Brenda’s Meat & Three

When Brenda’s Meat & Three opened in 2014, it brought the Bay Area its first genuine meat and three-style restaurant — a type of cafeteria-style restaurant popular in the South where you have your choice of meat and three sides. The Southern eatery is a joint venture between Brenda Buenviaje, Libby Truesdell (who are also the owners of Brenda’s in Oakland), Andre Larzul, and Jennifer Larzul. Their ever-evolving menu is often home to classic dishes like BBQ ribs, fried catfish, meatloaf, or shrimp etouffée as well as up to 20 different sides, which include vegetarian, vegan and/or gluten free options.