11:59 p.m. Sept. 17, though items might sell out before that. Delivery is available via apps, or pick up Sept. 22 at 1300-A El Camino Real, Menlo Park.
Izzy’s Brooklyn Bagels carries an array of products that are both parve and pas yisroel (baked under strict standards). These include challah (plain, sesame, raisin, poppyseed, whole wheat, whole-wheat sesame, sprinkles or chocolate chip) and honey cakes (shaped as loaves, rounds or muffins). Order at least 24 hours in advance for pickup Sept. 12-30 at 477 California Ave., Palo Alto.
Krembo Baked Goods, inside the Lent Chabad Center, offers apple cake (no nuts, with a honey-streusel topping), gluten-free honey cake, honey cake loaf (walnuts or chocolate chip), honey cake mandelbrot, no-seed round challahs (plain or raisin), and small, round, sesame-seed challahs made without gluten. All products are kosher certified and parve. Order online or via [email protected] by Sept. 12. Pickup at the Chabad, 115 Monte Diablo Ave., San Mateo.
Little Sky Bakery carries round, wild-yeasted olive oil challah in plain, sprinkle and golden raisin flavors, as well as apple cake. Available Sept. 19-Oct. 5; online orders must be placed 48 hours in advance. Pickups at local farmers markets or at the shops in Menlo Park (506 Santa Cruz Ave.) or Los Altos (170 State St.).
Wineries
To go with your holiday meal, kosher wines are available from Covenant Wines (1102 6th St., Berkeley) and Hagafen Cellars (4160 Silverado Trail, Napa).