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- 🍻 New Bar & Grill and Goose Management Updates
🍻 New Bar & Grill and Goose Management Updates
Plus new family friendly events for September!
Greg Kemper
September 03, 2026
Good morning neighbors!
Welcome to this week’s San Mateo Scoop! Learn more about Foster City’s goose management progress and Burlingame’s proposed safety plan designed to reduce traffic deaths. Plus, enjoy the weather this week with Rock the Block, author meet and greets, September Nights on B Street, and Pickleball and Beer!
In this week’s edition:
City Updates: Foster City’s Goose Management Program and Burlingame’s New Safety Plan
Business Updates: Electric Boats to Cruise Around Foster City
Events: Rock the Block, Author Meet and Greets, September Nights, and Pickleball and Beer
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Foster City's Goose Management Plan Shows Progress This Summer
Foster City's ongoing effort to curb its Canada goose population reported encouraging results this summer, with data showing a meaningful drop in goose activity at parks included in the pilot hazing program. Techniques like drone and lighting-based hazing proved effective enough that more goose appeared to gather instead at Boothbay and Erckenbrack Parks, which were left as untouched control sites for comparison.
The city is also crediting resident participation via the SeeClickFix app for helping biologists respond quickly to goose nests, and is planning habitat modifications at Erckenbrack, Gull, or Marlin Parks that would introduce taller vegetation to block goose clear sightlines. If you spot a goose nest around town, the city encourages reporting it through the app, and residents with questions can reach out to [email protected]. Read more here.
Burlingame Adopts Vision Zero Plan to End Traffic Deaths by 2040
Burlingame's City Council has passed a Vision Zero Action Plan, committing the city to a goal of zero traffic deaths and serious injuries on local streets by 2040. The plan follows a presentation by consultant Dana Weissman of Fehr & Peers, delivered as the community grappled with three fatal vehicular crashes in a single year, including the death of 4-year-old Ayden Fang on Donnelly Avenue. Planners identified crash hot spots including California Drive, Rollins Road, Broadway, Trousdale Drive and much of downtown, and are eyeing speed reductions on roughly 40 city streets.
Notably, El Camino Real is excluded from the plan because it's a state-owned road, even though it accounts for about 30% of the city's traffic incidents. Changes could be coming to some of Burlingame's busiest corridors, particularly around downtown and Broadway, as the city works toward safer streets over the next 14 years. Read more here.
San Mateo weighs replacing a Burger King with 151 apartments in Hillsdale.
A development team is proposing to tear down the Burger King at 2817 South El Camino Real, on the corner of El Camino Real and East 28th Avenue, right by the Hillsdale Caltrain station and Hillsdale Mall, and build an eight-story, roughly 211,000-square-foot mixed-use building. The plan calls for 151 apartments, a rebuilt Burger King, 14 retail spaces, and parking split between residential stackers and a small retail lot. It's part of a bigger wave of housing proposals along that stretch of El Camino Real near Hillsdale, so residents in that corridor should expect more density and construction activity in the coming years if approved. Read more here
Zac's Bar & Grill Opens in San Carlos
A new family-friendly spot, Zac's Bar & Grill, held its soft opening on Tuesday, September 1, at their location at 1748 El Camino Real in San Carlos. They offer an American fusion menu featuring items like grilled chicken Caesar wraps, calamari, burgers, and a full bar with 16 beers on tap. Local diners looking for a new go-to spot may want to keep an eye on the restaurant's social pages for more details. During their soft opening period, they’ll be open from 11am to 9pm daily. Read more here.
Electric Retro Boats Now Cruising the Foster City Lagoon
Edgewater Marine, the company behind electric boat rentals on the Foster City Lagoon, has added vintage-style "Retro Runabout" boats to its fleet alongside its popular Duffy electric boats. The Retros are restored, electrified boats styled after vintage designs from the late 1950s and early '60s, seating 2-4 people and renting for $299 for two hours, perfect for a date, small celebration, or quiet cruise. All boats on the lagoon are electric and capped at a leisurely 5 mph, and the outfit also offers larger Duffy Sun Cruisers, Whaly outboards, guided tours, and sunset cruises, with the boathouse located at 1001 Bounty Drive, across from the dog park. With Labor Day weekend and coming up this fall, it's a fun new way to take in the lagoon. Read more here.
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Dog Haus Biergarten in Belmont
1000 El Camino Real, Belmont
Dog Haus Biergarten Belmont is a casual restaurant centered on gourmet hot dogs, sausages, burgers, chicken sandwiches and breakfast burritos. The dogs and sausages are served on King’s Hawaiian-style rolls, while the smashburgers use all-natural Creekstone Farms Black Angus beef on King’s Hawaiian burger buns. Other menu options include crispy chicken sandwiches, grilled chicken, shareable tater tots and the restaurant’s Bad-Ass Breakfast Burritos, which are available throughout the day. Dog Haus also offers plant-based burgers and sausages through its Plant B concept, giving the menu a range of meat and meat-free options. The Belmont location at 1000 El Camino Real includes outdoor seating, a beer and cocktail program, happy hour and takeout and delivery options.
Noelani’s Island Grill in San Carlos
1037 Laurel St, San Carlos
Noelani's Island Grill is a Hawaiian-Asian fusion restaurant on Laurel Street in San Carlos that focuses on Hawaiian family recipes, island flavors and tropical cocktails. Menu highlights include Spam musubi, ahi poke, Kalua pig tacos, Kalua pig quesadillas and loco moco topped with a sunny-side-up egg, Maui onion, gravy and white rice. The restaurant also serves miso yaki salmon, island sliders, chicken dishes and Hawaiian-inspired fries seasoned with ingredients such as li hing mui and furikake. Noelani’s offers live music on Friday and Saturday nights as well as Sunday brunch, and it provides catering for private events.
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We do our best to verify dates/locations of events, but please independently verify before attending as details are subject to change
🎉 Rock the Block | San Mateo | Hillsdale Mall - North Block Plaza | 9/4 | more
Hillsdale Shopping Center's North Block Plaza comes alive with live music and community fun for an evening out at the mall.
🎬 Movies in the Park: Zootopia 2 | San Mateo | Central Park | 9/4 | more
Bring a blanket for a free outdoor screening of Zootopia 2 at Central Park in San Mateo!
💎 International Gem and Jewelry Show | San Mateo | Expo Center | 9/4 - 6 | more
America's longest-running direct-to-consumer jewelry show returns for its 59th year, letting shoppers buy diamonds, gemstones, and handcrafted pieces straight from designers and wholesalers.
🏓 Pickleball and Beer | San Carlos | Devil's Canyon Brewing | 9/6 | more
Open Court Paddle sets up pop-up courts in the beer garden for an afternoon of reserved pickleball play, paddle rentals, and cold Devil's Canyon brews on tap.
💃 Free Family Dance Open House | San Mateo | Cy Danceworks | 9/6 | more
The whole family is invited to try out free demo classes, grab a bite, and get faces painted at this open house celebrating the Cy Danceworks community.
🎨 "Sunflower and the Pumpkin" Paint & Sip | San Mateo | Pinstripes | 9/8 | more
No experience needed for this guided, beginner-friendly painting session where you'll sip a drink of your choice and leave with your own sunflower-and-pumpkin canvas.
🔍 James Ponti Meet and Greet | San Carlos | The Reading Bug | 9/9 | more
Meet New York Times bestselling author James Ponti for the first time at The Reading Bug and get your copy of his Sherlock Society series signed.
🎶 September Nights on B Street | San Mateo | B Street | 9/10 | more
Downtown San Mateo's B Street transforms into an outdoor party with live music, dancing, and kids' activities for the whole family.
📚 Gail Carson Levine | San Carlos | The Reading Bug | 9/10 | more
Meet Newbery Honor-winning author Gail Carson Levine, of Ella Enchanted fame, for a Q&A and signing celebrating her new book, The Unusuals.