Oakland Brunch Favorite Grand Lake Kitchen Opens First San Francisco Location

Owners May and Dave Wasem bring their signature comfort food and surprises like caviar pie to Noe Valley.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 5:36pm by Ben Kaplan

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Oakland brunch restaurant Grand Lake Kitchen has opened its first-ever location in San Francisco, debuting in the Noe Valley neighborhood on March 14. Owners May and Dave Wasem, who met while working at Balboa Cafe, are bringing their personal brand of affordable comfort food to the new space, including classics like fried green tomatoes and pork belly sandwiches, as well as some fun new items like caviar pie and boozy slushies.

Why it matters

The opening of Grand Lake Kitchen's first San Francisco location marks an expansion for the popular East Bay brunch spot, bringing its community-focused, value-driven dining experience to a new neighborhood. In a city with a rapidly changing restaurant landscape, Grand Lake Kitchen's commitment to quality comfort food and creative menu items stands out.

The details

The new San Francisco location of Grand Lake Kitchen will feature a similar menu to the Oakland restaurants, but the Wasems are using the opportunity to bring back some past favorites and add new items like caviar pie, inspired by a family friend's Friendsgiving dish. Nothing on the menu exceeds $35, with options like an 8-ounce hangar steak for $34 or a 16-ounce New York strip for $68. Brunch will feature items like savory French toast, chilaquiles verdes, and eggs Benedict. The restaurant will also offer a full list of martinis and boozy and non-alcoholic slushies.

  • Grand Lake Kitchen opens its first San Francisco location on Saturday, March 14, 2026.
  • Brunch service begins on Saturday, March 21, 2026.
  • Starting Monday, April 6, 2026, the restaurant will be open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.

The players

May Wasem

Co-owner of Grand Lake Kitchen and a San Francisco native.

Dave Wasem

Co-owner of Grand Lake Kitchen, who previously worked with May at Balboa Cafe.

Grand Lake Kitchen

An Oakland brunch favorite that has now opened its first location in San Francisco's Noe Valley neighborhood.

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What they’re saying

“We had just barely gotten the appetite [to expand] after COVID and everything. And so for fun, we decided to see the space … and then it turned out to be so perfect that we couldn't say no.”

— May Wasem, Co-owner, Grand Lake Kitchen (eater.com)

“I'm really excited for people in San Francisco to try some of our older classics that we put away for a while because they were too labor-intensive, or, for whatever reason, we moved on from them. I think that's where a lot of our stuff shines.”

— May Wasem, Co-owner, Grand Lake Kitchen (eater.com)

What’s next

The restaurant plans to install a new parklet outside the Noe Valley location in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

Grand Lake Kitchen's expansion to San Francisco brings its affordable, community-focused dining experience to a new neighborhood, offering a refreshing alternative to the city's rapidly changing restaurant landscape.