From shops and showrooms that spark creative inspiration to dining hotspots and luxe lodgings, these new design-forward destinations are not to be missed.
Restaurants and bars
Bar Underdog
Palo Alto
Newly opened in Palo Alto, Bar Underdog was founded by Master Sommelier Dennis Kelly and chef Anthony Secviar, who met at The French Laundry and later opened the Michelin-starred Protégé across the street. Despite their prestigious reputations, however, Kelly and Secviar intended Bar Underdog to be the kind of convivial neighborhood spot where locals feel comfortable dropping in anytime for a craft cocktail like the No. 34, made with gin, lacto-fermented strawberry, genmaicha and yuzu, and a modestly priced bar snack, like the Korean corn-cheese puffs with smoked mozzarella and pickled jalapeño or the tuna tartare with plum miso, avocado and sweet onion “chips.”
The inviting space was designed by Studio KDA featuring a material palette that merges Japanese influence and Bay Area warmth, framed portraits of iconic pop-culture “underdogs,” and a hand-painted entry mural. Fitting the casual vibe, there are no reservations taken, and a late-night “moonlight menu” is designed to welcome the area’s hospitality workers.
299 California Ave., #110, Palo Alto
JouJou
San Francisco
The team behind Lazy Bear recently opened French restaurant JouJou — a glamorous addition to San Francisco’s Design District dining scene. Guests at the new hotspot, designed by Jon de la Cruz of DLC-ID and Liebes Architects, can dine on decadent seafood towers and brasserie classics like escargot toast and petrale sole meunière in elegant environs that channel the French Riviera in the 1970s.
The upstairs dining room is embellished with a burgundy-veined marble oyster counter, Art Nouveau-inspired palm-frond wallpaper, vintage green dining chairs and tufted banquettes, while the lower dining room and wine cellar features intimate booth seating surrounding a private dining room wrapped in green cheetah wallcovering. The glass-enclosed bar, meanwhile, evokes a verdant greenhouse, decked out in shades of green and accented with lush foliage.
65 Division Street, San Francisco; 415.523.8320
Hotels
Duchamp Healdsburg
Healdsburg
Located within easy walking distance to Healdsburg Plaza, Duchamp Healdsburg officially opened this month, developed by longtime locals Mark and Marie Luzaich. The 20-suite boutique hotel is organized across four distinct buildings that frame a pool courtyard, including the onsite spa, hotel lobby, and residential-style accommodations designed by Shalls Design Studio.
Each guestroom, designed with an organic, neutral palette, features distinct living, dining and sleeping areas, as well as private outdoor spaces, while bespoke amenities include a retro Polaroid camera, Smeg refrigerator, Nespresso machine, Salt & Stone bath products, and locally sourced stoneware from Hayes Ceramics. The grounds, designed by Forma Design Partners, are also thoughtfully imagined with intimate gathering areas located throughout the property. Guests can also take advantage of immersive experiences, such as hands-on cooking classes, guided e-bike explorations, river kayaking and curated shopping sessions.
421 Foss St., Healdsburg; 707.431.1300
Lotus Abrams has covered everything from beauty to business to tech in her editorial career, but it might be writing about her native Bay Area that inspires her most. She lives with her husband and two daughters in the San Francisco Peninsula, where they enjoy spending time outdoors at the area’s many open spaces protected and preserved by her favorite local nonprofit, the Peninsula Open Space Trust.
