2026 is looking tasty already

I'm currently working on my last two Good Taste columns for the year. This coming week, I'll share some food highlights from 2025. The following week will be dedicated to previewing restaurants, supper clubs, and other food projects to look forward to in the Bay Area in 2026.

One of those 2026 projects is called 'ammatka, an Ohlone café expected to open in January at the Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley from Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino, who also operate the seasonal 'ottoyak restaurant on the UC Berkeley campus that's expected to return in the spring after nearby construction has finished. I've been happily following their work for about seven years now and think they're two of the most visionary people I've ever met.

Younger eaters will gravitate to 'ammatka's grilled cheese sandwiches, tater tots with Ohlone aioli, and Dino nuggets (a perfect accompaniment to the animatronic dinosaurs outside). Adults are going to love the Ohlone salad, with blackberries, dried strawberries, gooseberries, and seasonal greens, and the grilled cheese with mozzarella, Wagon Wheel cheese, blackberry jam, and jalapeños.

But the real boss move here is to order the smoked duck sandwich with Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam triple cream cheese and homemade rose hip jam on Acme bread. I simply can't get this creation out of my head. It's certainly the best sandwich I've had this year.

I'll share more about 'ammatka and other highly anticipated 2026 projects in the coming weeks.

See you soon!
Tamara