Manuel Bonilla, known for his successful pop-up Bar Chisme, is opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant this summer in Oakland. His goal is to create a welcoming space for local restaurant workers to enjoy accessible, high-quality meals late at night after their shifts. Drawing from his Salvadoran and Filipino roots, Bonilla's Chisme is gaining recognition, previously featured in the SF Chronicle as a top new restaurant. The closing of Kon Tiki presented an opportunity for Bonilla to establish this new venue with familiar partners, fostering a community atmosphere for industry peers.
"I want to be there for my peers. I'm looking forward to staying late and having other restaurant crews come through after 11 o'clock and being able to serve them a tasty meal, which they deserve because they've all been working hard."
"The concept began as a pop-up at Low Bar, quickly nabbing a spot in the SF Chronicle's list of the 10 best new restaurants of 2024."
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