SLIVER PIZZERIA Sports bar and restaurant Sportivo at 2132 Center St. in downtown Berkeley will not be renewing its lease and plans to close on Dec. 15. Sliver Pizzeria is moving into the space and expects open in January 2013. Sliver says it plans to “use the freshest and finest quality ingredients on our pizza as a means to promoting human health and empowering the fight against human trafficking around the world.” Sliver Pizzeria, 2132 Center St.
SEA SALT Haig and Cindy Krikorian’s K2 Restaurant Group has sold Sea Salt, the Berkeley seafood restaurant on San Pablo Avenue, on the heels of its September divestment of T-Rex Barbeque. (K2 also owns Lalime, Jimmy Beans, Paisan and Fonda.) Sea Salt’s new owner is Sung Su Han, according to Inside Scoop which reported that the pair wants to downsize. Sea Salt will keep its name and menu through December, when it will close for about a week, then reopen as Eat. Chef Quyen Vu will stay on board, but will change to a small-plates format, according to Diablo. The adjacent dining room will be transformed into a lounge in the next six to eight months, after which it will become Eat + Lounge. The Krikorians will stay involved as outside consultants. Sea Salt, 2512 San Pablo Ave., 510-883-1720.
U CAFE UC students looking for a late night snack have been raving about UCafé, which opened in late August at 2550 Durant Ave. The café, which serves a wide assortment of baked goods, is open until 2:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, and to midnight on other nights. UCafé has all kinds of different pastries including hot dog buns with scallions, BBQ pork pastry, pineapple buns, Russian bread, Japanese milk bread, Portuguese egg tart, cheesecake, and tiramisu.
HANDLEBAR You’ll have seen Roland Robles’s Fiveten Burger Truck at Off The Grid and other street food gatherings for the past few years. Now, according to Grub Street SF, Robles plans to open — with partner Jennifer Seideman — a brick and mortar spot. Handlebar will be in the former Templebar Tiki Bar & Grill space on University Avenue. Spring is the expected opening time. Handlebar, 984 University Ave.
Check last week’s It List for a list of open studios, bazaars, and pop-up stores happening in the run-up to the holidays.
Shop Talk is Berkeleyside’s regular column in which we post updates on Berkeley businesses — openings, closings, new directions, relaunches, relocations. If you’re a Berkeley business with news, or a Berkeleysider who has spotted a change in your neighborhood or on your travels, shoot us an email with the details. Read previous Shop Talk columns here.
Many of this week’s Shop Talk items were first published on Berkeleyside NOSH, our online East Bay food magazine. Follow Berkeleyside NOSH on Twitter, and on Facebook.
