2025 New Restaurant Roundup – A Year In Review

2025 served up a feast for San Leandro and Bay Area food lovers. This year the city’s dining scene expanded with at least seven new full-service restaurants, three fast-food options, and a dessert shop. Some of these newcomers quickly drew regional acclaim, while others are competing to be your neighborhood favorite.

Korean restaurant, Vivid Bibim (14393 Washington Ave. Ste J) earned praise in the SF Chronicle, where critic Cesar Hernandez hailed its sizzling rice bowl as the best he’d ever tasted.

Dao Artisan Noodle at 15032 Farnsworth St. was spotlighted in KQED’s The Midnight Diners by Luke Tsai and Thien Pham, who celebrated its affordability, authenticity, and playful modern twist on traditional dishes. The modern Chinese restaurant debuted a few standout menu items such as their Lanzhou-style La Mian (hand-pulled noodles) and Xiao Long Bao. 

Another Chinese noodle restaurant, Ji Bei Chuan opened up downtown (1668 E 14th St. Ste E) and while they are known for their Fish Maw Soup, many locals are talking about their Clay Pot and generous portions earning them a 4.5 stars on Yelp since their soft open earlier this summer. Downtown also welcomed Wonderful Cafe, a Hong Kong style cafe, in the former Le Soleil location (1515 E 14th St). 

Over in the Halcyon-Foothill neighborhood, the Halcyon District Shopping Center welcomed Vietnamese restaurant, Saigon Yum (15099 Hesperian Blvd.) which also boasts a 4.5 star review on Yelp, with most Yelpers complimenting the unique flavoring of the pho broth. 

As previously highlighted on SLNext, a well-known food truck, Smack Burgers, chose Downtown San Leandro to call home as they debuted their first Bay Area brick-and-mortar location at 160 W Juana Ave. Chain restaurant, Panda Express opened their second San Leandro location at 1224 Fairmont Dr with a grand opening event featuring Chinese Dragon dancers. Straying from our beloved Asian cuisine, Fourno’s Pizzeria & Bistro started serving fresh Mediterranean dishes and Greek inspired specialty pizzas at 600 Dutton Ave. Ste C.

Baby Cafe (13708 Doolittle Dr.) opened their newest location in the Marina Faire shopping center. This is the third Bay Area location for this popular Hong Kong style bistro that mixes traditional Chinese flavors with a bit of Western flair. They also offer specialty drinks, such as Hong Kong Style Milk Tea, and desserts in a cozy and welcoming atmosphere.

If its trendy dinks you are looking for, you can also find Kittea Cafe in Downtown San Leandro (1384 E 14th St.). The Korean-inspired cafe is sure to stand out, offering a variety of specialty drinks such as hot chocolate, bingsoo slushes, cream sodas, and more. We hope local students take full advantage of Kittea’s 20% off Student Discount while it lasts.

There was no shortage of sweet treats in San Leandro this year with the opening of Chocolate Bash (1540 San Leandro Blvd.). With 14 locations across the United States, San Leandro hosts the only East Bay location where you can build your own pastries and ice creams or enjoy one of their “Bash Specials”.

San Leandro’s culinary renaissance in 2025 is more than just a feast for Bay Area food lovers. It is a testament to the creativity, resilience, and vision of our community and business owners. With each new restaurant and dining experience, San Leandro has strengthened its identity as a hub of growing flavor and culture.

Stay tuned for more news about upcoming restaurants in 2026!

Featured in This Post