Four New Food Spots To Visit In Downtown San Mateo
By Hoodline
Looking to find out about the newest restaurant additions to downtown? From a Vietnamese spot to a sandwich shop, read on to see the newest businesses to open their doors in the heart of San Mateo.
Gao Viet Kitchen
313 S. San Mateo Drive
Gao Viet Kitchen recently made its debut a few blocks from San Mateo Central Park.
On the menu, offerings include steamed rice cakes with shrimp flakes, fried pork fat and shallots; mini savory pancakes topped with shrimp and served with lettuce and fresh herbs; lobster rice porridge; and whole live Maine lobster banh canh noodle soup with pork and quail egg.
Gao Viet Kitchen has proven popular thus far, with a four-star rating out of 66 reviews on Yelp.
"This place is pretty good," Yelper Young K. wrote. "The street food and lettuce wraps were excellent. The clay pot was very good and they have some quality pork belly. They have a nice bar upstairs. It's good for family and date nights, and the coconut ice cream was quite good."
Yelper Maria S. added, "The place looks a little small, but they have an upstairs area with more seating. The decor is bright and colorful. The menu is definitely meant for sharing so make sure to bring a friend or two when you go."
Swing on by to take a peek for yourself: Gao Viet Kitchen is open from 5-11 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday-Sunday. (It's closed on Tuesday.)
Uji Time
106 S. B St.
This location of Uji Time started as a pop-up shop, but following a successful launch, the business announced its plans to stay put on its Facebook page. The ice cream shop also has locations in Berkeley and San Francisco.
Visitors can expect offerings like matcha, sesame and tofu ice cream served in waffle cones, cups or taiyaki cones. (For those who are unfamiliar, taiyaki are fish-shaped pastries stuffed with either red bean paste or Nutella).
Uji Time has kicked off to a solid start thus far, with a four-star rating out of 144 reviews on Yelp.
"A fun place to go for soft serve with a Japanese flair to it," Yelper Joshua M. wrote. "The taiyaki cone and Asian flavors make it a unique and fun place to go with family and friends."
Yelper Sara S. added, "Uji Time is definitely a must-try if you like Japanese sweets and matcha. The matcha ice cream is to die for — so smooth and creamy."
Swing on by to take a peek for yourself. Uji Time is open from 1-9 p.m. from Monday-Thursday and Sunday, and 1-10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Fire Wings
206 S. B St.
Over the summer, Fire Wings opened up shop in San Mateo with 20 wing flavors and beer on tap. The chain has eateries throughout California.
On the menu, check out bone-in or boneless wings with different heat levels in flavors like Sriracha, mango habanero, Buffalo stampede, Korean kick, Saigon street, Louisiana rub, Jamaican jerk and Malaysian curry.
With a four-star rating out of 157 Yelp reviews so far, the fresh addition is earning solid feedback.
"Loved this place," Yelper Golden One A. said. "The wings were so good. I ordered Dragon and Saigon Street, and wow — so delicious."
Chinsin S. added, "I'd totally recommend Fire Wings for any wing fanatic out there. To save you time, I'd skip all the boneless wings and go straight for the bone-in, classic wings. Seriously."
Fire Wings is open from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. from Monday-Thursday and Sunday, and 11 a.m.-midnight on Friday and Saturday .
The Ace of Sandwiches at Dean's Produce
44 E. Fourth Ave
Last but not least is a deli named The Ace of Sandwiches at Dean's Produce. Its original location is in Palo Alto.
Early birds, check out the breakfast menu, with offerings like the Big Shot Bagel: a bagel, egg, hash brown patty, bacon and cheese all in one. Also available is the Go Getter Breakfast: steel-cut oatmeal, hard-boiled egg, wheat toast and small coffee.
For lunch, look for a wide array of sandwiches, including the Over and Under with turkey, Buffalo chicken, melted three pepper Colby Jack cheese, jalapeno-cream cheese, lightning sauce, crisp bacon, lettuce, red onion and roasted red bell pepper on a toasted wheat roll. (Find the full list here.)
With a five-star rating out of nine reviews on Yelp, The Ace of Sandwiches at Dean's Produce has been getting positive attention.
Yelper Aidan C., who reviewed the deli on July 7, wrote, "This place is so good! The owner is on top of it. It's very clean, ingredients are very fresh and high quality. Bread is fresh. Best sandwich I have had that I can remember."
Yelper Jerry H. wrote, "One of the best sandwich places in San Mateo. It is my go-to place for lunch when I am craving a good sandwich and they do not skimp on the meat or toppings, which are always fresh."
The Ace of Sandwiches at Dean's Produce is open from 9 a.m.–6 p.m. from Monday-Saturday. (It's closed on Sunday.)
