A Scenic Detour Leads to a Distinctive Meal

Taking the winding route to The Sailing Goat feels a little like a test of commitment, but it’s also the kind of place that reminds us the East Bay still has a few surprises left.

If you’ve never been to Point San Pablo Harbor, this is your sign to trust your smartphone navigation and keep going. Shortly after you exit, take a moment to glance toward the bay—you’ll catch sight of the shipwreck, a fitting preview for what’s ahead. By the time you arrive, it’s clear this isn’t just dinner. It’s a destination.

At the center of it all is chef Arnon Oren, whose path to the harbor wasn’t exactly linear. Classically trained in Lyon, Oren brought his culinary talent to California and spent time working in some of the East Bay’s most iconic fine dining kitchens. But despite his restaurant background, opening a restaurant wasn’t originally the plan. Instead, he and his wife built a highly successful catering company serving Bay Area tech clients, a business that thrived until the pandemic abruptly changed the way companies worked—and spent.

When corporate catering budgets disappeared almost overnight, the ripple effect was devastating. Like many in hospitality, Oren got creative, chasing every possible pivot while trying to keep the business going and take care of his employees through a deeply uncertain time. But eventually, after what sounds like a true all-hands effort, the decision was made to close that chapter.

Then came the harbor.

When the space became available in 2023, it felt like one of those rare opportunities that doesn’t need much explaining. The setting alone makes a strong case: a quirky waterfront pocket lined with docked boats, oversized sculptures, weathered charm, and just enough offbeat character to make it memorable. It feels a little hidden, a little scrappy, and entirely unlike the polished predictability of more conventional Bay Area dining destinations.

The next piece came together just as naturally. Oren was serendipitously reunited with former colleague Ross Kaplan, and together they shaped a menu that feels worldly, casual, and just elevated enough to keep things interesting.

The Sailing Goat makes a strong first impression before the food even hits the table. The staff is warm and genuinely welcoming, and while there’s indoor seating if you want to be closer to the bar and kitchen energy, the move is to the open-air patio. On a good day—and most days out there feel like good ones—it’s hard to beat dining outside with the harbor in view, especially if the stage happens to be hosting live music.

The menu gives you plenty of reasons to come hungry and a few reasons to immediately start planning a return visit. Kaplan’s popular offerings include a bouillabaisse-inspired seafood stew, a weekly changing harbor chowder built around what’s in season, and wood-fired pizzas that are ideal for sharing. On our visit, we fell into the familiar restaurant dilemma of menu FOMO.

Watching plate after plate of golden-brown fish and chips head to neighboring tables made resisting impossible, and it absolutely lived up to the visual hype—crisp, satisfying, and exactly the kind of dish that feels right by the water. Leaning into ingredients from the surrounding area, we also tried the brandade, a smooth and savory spread made with local rockfish, along with the house-made pork rillette served with freshly toasted crostini.

When we caught up with Oren, he recommended some seasonal items, including a chicory and citrus salad, which brought a refreshing contrast to the richer dishes and arrived beautifully plated without feeling fussy, and a strawberry rhubarb crumble, which was comforting, bright, and just rustic enough to match the setting.

What makes The Sailing Goat especially compelling isn’t just the food or the view, though both are strong draws. It’s the feeling that this place was built from experience, resilience, and timing. Oren’s story carries the kind of grit that tends to shape restaurants with staying power, and paired with a setting this distinctive, it feels like the beginning of something bigger.

The road out there may still throw first-timers off, but once you’ve made the trip, it’s easy to see why people come back. The Sailing Goat doesn’t just reward the drive—it makes it part of the charm.

1900 Stenmark Dr, Richmond, CA 94801

https://www.sailinggoatrestaurant.com/