Inside Arquet: Chef Alex Hong’s Acclaimed New Ferry Building Restaurant
How the chef behind Michelin-starred Sorrel is expanding his vision into a more approachable, ingredient-driven restaurant—without skimping on technique.
Welcome to the first real issue of New + Hot in the Bay With Chey! Each week, I’ll open with what I’ve been eating lately, dig into one conversation with a chef or industry voice, share what’s new and hot around the Bay (and occasionally beyond), and close with exactly what I think you should be booking or ordering now.
The Amuse Bouche
Hello, 2026! It’s been a long time since I’ve written solely for myself and—not going to lie—sitting down to do this came with that familiar anxious jolt I always get before doing something big. So… let’s get into it.
The year kicked off with a six-course dinner at AMA by Brad Kilgore at the iconic Transamerica Pyramid Center. I love a fusion restaurant when it’s actually done well—extra points if it’s upscale, sleek, and vibey (but not douchey). This one delivered.
Described as “Italian soul meets Japanese precision,” highlights included the Coconut and Rosemary Short Rib and a refreshing Mango Kakigori topped with a Lambrusco drizzle. I’ll be back soon just for the desserts at MadLab Kakigori (Chef Brad’s gelato + kakigori sister spot).
It’s been rainy, so I’ve been leaning hard into comfort food. I warmed my soul at Stonemill Matcha on a rainy Sunday night (surprisingly packed) and satisfied my Chinese food cravings at United Dumplings—a midweek feast power move. I was also thrilled to see that the blueberry cheesecake ice cream is back at Mitchell’s Ice Cream, and yes, the eggnog (best in the city… maybe the world?) is still in stock.
But the dining experience that truly blew me away was Merchant Roots’ Feast of Moss Woods. The city’s most theatrical and immersive restaurant fully committed to its mushroom-driven theme—their most popular menu in seven years.
From foraging for your first bites (including a tiny garden gnome) to discovering a savory mushroom cheesecake inside a mossy treasure box using an actual compass, it was wildly creative.
The Tasty Dish: Chef Chat with Alex Hong
After years leading a Michelin-starred kitchen at Sorrel, Chef Alex Hong is entering a new chapter with Arquet, his highly-acclaimed, most approachable restaurant yet, which opened in the Ferry Building back in October 2025.
We talked about rethinking fine dining, cooking for real life, and what it means to build a restaurant that welcomes everyone. Here's what he had to say:
Arquet marks your next chapter after Sorrel’s Michelin success. How does this concept differ in tone and execution?
Sorrel laid the foundation for my approach to food and technique. Over eight years, it evolved from an a la carte restaurant into a fine dining tasting menu experience, which was a natural progression.
With Arquet, I wanted a restaurant that could welcome everyone. Many of the techniques from Sorrel carry over, but here they are presented in a more casual, approachable way. Each dish is inspired by a single ingredient, and we use techniques like wood-fire cooking, dry aging, and fermentation to really highlight it.
My goal is to make food that is thoughtful and precise but also just plain delicious for everyone.At Sorrel, you became known for refined, technique-driven California cuisine. What inspired you to embrace a more casual style with Arquet?
Sorrel is complex and refined, and over time I realized I missed the kind of food I cook for myself on the weekends. With Arquet, I wanted to focus on California ingredients from purveyors and farmers I love, especially from the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market.
I wanted to make something everyone can enjoy, whether they want a quick drink and bite or a full, multi-course meal. Arquet gives people the freedom to choose their own style of dining, from small snacks to full courses, while keeping the same attention to detail and craft that I use at Sorrel.How did your experience leading a Michelin-starred restaurant prepare you for opening Arquet?
Coming from fine dining to casual dining is actually easier than the other way around. Opening Sorrel at 28 was a huge learning curve. I had never managed a restaurant before, so over eight years I learned a lot, and built the skills I needed.
Starters at Arquet None of what we are doing at Arquet would be possible without that experience. Here, I have a team of 120 people who share the same mindset I cultivated at Sorrel, but in a more relaxed and approachable environment.
What is the inspiration for the menu you’ve created, past seasonality? What dishes are you most excited about?
I see the menu like an artist creating an album. Some dishes are still evolving as we figure out what will become signature items.
One dish I’m excited about is our hot honey chicken. It’s playful but technical, with the whole bird brined, smoked, grilled, and finished with a hot honey glaze. Another is our Dungeness crab toast, made with toasted brioche, hollandaise, and crab tossed with local citrus and herbs.
We also have a BBQ confit duck that comes from repurposing some of Sorrel’s signature dishes in a new way. And our vegetables get the spotlight too, like slow-cooked, iacopi smoked carrots, lacquered with vadouvan butter and finished with crunchy seeds and créme fraiche.You’ve said Arquet is about “the kind of food you love to eat with loved ones.” How does that sense of comfort and connection shape the way you approach both the menu and the space?
I wanted Arquet to be a place where friends and family can gather and enjoy food however they like. Sorrel was more limited in who could come in, but here we wanted to be open and flexible.
The menu and space are designed to feel inviting and celebratory, so people can enjoy both casual bites and full meals with the people they care about.What made the Ferry Building the right home for Arquet, and how do you hope to contribute to the Ferry Building’s evolving story — especially as it expands into evening dining?
Being in the Ferry Building is a huge honor. It’s a legendary space that is central to San Francisco’s food culture. We are excited to be part of it alongside other talented restaurants and vendors.
With the largest footprint in the building, we want Arquet to represent the best of San Francisco for both locals and visitors. Our goal is to continue the Ferry Building’s history as a place where you can enjoy anything from a quick bite to a full, outstanding meal.
The Perfect Dinner at Arquet
Start with
BBQ oysters with vadouvan butter
Ricotta dumplings with sweet corn and chanterelles
Dungeness Crab Toast if you love buttery, fresh crab (who doesn't)
Scallion Fry Bread if you’re ordering just one bread. Served with buffalo milk ricotta, hearth-grilled figs, and salsa macha—it was the most unexpectedly special dish of the night.
Pro move: dip the fry bread into the pumpkin soup. Trust.
Seafood
Monterey Squid and Wood-fired Octopus—a surprise hit thanks to the sweet earthiness of the sunchoke and the savory kick of the chorizo.
For the table
Hot Honey Chicken—a signature, and yes, it comes with the claw and all
BBQ Confit Liberty Duck with kimchi
Spiny Lobster, if you’re feeling real fancy
The insanely large, naturally grown smoked Carrot
Dessert
Ube Basque Cheesecake with salted cream—rich, not overly sweet
Hojicha Tiramisu & Black Sesame Ice Cream—light, yet still indulgent
Frozen Meyer Lemon with Shiso—super refreshing
What dishes stand out the most to you? ⬇
The Reels Recap
Wolfsbane - From the team behind Michelin-starred Lord Stanley, this is one of the buzziest restaurant openings of 2025. Here’s a look at their 12+ course tasting menu.
Tony’s Pizza Nepolatana - The 13x World Pizza Champ is back with a new wood-fired menu, perfect for the winter months.
Super Mensch - Inspired by the soul & nostalgia of iconic Jewish delis of NYC + beyond, this new Marina hotspot has all the classics I’ve been craving.
Where to Eat + Drink Downtown SF - Chef Michael Mina has four of my favorite spots right now and each have launched a new winter cocktail menu: Pabu, The Eighth Rule, Bar Sprezzatura & International Smoke.
Bourbon Steak - Is this Union Square steakhouse worth the hype? For the 40 oz. Salt Baked & Bourbon Soaked Australian Wagyu Tomahawk—I say yes.
New + Hot in the San Francisco Bay Area
RT Bistro opens January 9 in South of Hayes as the next chapter from the Rich Table team. The 37-seat bistro delivers a more approachable take on their signature style—think seasonal California cooking, a beloved RT burger now on-menu, classic desserts (ice box pies!), and a cocktail program rooted in understated classics.
Tony's Pizza Napoletana has rolled out five new wood-fired pizzas (see what to order in the next section), while Slice House by Tony Gemignani marks the 15th anniversary of its original North Beach location next door. To celebrate the milestone, Slice House is debuting a limited-time throwback pie—the Super Gold Margherita—available beginning January 12.
Merchant Roots is opening yet another exciting addition to its already over-the-top dining experience: Bar Orso, a 12-seat cocktail lounge featuring a “redwood forest dreamscape.” The bar features a forest-inspired design, 15 original cocktails, and dining options.
Square Pie Guys opens its sixth location in Walnut Creek on January 11 and launches its first-ever artist collaboration: a Filipino-inspired Detroit-style pizza created with Bay Area rapper P-Lo. The pizza features vodka sauce, longanisa, Italian sausage, and hot honey bomba, then finished with spicy ranch.
Trick Dog, the 2025 Best U.S. Cocktail Bar winner at Tales of the Cocktail and a two-time World’s Best Cocktail Menu honoree, just dropped its 24th menu—Meet Me In The City. The menu doubles as a 64-page hardcover photo book, paired with 16 new cocktails, new highballs, Tiny Tini’s, boilermakers, and an expanded food menu.
Dirty Habit, the rooftop bar at Hotel Zelos, just launched a new daily happy hour from 4–6pm. Expect half-priced local Pacific oysters and $2 off drinks—a solid pre-dinner move or an easy way to kick off a night out downtown.
Yarrow just opened at Sugar Bowl Resort in Lake Tahoe as a new chef-driven alpine restaurant led by two-time James Beard Award–winning chef Traci Des Jardins, featuring California-inspired mountain fare and a floral-forward cocktail program inside the revamped Village Lodge.
Still New, Still Buzzing
San Francisco’s dining scene reinvents itself season after season through bold new concepts, chef-driven projects, reimagined neighborhood favorites, and restaurants that continue to build momentum well beyond opening week.
Superprime Steakhouse—Acclaimed chef-restaurateur Marc Zimmerman returned to his steakhouse roots in July (in the former Yokai space) with a live-fire concept spotlighting premium beef—particularly wagyu—seasonal produce, and flame-driven cooking in downtown SF.
Precita Social—Chef Greg Lutes (of Michelin-recommended 3rd Cousin) debuted his Bernal Heights in August, a follow-up focused on comfort, connection, and refined yet approachable, seasonal fare shaped by his Midwestern roots and French, Japanese, and Italian influences.
Book This, Order That
Book This
Merchant Roots’ Feast of Moss Woods - $228 per person, book here
If you’re looking for something truly out of the ordinary—and you love whimsy, theatrics, and most importantly, mushrooms, do it. This is one of the most creative dining experiences in the city right now and worth planning around.
Merchant Roots: Feast of Moss Woods Ama by Brad Kilgore - $120 per person, book here
Book the tasting menu if you want the full experience—especially for a special occasion or celebratory night out. I highly recommend getting dressed up.
Order That
Tony's Pizza Napoletana $
From the new wood-fired selection get the Butternut Squash & Guanciale; The Stinger with Italian sausage, ricotta, &hot pepper oil; Quail Eggs & Speck with Vodka tomato cream sauce; and I’m Your Huckleberry with bacon and huckleberry jam.
Super Mensch $
Get the deli staples and the martinis. For sandwiches, order the stacked Pastrami on Rye and the Reuben; warm up with the traditional Matzo Ball Soup and the Everything Bagel with lox; finish with the giant chocolate cake slice. For drinks, don’t skip the Black & White Cookie espresso martini or the Bagel & Lox martini.
Bourbon Steak $$$
Go big or go home. Start with the Caviar Twinkies because where else will you get those? For the mains, get the 40 oz. Wagyu Tomahawk and the signature Maine Lobster Pot Pie—both offering impressive tableside presentations.
(Rainy Day Comfort Food)
Stonemill Matcha $
The super umami Chicken Okayu rice porridge with wakame seaweed, Onsen egg, and mushroom.United Dumplings $
Every dish I've had here hits. But, if you have to narrow it down, don’t miss the Mission Chicken Potstickers, mini Pan-Fried Pork Buns, or Szechwan Wontons.Bac Lieu Restaurant $
The vermicelli with Vietnamese Yellow Curry and chicken is spicy and rich.
Have a dining for me? ⬇ Or need a specific rec?
Don’t Miss Next Week’s Post!
For next week’s chat, I sat down with Preeti Mistry, the new Executive Chef at Silver Oak Cellars. A James Beard Media Award–winning chef, Preeti is known for bold, boundary-pushing California cooking and a fearless approach to flavor—now bringing a chef-driven, experience-forward vision to one of Napa’s most iconic wine estates.
Silver Oak is also the first Napa winery to launch Airbnb Experiences with an award-winning chef. The debut offering, Artisan Dumpling Making with Chef Preeti, pairs a hands-on dumpling class with current-release Silver Oak Cabernet. It sold out through April almost immediately—but don't worry additional dates have been added!
Cheers!
Chey
Arquet has been on my list to visit in 2026!
Officially inspired to go to Merchant Roots