T&T Supermarket has opened in San Francisco, bringing Asian groceries, prepared meals and the chain’s first U.S. café to City Center at 2675 Geary Boulevard, near Masonic Avenue.

The November 5 opening fills the former Best Buy space, which had been vacant for more than nine years. It gives residents another option for grocery shopping and a quick meal inside the city.

The café serves Asian-inspired drinks, including ube and black sesame lattes. A self-serve hot food bar, Taiwanese sticky rice rolls and an in-house bakery add reasons to visit beyond filling a shopping cart.

T&T announced the San Francisco location in March 2025. The Canadian chain’s format combines specialty groceries with prepared food, baked goods and beauty products, putting several kinds of errands under one roof.

The location is its second Bay Area store, following its California debut at San Jose’s Westgate Center earlier this year. San Francisco residents can now explore the format closer to home.

For a first trip, check current hours and confirm any particular café drink, bakery item or specialty ingredient with the store. Prices, selection and convenience will determine how the new arrival fits into shoppers’ regular routines.

Two transit funding measures hold strong leads in unofficial returns from the November 3 election, offering Muni, BART and other Bay Area agencies relief from threatened service cuts.

KQED’s RTM tally showed 805,292 yes votes and 488,480 no votes, about 62.2% support, in a panel updated at 3:30 p.m. Pacific on November 5, 2026. Proposition H had 177,669 yes votes and 63,624 no votes, about 73.6%, in Associated Press results updated at 6:58 p.m. that day.

The counts remain provisional. MTC’s separate regional snapshot differs from KQED’s; the figures should be read separately while certification is pending.

RTM would fund transportation across five counties through a 14-year sales tax. San Francisco’s Proposition H would provide a separate parcel tax dedicated to Muni.

SFMTA says the funding, together with internal savings, will help avoid deep service cuts. Specific fare changes, restored routes and expanded schedules will depend on subsequent agency decisions.

Proposition H’s first charge is scheduled for fiscal-year 2027–28 property-tax bills mailed in fall 2027. The City Controller estimates the tax would raise about $177 million annually.

Riders should follow agency service notices for immediate travel changes and watch upcoming budgets for how the funding reaches service. Property owners can use SFMTA’s parcel-tax guidance for billing details.

San Francisco’s November dining arrivals span rotisserie, a landmark restaurant, a bakery and cocktails, with five businesses at different stages of opening. The San Francisco Standard reports November opening targets, though several dates remain tentative.

Bare Bones at 2325 Taraval Street offers chicken, sandwiches, porchetta and soup. It appeared in dining coverage on November 2, following a planned October 29 soft opening and a full launch targeted for early November.

Julius’ Castle at 302 Greenwich Street is targeting November 12. The landmark’s return is still forthcoming, so check announcements and reservations before planning a visit.

Scout at 2359 Chestnut Street is preparing seasonal California cooking centered on live fire. Its announced opening window is fall 2026, with a reported target of early to mid-November.

Lorella, from Melissa Perello and Melissa Loar, is aiming for late November at 2139A Polk Street. The bakery is still hiring and has yet to announce a firm opening day.

Stir Crazy at 1400 Lombard Street is also preparing to open, with no precise debut date announced.

Check each business for current hours, opening announcements and reservation availability before making a special trip. Soft openings can have limited menus and hours, and the expected dates for these arrivals may shift.

Election Day in San Francisco is Tuesday, November 3, and voters have multiple options for casting their ballots — by mail, in person, or through early voting at City Hall.

The city's ballot covers federal, state, regional, and local races, including Board of Supervisors seats, school and community college boards, and key city measures.

Mail-in voters should sign their return envelope and either drop it at an official ballot drop box or mail it with enough time for a timely postmark.

In-person polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day — confirm your polling location before heading out.

If you missed the registration deadline, don't assume you're out of options — California allows conditional voter registration in person through Election Day.

Use San Francisco's official voter portal to track your ballot and review your voting details before Tuesday.

San Francisco has a packed Halloween lineup this year, with free and family-friendly events spread across the city from October 29–31.

On Thursday, October 29, the Ferry Building hosts trick-or-treating from 5–7 p.m., with treats at participating shops and crafts while supplies last.

Friday, October 30 brings Scaregrove at Stern Grove — a free event from 3–9 p.m. featuring a haunted house, carnival rides, a maze, and live entertainment.

On Halloween itself, two celebrations run simultaneously. Halloween Hoopla at Yerba Buena Gardens runs noon to 3 p.m., with a costume parade geared toward kids under 10. Meanwhile, Chinatown's Waverly Place hosts a neighborhood festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., including a costume contest and arts and crafts.

Dress warmly, plan for transit delays, and confirm details with organizers before heading out — especially with little ones in tow.

Downtown San Francisco is reimagining itself — moving beyond its traditional identity as a nine-to-five office district toward something more livable and lasting.

Remote work dramatically reduced daily foot traffic, leaving storefronts empty and blocks feeling hollow.

The city's Vacant to Vibrant initiative is helping independent businesses test downtown locations, with pop-ups like Polly Ann Ice Cream and Elaichi Co. bringing street-level energy back.

But pop-ups alone won't be enough.

City planners are also exploring office-to-residential conversions, which could support grocers, restaurants, and services that extend well beyond business hours.

Meanwhile, the Downtown SF Partnership recently won approval to expand its district toward the Embarcadero and Northern Waterfront, prioritizing cleaner sidewalks, active plazas, and welcoming street-level businesses.

Real progress will be measured not by announcements, but by storefronts that stay open, weekend foot traffic that grows, and housing that actually gets built.

The Inner Sunset's Ninth Avenue and Irving Street corridor is showing signs of renewed life, with new tenants and neighborhood-funded improvements targeting long-empty storefronts.

The Neighborhood Vibrancy Fund, coordinated by nonprofit SF New Deal, has awarded grants to 28 local recipients, supporting everything from murals and lighting to incoming businesses.

Among the most anticipated arrivals is Mama's Boy Pizza, an Oakland-based New York-style pizzeria planning to occupy the former Reliable Rexall pharmacy at 801 Irving Street — though owners are targeting mid-2027, a timeline that could still shift.

Also in the works is 403 Coffee, a Yemeni café planned for 403 Irving Street from the family behind KJ Produce, envisioned as a gathering space for neighbors.

The program's resident-funded, community-first approach is being closely watched as a potential model for revitalizing commercial corridors across San Francisco.

Sandcastles, literary discoveries and neighborhood art offer plenty to do without buying a ticket.

The oceanfront park has become a test of how San Francisco balances recreation, commuting and neighborhood life.

Recent closures show how rent, debt and thin margins can overwhelm even well-loved local establishments.

From Sunset Dunes to Muni funding, the November 3 election includes decisions with everyday consequences.

Two transit taxes are on the November 3 ballot: Proposition H, a San Francisco parcel tax for Muni, and Measure RTM, a five-county sales tax supporting regional transit.

Prop H’s official ballot question estimates $177 million annually for 15 years.

An eligible, nonexempt smaller single-family property would start at $129 a year, with larger buildings paying more.

RTM would add 1% to taxable purchases in San Francisco and 0.5% in the other four participating counties for 14 years.

Agencies warn that inadequate funding could mean longer waits, earlier closing times and other cuts.

Those plans remain conditional, with further decisions required.

Our explainer weighs service preservation against recurring household costs, identifies oversight provisions and separates Muni’s local tax from the regional measure.

Check the official terms, your likely bill and both sides’ ballot arguments before voting.

San Francisco’s weekend freeway work has two distinct pieces: a southbound US 101 shutdown at Hospital Curve and overnight northbound I-280 lane reductions.

US 101 closes between 17th and Cesar Chavez streets from 11 p.m. Friday, October 16, to 6 a.m. Monday, October 19, with one northbound lane also closed.

On I-280, two northbound lanes close between Mariposa and the US 101 interchange Friday night into Saturday morning, then Saturday night into Sunday morning.

One northbound lane stays open, and all southbound I-280 lanes remain available as Caltrans’ recommended alternative.

Several ramps and connectors also close.

We break down the official detours, exact work windows and what to check before an airport run or early Monday commute.

The first I-280 window is 11 hours despite the advisory’s 12-hour label; follow its listed clock times and recheck Caltrans before departure.

San Francisco’s fall restaurant lineup is spreading across the city, from Russian Hill and the Outer Sunset to the Financial District, Ferry Building and Embarcadero.

New concepts range from hand rolls and bakery-driven neighborhood food to Southern Italian cooking and ambitious waterfront dining.

Here are several openings worth watching as the city’s dining scene heads into fall.

October brings San Francisco’s first Walktober, a month devoted to exploring the city on foot.

Centered around the Crosstown Trails, organized outings range from neighborhood walks to ambitious urban hikes, with routes highlighting nature, history, stairways and hidden corners of the city.

You don’t need to walk 17 miles to participate. Sometimes rediscovering San Francisco starts by simply taking the long way home.

Brava Theater Center is taking its birthday celebration into the street on Saturday, October 17, with a free, family-friendly block party on 24th Street between Bryant and Hampshire.

The event marks three milestones: 100 years for the historic theater building, 40 years of Brava! for Women in the Arts and 30 years of community ownership. Together, those anniversaries tell a story about an arts institution that has kept changing while staying rooted in the Mission.

The afternoon includes live performances, DJ sets, art activities and film screenings. The outdoor lineup includes Cuicacalli, La Mezcla, the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company and comedian Marga Gomez, with DJs later in the day.

Inside the theater, films explore San Francisco’s lowrider culture, including women’s experiences and the history surrounding the movement. The mix gives visitors several ways to participate rather than a single performance to plan around.

Brava’s work has centered artistic voices that have historically had fewer opportunities on major stages, including women, people of color, youth and LGBTQIA+ artists. A public street celebration brings that mission into the neighborhood.

For residents, it is an easy reason to spend an afternoon on a stretch of 24th Street shared by restaurants, shops and community institutions. Come for the performances or films, then leave time to enjoy the Mission around them. A century-old theater’s birthday deserves a little wandering.

UCSF Mission Bay becomes a hands-on science playground on Saturday, October 17, when the Bay Area Science Festival brings more than 125 exhibits and experiences to campus from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Admission is free. The emphasis is on participation: experiments, demonstrations, games, stage presentations and conversations with scientists and engineers working throughout the Bay Area.

For children, the day offers a chance to see STEM beyond a classroom assignment. For adults, it opens a window into research that often stays behind laboratory doors. Universities, museums, schools, nonprofits, companies and research organizations all contribute to the festival’s mix.

Free behind-the-scenes lab tours offer a deeper look at specialized facilities, but capacity is very limited and advance registration is required. Anyone making a last-minute plan should focus on the main festival rather than assuming a tour spot will be available.

The broader purpose is to make the region’s scientific community accessible. Visitors can ask questions directly, see work demonstrated up close and meet people who have turned curiosity into a career.

Expect a busy campus and allow time for popular activities. Arriving earlier gives families more room to explore at their own pace. The festival can also anchor a day in Mission Bay, with a waterfront walk or lunch nearby. You do not need to arrive already loving science; curiosity is a good starting point.

San Francisco’s October 16–18 weekend offers seven ways to get out without buying an admission ticket, with free events stretching from the waterfront to the Excelsior.

Friday brings the Fort Mason Night Market, starting at 5 p.m., and a Sundown Cinema screening of Beetlejuice at Crane Cove Park. Market entry is free; food and other purchases still cost money. For the movie, bring a blanket and give yourself time to settle into the waterfront setting.

Saturday’s choices include the Bay Area Science Festival at UCSF Mission Bay, with more than 125 hands-on experiences from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the Potrero Hill Festival on 20th Street.

In the Mission, Brava’s free, family-friendly block party celebrates the theater building’s 100th anniversary with performances, DJs, art activities and film screenings. Hunters Point Shipyard Open Studios offers another way to spend the weekend exploring the city’s creative side.

Sunday Streets Excelsior closes nearly a mile of Mission Street to cars between Geneva Avenue and Theresa Street from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Expect family activities, a clothing swap, gathering spaces and room to walk or roll down the street.

You do not need to fit everything into one weekend. Pick a neighborhood you rarely visit and make a few hours of it. Admission may be free, but remember to budget for transportation, food and any spontaneous shopping.

T&T Supermarket has announced a November 5 opening at 9 a.m. at City Center, 2675 Geary Boulevard, Suite 300, near Masonic Avenue. During our October 13 issue week, it remains a forthcoming destination.

The roughly 50,000-square-foot former Best Buy space will become a market built around Asian groceries and prepared meals. That is a significant change for a large retail vacancy: a supermarket gives residents reasons to return for ordinary errands after opening-day excitement fades.

The announced offering includes a hot food bar, barbecue station, sushi counter, baked goods and Korean and Japanese beauty products. The location is also slated to introduce the first T&T Café in the United States, with made-to-order specialty drinks.

For home cooks, the appeal could be combining pantry shopping with lunch in one stop. For newcomers to the chain, prepared food may provide a starting point before exploring ingredients for a new recipe.

The Canadian retailer’s San Francisco debut follows its California opening in San Jose earlier this year. Whether it becomes part of residents’ regular routines will depend on prices, selection, checkout speed and the ease of getting groceries home.

Those questions will be answered after the doors open. Regular hours and opening promotions are not confirmed here, so recheck the opening information before making a special trip. The neighborhood’s next chapter will be measured in repeat visits.

San Francisco Fleet Week returns October 4–12, with the biggest action arriving October 9–11.

The Blue Angels headline the air show, while the Parade of Ships, public ship tours, Fleet Fest, K9 Heroes and neighborhood concerts offer plenty to do beyond Marina Green.

Here’s how to enjoy one of San Francisco’s signature October traditions without letting the crowds and traffic take over your weekend.

Several everyday San Francisco routines are shifting this fall, especially around Muni service.

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