The 15th season of Check, Please! Bay Area premieres Thursday, April 2 on KQED 9 and online—and we’ll admit, it’s a strange feeling to be bringing you a restaurant review show right now.

California’s coronavirus shelter-in-place order has required all restaurants to close their dine-in services, so you won't be able to experience these eating establishments the way you normally would.

One piece of good news? Many of the restaurants recommended by our citizen reviewers on the new season of Check Please! remain open for takeout and delivery. You'll find a list of those restaurants below.

Meanwhile, we know you have questions about ordering takeout and delivery during the coronavirus crisis. Read on for our ordering tips.

First off, is it safe to order takeout during the coronavirus pandemic?

Our KQED newsroom concludes that according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), there is currently no evidence that COVID-19 is a foodborne illness. These agencies say they’re also not currently aware of any reports that suggest COVID-19 can be transmitted by food packaging. (Take a look at other coronavirus FAQs, and pose your own question to our newsroom here.)

So, how should you order takeout or delivery right now?

When ordering, you may be able to request a “no contact” dropoff from your delivery app or via the restaurant themselves. Some restaurants offer curbside pickup for takeout.

Regardless of whether you’re picking up your food in person or receiving a delivery, remember to maintain six feet of distance between you and other people, and practice good hygiene by washing your hands for 20 seconds and avoiding touching your face.

If you are part of an at-risk population — or would like to be extra careful — wear gloves when you receive or pick up your food. Back inside your home, remove the packaging, throw away the gloves and then wash your hands again before eating.

What else can I do?

Local businesses like restaurants are being hit particularly hard during this crisis. If you’d like a restaurant to receive 100% of your money, consider ordering direct from them via phone or their website, instead of using a delivery app.

If you’d like to support a restaurant that isn’t offering takeout or delivery right now, we recommend checking their website to see if you can still purchase a gift card for later redemption.

And on a human level? These are strange times, for the Bay Area and us all. Be extra patient with the folks from whom you're ordering, understand that issues with delivery apps may be beyond a restaurant's control, and consider tipping as well as you can afford to.

Restaurants in the upcoming season of Check, Please! Bay Area open for takeout and delivery

San Francisco

Causwells, San Francisco
Offering takeout and delivery, plus alcohol to-go

Mahila, San Francisco
Offering takeout and delivery

A Mano, San Francisco
Offering takeout and delivery

Mourad, San Francisco
Closed, but sister restaurant Aziza offering takeout and delivery

Bistro SF Grill, San Francisco
Offering takeout and delivery ($5.50 entrees)

Niku Steakhouse, San Francisco
Temporarily closed, but Niku Butcher Shop is offering takeout and delivery

Tú Lan, San Francisco
Offering takeout and delivery

Crustacean, San Francisco
Offering takeout and delivery

Turtle Tower, San Francisco
Larkin and Outer Richmond locations offering takeout and delivery (plus alcohol to-go at Larkin location)

Just For You Cafe, San Francisco
Offering takeout and delivery

East Bay

Daughter Thai, Oakland
Offering takeout and delivery (free kid meals on orders $60+)

Range Life, Livermore
Offering takeout, plus alcohol to-go

Mama’s Royal Cafe, Oakland
Offering takeout

Xingones at Fort Green, Oakland
Offering takeout and delivery

Copper Spoon, Oakland
Offering takeout and delivery (within 2 mile radius), plus alcohol to-go (3 cocktails for $25, bottles of wine 50% off)

Papillon, Fremont
Offering takeout and delivery (20% off self pick-up takeout Tues-Sat)

Big Country Kitchen, Concord
Offering takeout and delivery

Agrodolce Osteria, Berkeley
Offering takeout (20% discount if placed through restaurant) and delivery, plus alcohol to-go (bottles of wine 50% off)

Le Paradis, Hayward
Offering takeout and delivery

Attraversiamo Brentwood, Brentwood
Offering takeout and grab-and-go meals

Denica's Real Food Kitchen, Castro Valley
All locations are temporarily closed

Playt Bar and Restaurant, Hayward
Offering takeout and delivery

Rice Barn Thai Eatery & Wine Bar, Vacaville
Offering takeout and delivery

La Note Restaurant, Berkeley
Offering takeout and delivery

La Marcha Tapas Bar, Berkeley
Offering takeout and delivery

Anaviv's Table, Richmond
Offering takeout and delivery

Magnolia Street Wine Lounge & Kitchen, Oakland
Offering takeout and delivery

Locanda Ravello, Danville
Offering takeout and delivery

Main Street Kitchen, Walnut Creek
Offering takeout and delivery

Cafe Umami, Oakland
Offering takeout and delivery

Delage, Oakland
Temporarily closed.

North Bay

Burmatown, Corte Madera
Offering curbside takeout and delivery, plus alcohol to-go (bottles of wine and beer 50% off)

Protéa, Yountville
Offering takeout and delivery

R+D Kitchen, Yountville
Offering takeout and delivery

Sweet T's Restaurant + Bar, Windsor
Offering takeout and delivery

Peninsula

Royal Feast, Millbrae
Offering takeout and delivery

Vesta, Redwood City
Offering takeout and delivery

Bevri, Palo Alto
Offering takeout and delivery

Nick's On Grand, South San Francisco
Offering takeout and delivery

South Bay

Miramar Beach Restaurant, Half Moon Bay
Offering takeout and delivery

Falafel Stop, Sunnyvale
Offering takeout and delivery

 

 

The new season of 'Check, Please! Bay Area' premieres on Thursday, April 2 at 7:30pm on KQED 9 and subsequently online on YouTube.