SAN RAMON, CA—Devotees of The Slanted Door will soon have more options. On the heels of its immense success in San Francisco's Ferry Building, the nationally acclaimed Vietnamese cuisine-inspired restaurant will open an East Bay location. Chef/owner/operator Charles Phan has set his sights on the 300,000-square-foot dining, shopping and entertainment destination, City Center Bishop Ranch.

“The Slanted Door is one of the finest restaurants in the country and is being lured by so many projects–we consider it an extreme compliment that they have chosen to join in our vision to build a truly outstanding project,” said Alexander Mehran Jr., president and chief operating officer of Sunset Development Company, developer of City Center. “Charles Phan is an innovative chef with an international point of view. His appreciation for design and architecture adds to the experience in all of his restaurants.”

Indeed, online reviews for The Slanted Door are over-the-top enthusiastic, with diners claiming to have made trips from other countries to visit San Francisco solely for the dining experience at Phan's wildly popular first restaurant. His most recent Bay Area venture, also in the East Bay, is Rice & Bones, a fast casual restaurant that opened in Berkeley last year.

“Charles' unique dishes are so innovative that they're virtually in a class all by themselves. We're looking forward to seeing what he cooks up at The Slanted Door for the East Bay,” Mehran tells GlobeSt.com. “The popularity of the San Francisco location dictated this San Ramon location; and where better than the unique City Center Bishop Ranch?”

The 7,500-square-foot restaurant space at City Center is encased in four sides made entirely of glass. It will be, in essence, a restaurant in a glass box, in keeping with the project's overall design. All of the restaurant's operations, including dual cook-lines, bar, chef's counter and the food prep area, will be in plain view of guests. A generous patio will extend out to the adjacent piazza. The restaurant will be designed by Lundberg Design.

“I have many customers who live and work in the Tri-Valley area who are excited that we will be opening at City Center Bishop Ranch,” said Phan, who originally opened The Slanted Door in the Mission District in 1995. “Renzo Piano's contemporary design is what attracted me to City Center and we are creating a unique space that will draw customers in from all sides.”

In addition to The Slanted Door, City Center Bishop Ranch's diverse tenant lineup will include C CASA, a Napa-based taqueria serving eco-friendly and innovative gourmet Mexican fare; MIXT, which offers salads, grain bowls and market plates; Mendocino Farms, the sandwich and salad concept; Trader, a local store catering to the worldly adventurer; the piece store, which offers a carefully and uniquely curated selection of women's clothing and accessories; and Athleta, the premier fitness apparel brand exclusively for women and girls.

These new additions will join City Center anchors THE LOT and Equinox, and other dining and retail tenants including Boba Guys, Fieldwork Brewing Company, Ramen Hiroshi, Roam Artisan Burgers, M, Alys Grace, Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn and West Elm. City Center is scheduled to open in fall 2018.

City Center Bishop Ranch is owned and operated by Sunset Development Company.

Instant Insights /

Acclaimed Slanted Door Finds Second Home

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