Something’s in the air this summer. It’s not even August, and we’ve already covered the openings of 30 East Bay restaurants and bars since Memorial Day. With all of this excitement, it can be hard to keep up.
Here at Nosh, we’ve decided to do the hard work for you and compiled a running list of all the new spots. Of course, with restaurant openings invariably come restaurant closings, and so we’ve included our tally of those below. Click on the restaurant’s name to read more about each spot on Berkeleyside. And if you need more dining inspiration, don’t forget to check out the Nosh Guide for all of your breakfast, lunch and dinner needs.
Openings
Berkeley
B&B Kitchen and Wine Bar A seafood-focused sister restaurant to Rockridge spot Bourbon & Beef, B&B replaced Burritos, Inc. in May. Menu highlights include butter-poached lobster with squid-ink linguine, a grilled octopus and chorizo appetizer, and classic cold seafood towers of oysters, shrimp cocktail, ceviche, crab and lobster tail. B&B Kitchen and Wine Bar is at 2116 Shattuck Ave. (between Addison and Center streets). Connect with the restaurant on Facebook
Famous Bao This new Chinese restaurant specializes in traditional baozi, Xi’an-style burgers, baing baing hand-cut noodles and “iron pot,” a style of hot pot. Famous Bao is at 2431-A Durant Ave. (between Dana Street and Telegraph Avenue), Berkeley.
Ike’s Place The newest location of the cult Bay Area sandwich chain serves a few Berkeley-only sandwiches — the Shattuck (fried chicken, Golden Bear sauce and jack cheese); the Telegraph (pastrami, ham, Golden Bear sauce, and cheddar); the By George! (bacon, Golden Bear sauce, and Jack cheese); and the X-Files (breaded eggplant, Golden Bear sauce and jack cheese). Ike’s Place is at at 2172 Shattuck Ave. (between Center Street and Allston Way), Berkeley. Connect with the restaurant on Facebook and Twitter.
Super Super This new banh mi and pho joint replaced the short-lived T&R restaurant on San Pablo. In addition to traditional soup and sandwiches, Super Super also serves hamburgers. Super Super is at 1428 San Pablo Ave. (between Camilia and Page), Berkeley.
The Noodle Company A re-boot of popular Shattuck Avenue Thai restaurant, Thai Noodle, The Noodle Company serves up comforting Thai-style noodle and rice bowls. The Noodle Company is at 1936 Shattuck Ave. (between Berkeley Way and Hearst Avenue), Berkeley.
Uji Time The Japanese dessert restaurant shares space with shaved ice emporium Vampire Penguin and sells soft serve in matcha, tofu and sesame flavors; taiyaki fish-shaped cakes with various fillings; mochi ice cream balls; and soft serve parfaits. Uji Time is at 2575 Telegraph Ave. (at Parker Street), Berkeley. Connect with the restaurant on Facebook.
Oakland
Agave Uptown Oakland’s second Oaxacan-focused Mexican restaurant opened in July, serving mole and mezcal, plus other traditional dishes like molotes (empanadas made with masa), cecina (pork in adobo), tacos and more. Agave Uptown is at 2135 Franklin St. (at 22nd Street), Oakland. Connect with the restaurant on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Annapurna The Nepalese and Indian restaurant replaced Breads of India in Swan’s Marketplace, and it has so far won high praise for its chicken tikka masala, goat curry and naan bread. Annapurna is at 948 Clay St. (at 10th Street), Oakland. Connect with the restaurant on Facebook.
Azit This Korean joint in Temescal serves hot pots and Korean drinking food like Korean nachos and cheese-covered rice cakes. Azit is at 4309 Telegraph Ave. (at 44th Street), Oakland.
Burma Bear The second location of SF-based Burma Bear replaced Buma’s Pizzeria in May. The take-out restaurant The restaurant’s menu includes two takes on tea leaf salad (one with kale), baby back ribs with biryani rice, Burmese chicken curry and Hawaiian-style pulled pork. Burma Bear is at 325 19th St. (between Webster and Harrison streets), Oakland. Connect with the restaurant on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Cracked This commuter-friendly morning pop-up inside of Chick and Tea offers fast food-esque fried egg sandwiches on Filipino pandesal rolls with fillings ranging from spam and nori to bacon-avocado. Cracked is located in Chick and Tea at 3932 Telegraph Ave. (at 40th Street), Oakland. Open until 10:30 a.m. Connect with the pop-up on Facebook.
Delage AS B-Dama’s Chikara Ono opened his omakase-style sushi restaurant in June. The $65 prix-fixe meal includes a mix of nigiri and modern Japanese dishes made with a slight French bent. Delage is at 536 Ninth St. (between Clay and Washington Streets), Oakland. Connect with the restaurant on Facebook.
Grand Fare Market [Update: Grand Fare’s owners have pushed back the official opening to July 27.] The second iteration of Grand Lake’s expansive gourmet market just re-opened this week with a simplified layout and pared-down, rotisserie-centric food menu from chef Chris Fernandez. Grand Fare Market is at 3265 Grand Ave., Oakland. Connect with the market on Facebook and Twitter.
Icey Cream This hot-pink ice cream shop is owned by the proprietors of neighboring Oasis Kitchen and serves Lappert’s ice cream, house-made macarons and meringues, and doughnuts that can be made into ice cream sandwiches. Icey Cream is at 346 Grand Ave. (at Perkins Street), Oakland. Connect with the shop on Facebook and Instagram.
Izzy’s Steak and Chop House The Uptown location is the third for Izzy’s, which serves classic steakhouse dishes like steaks, wedge and Caesar salads, seafood, and potato- and spinach-heavy sides. It replaced Casa Cubana this summer. Izzy’s Steak and Chop House is at 59 Grand Ave. (at Webster Street), Oakland. Connect with the restaurant on Facebook and Twitter.
LocoL Daniel Patterson and Roy Choi’s affordable new-wave fast food restaurant in Uptown is intended to address the issue of healthy food access in underserved communities — it serves familiar American fast food dishes like hamburgers, but with a healthier slant. LocoL is at 2214 Broadway (at 22nd Street), Oakland. Connect with the restaurant on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Novel Brewing Company The Golden Gate neighborhood’s first brewpub opened on San Pablo in June, pouring a short but sweet lineup of beers like a black rye IPA, an Irish-style dry stout and a German-style gose. Novel Brewing Company is at 6510 San Pablo Ave. (at 65th Street), Oakland. Connect with the brewery on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Red Bay Coffee Box The Fruitvale-based coffee roasting company just opened its first standalone café space in a repurposed shipping container in Uptown’s Hive complex, serving Tart Bakery goods alongside its coffee drinks. The Red Bay Coffee Box is at 2327 Broadway (between 23rd and 24th streets), Oakland. Connect with the coffee roasters on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Rockridge Improvement Club This new, cocktail-centric bar replaced Rockridge dive bar Ye Olde Hut in June. Its name is a throw-back to the original group occupying the building, a pro-prohibition organization called the “Rockridge Improvement Club.” Rockridge Improvement Club is at 5515 College Ave. (at Forest Street), Oakland.
Stay Gold Deli West Oakland’s newest restaurant is an East Coast-style deli serving up Italian-American classics like meatball subs and cold-cut sammies. Stay Gold also just got its beer and wine license, so you can now enjoy a local brew with your meal. Stay Gold Deli is at 2635 San Pablo Ave. (at 26th Street), Oakland. Connect with the deli on Facebook.
Temescal Brewing This Telegraph Avenue brewery and beer garden focuses on what it calls “sunny day” beers; in other words, beers that are lower in alcohol and easier to drink on, yes, a sunny day. (Its 15-barrel brewing system does, however, have the capacity to make lots of other beers as well.) Temescal Brewing is at 4115 Telegraph Ave. (at 41st Street), Oakland. Connect with the brewery on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Teni East Kitchen A mix of Southeast Asian dishes are on the menu at this new spot on 40th and Broadway. Local Californian ingredients also play a part in items like the kale tea leaf salad and sweet potato samosas. Teni East Kitchen is at 4015 Broadway (at 40th Street), Oakland. Connect with the restaurant on Facebook.
Tertulia Coffee/Sanchez Contemporary This combined coffee shop and art gallery opened in Uptown in June, serving Stumptown Coffee, Firebrand pastries and Mexican pan dulce sweet breads. Tertulia Coffee/Sanchez Contemporary is at 1951 Telegraph Ave. (at William Street), Oakland. Connect with the business on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Beyond
Broderick Roadhouse This new fusion burger joint called recently opened in Walnut Creek, serving everything from a Niman Ranch “old school” burger to a pulled pork banh mi. Craft beers are, of course, on tap. Broderick Roadhouse is at 1548 Bonanza St. (at Locust Street), Walnut Creek. Connect with the restaurant on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Cue The Wisconsin-based barbecue chain opened its Alameda outpost in June with a full line-up of barbecue dishes from brisket and chopped pork to St. Louis spareribs. Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Cue is at 2690 5th St. Ste. J, (at Mosley Avenue), Alameda. Connect with the restaurant on Facebook and Twitter.
Gangnam Tofu This El Cerrito Korean restaurant specializes in soondubo (tofu stew), but also serves a large selection of Korean fried chicken, barbecue and bi bim bap. Gangnam Tofu is at 11740 San Pablo Ave. Ste. C (at Knott Avenue), El Cerrito.
Shirasoni The sushi restaurant in Alameda is the third for the small California chain. Its epic menu of sushi rolls include “The Explosion” (imitation crab, spicy tuna, tobiko) and the “Benz Roll” (spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, cream cheese, cucumber, avocado, fried jalapeño, spicy crab, sesame). Shirasoni is at 2660 5th St., Ste A (near Singleton Avenue), Alameda. Connect with the restaurant on Facebook.
Slice House The New York-style pizza and Italian-American restaurant from San Francisco’s Tony Gemignani, has joined Telefèric Barcelona and Rooftoop in the 1500 Mt. Diablo development in Walnut Creek. Menu items will include house-made pasta, Italian sausages, soups, salads and subs, in addition to pizzas. Slice House is at 1500 Mt. Diablo Blvd (at Main Street), Walnut Creek. Connect with the restaurant on Facebook.
Woods Island Club Oakland-based Woods Beer Co. opened an island outpost on Treasure Island this month. The Woods Island Club includes a tasting room, barrel-aging facility and an outdoor “beer beach.” The Woods Beer Co. Island Club is at 440 California Ave. (at Clipper Cove Way), Treasure Island. Connect with the brewery on Twitter and Instagram.
Zaytoon Albany’s new Mediterranean serves a mix of starters like mezze plates and yogurt cheese, vegetable-heavy salads, grilled kebabs and an array of traditional plates such as maklouba (an “upside down” rice dish with vegetables, pine nuts and chicken or lamb), samakeh (pan-fried fish with potatoes) and mujaddara (rice, lentils and caramelized onions). Zaytoon is at 1133 Solano Ave. (at Kains Street), Albany.
Closings
Berkeley
Belli Osteria The four-year-old Northern Italian restaurant closed in July. It has been sold to a pair of restaurateurs, who plan to reopen soon as a yet-unnamed wood-fired pizza joint. The new restaurant will be at 2016 Shattuck Ave. (at University Avenue), Berkeley.
Mokka The popular Telegraph Avenue coffee shop closed in June due to a rent hike and rising labor costs. It will be replaced by #Poki, a build-your-own poke bowl restaurant. #Poki will be at 3075 Telegraph Ave. (at Dowling Place), Berkeley.
SliderBar Center Street’s hamburger joint SliderBar shuttered at the end of May. A fire at the restaurant broke out a month later for unknown reasons. SliderBar was at 2124 Center St. (at Shattuck Avenue), Berkeley.
Zatar The popular Mediterranean restaurant on Shattuck Avenue closed at the end of June to make way for construction of a new apartment building. The owners are currently looking for a new location. Zatar was at 1981 Shattuck Ave. (between Berkeley Way and University Avenue), Berkeley.
Oakland
Barclay’s Restaurant and Pub The longtime Rockridge bar closed mid-July after its landlord decided not to renew its month-to-month lease. Its owners are looking for a new location. Barclay’s will be replaced with what sounds like a similar-style pub. Barclay’s Restaurant and Pub was at 5940 College Ave. (at Harwood Avenue), Oakland. Keep up with the bar’s search for a new location on Facebook.
Casa Cubana After only five months of operation, this Uptown Cuban restaurant closed in June. It was quickly replaced by a third location of its owners’ small steakhouse chain Izzy’s Steak and Chop House (above).
Nellie’s Soulfood The 50-year-old soul West Oakland soul food restaurant closed in June after owner Nellie Ozen decided to either retire or to just “rest a while.” Ozen may open a new restaurant this winter.
Pal’s Takeaway at Firebrand Jeff Mason, the proprietor of the popular sandwich window operating out of Firebrand Artisan Breads, parted ways with the Uptown bakery in June. He is currently looking for his own standalone spot in the East Bay, and is holding occasional popups during the interim. Connect with Pal’s Takeaway on Twitter.
Stag’s Lunchette The Uptown organic sandwich shop will close as of Aug. 1 due to financial reasons. Owner Alexeis Filipello will hold on to the restaurant space, and she plans to turn it into a kitchen specializing in box lunches and company lunches. Stag’s Lunchette is at 362 17th St. (between Webster and Franklin streets), Oakland. Wheelchair accessible. Connect with the restaurant on Facebook.
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