Yelp is out with its Top 100 Places to Eat in 2021, and Bay Area restaurants have snagged two spots on the coveted list.
Mazra, a relative newcomer in San Bruno, cracked the top tier at No. 2 while Berkeley’s Creekwood ranked No. 36 in this annual crowd-sourced rating of restaurants that diners visited in 2020 and hope to return to this year.
“Whether you’re looking for a white-tablecloth experience or a grab-and-go vegan deli sandwich, there’s something for every taste and budget on the list,” Yelp’s editors said.
Indeed, the array is vast and fascinating, with spots going to hot dog joints, bakeries, coffeehouses, grills, sushi bars, fusion specialists and farm-to-table restaurants.
How does Yelp pull all those together in one rating system?
“This year’s list was determined, in part, by user submissions. From the submitted restaurants, we narrowed the list down with the expertise of our community managers, trend expert and data science team to finalize the rankings,” explained Brenae Leary, senior communications manager for Yelp.
Mazra opened on the upper Peninsula in March 2020, just as pandemic restrictions were hitting the industry. Despite the challenges, the Makableh family decided to forge ahead with their plan to convert the store they’d owned for 12 years, Green Valley Market, into a restaurant. The all-halal Mediterranean menu features traditional family recipes brought to this country by parents Randy and Ahlam Makableh when they emigrated from Jordan.
“We are a family of true foodies. We’ve spent a lot of time in the kitchen together and appreciate how good food brings people together,” said son and head chef Saif Makableh, who co-owns Mazra with brother Jordan.
“I spent some time in Sydney, Australia, and really admired the food scene there. The style there makes fine food accessible without sacrificing quality and affordability. That’s why we like to call ourselves a ‘fast-fine restaurant.’ I wanted to bring some of that culture back to my hometown of San Bruno while sticking to my roots in Mediterranean cuisine.”
Yelpers who gave Mazra five stars raved about the wood-grilled Double Kebab Plate; the 6-Hour Lamb Shank, the Crispy Cauliflower appetizer and the Street-Style Wraps filled with steak or chicken shawarma and “to die for” fries.
The only other Northern California restaurant to make the Top 100 is Berkeley’s Creekwood.
This Cal-Italian eatery was launched just over two years ago by childhood friends Greg Poulios and Mark Louie, both veterans of Zuppa in San Francisco. A former Zuppa chef, Liam Bonner, heads the kitchen, according to this paper’s First Look feature.
The restaurant, “hidden in plain sight” on Sacramento Street, drew praise from Yelpers for the house-made Gnocchi with pork ragu, romanesco and pecorino cheese; Agnolotti; Asparagus Pizza and the other Neapolitan-style pies; and the Roasted Beet Salad, served this season with apple, almond praline and apple cider vinaigrette.
Other California eateries listed as “must visits” for 2021 are Nova Kitchen & Bar in Garden Grove, at No. 11; The Vox Kitchen in Fountain Valley, at No. 28; and Higo Bakery in La Habra at No. 72.
The No. 80 spot is just over the state line in Reno. Paisan’s Old World Deli & Catering serves Italian and Mexican food from both a brick-and-mortar eatery and a food truck.
Details: Mazra is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday-Sunday at 504 San Bruno Ave. West, San Bruno; www.eatmazra.com. Creekwood is located at 3121 Sacramento St., Berkeley, and serves brunch/lunch/dinner with varying hours Tuesday-Sunday; www.creekwoodrestaurant.com/home
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