The surge of new East Bay restaurants and bars shows little sign of slowing. Each day, it seems we hear of another restaurant headed our way, and it can be hard to keep up.
So we’ve done the hard work for you and compiled a running list of all the soon-to-open places. Hear of anything else coming down the pipeline? Let us know in the comments.
Berkeley
#Poki The restaurant specializing in build-your-own raw fish and rice bowls is replacing Mokka coffee shop this August. #Poki will be at 3075 Telegraph Ave. (at Dowling Place), Berkeley.
1951 Coffee This Southside coffee shop will operate as a non-profit, and it is currently training and employing refugees to work at 1951 Coffee as well as other Bay Area cafés. 1951 Coffee will be at 2410 Channing Way (at Dana Street), Berkeley. Connect with the coffee shop on Facebook and Instagram.
Agrodolce This Sicilian-style Italian restaurant will open in the former Café Gratitude location on Shattuck Avenue late this summer. It will be opened by the owners of the Elmwood’s Trattoria La Siciliana. Agrodolce will be at 1730 Shattuck Ave. (at Francisco Street), Berkeley.
Bomba Doughnuts The weekly doughnut pop-up holds court in The Sandwich Spot’s dining area on Wednesday mornings. The base for the doughnuts is the ever-popular “cronut” style with toppings ranging from playful (bacon maple) to classic (chocolate). Bomba Doughnuts is at 2106 Shattuck Ave. (at Addison Street), Berkeley. Connect with the pop-up on Facebook and Instagram.
Creekwood There’s still no clear target opening date for this breakfast and lunch restaurant currently under construction near Sacramento and Alcatraz, but when it does make its debut, expect eggs and baked goods in the morning and salads, pastas, fish and grilled meat in the afternoons. Creekwood will be at 3121 Sacramento St. (at Woolsey Street), Berkeley. Connect with the restaurant on Facebook and Twitter.
Eatsa San Francisco’s high-tech automatic quinoa bowl restaurant chain is headed to Telegraph Avenue in the early fall. It will replace long-running Crêpes A-Go-Go, which closed in April, and will serve bowls like the Spice Market Bowl (corn curry, roasted yams, saag paneer, cucumber raita, tandoori tofu, warm lemon-herb toasted quinoa, pita bread and fried chickpeas) and the Bento Bowl (stir-fried quinoa with egg, edamame, crispy wonton strips, teriyaki sauce, miso portobello mushrooms and apple-cabbage slaw). Eatsa will be at 2334 Telegraph Ave. (at Durant Avenue), Berkeley. Connect with the restaurant on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Gilman Brewing Company This soon-to-open brewery will focus on small batches of “funky, interesting” beers, including both Belgian and American styles. Gilman Brewing will eventually expand into the space next door and open a small fast-casual restaurant focused on beer-friendly food. The initial opening date looks like late summer. Gilman Brewing Company will be at 912 Gilman St. (between Seventh and Eighth streets), Berkeley. Connect with the brewery on Facebook.
Gio’s Pizza and Bocce Berkeley mainstay Giovanni will reopen as Gio’s this fall with an updated menu (think lots of pizza) and bar (emphasis: amaro), plus a bocce court and — maybe — a secret bar. Giovanni’s red booths and mural will remain intact. Gio’s Pizza and Bocce will be at 2420 Shattuck Ave. (between Channing and Haste streets), Berkeley.
Handlebar 2.0: Doc’s Refresher The West Berkeley restaurant is a tweak of the original hamburger joint with a fast-casual service model, a larger beer selection and a game room. It has just switched names as of July 24. Doc’s Refresher is at 984 University Ave. (between Eighth and Ninth streets), Berkeley. Connect with the restaurant on Facebook.
Pacific Standard Half Moon Bay Brewing Company is opening a taproom and bottle shop in downtown Berkeley next month. Called Pacific Standard, it will offer 15 to 20 local and regional beers on tap (around half from Half Moon Bay Brewing), plus snacks. Pacific Standard by Half Moon Bay Brewing Company will be at at 2055 Center St. (at Shattuck Avenue), Berkeley. Connect with the brewery on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Plentea Another San Francisco-based company, Plentea serves Taiwanese bubble tea in reusable glass bottles instead of the more common plastic cups. It will also bring a few food items to its new location in the Telegraph-Channing Mall: rice bowls with either barbecued eel or stewed beef, octopus balls, salads with smoked salmon or turkey, Belgian waffles, and assorted cakes. Plentea will be at 2430 Durant Ave. (at Telegraph Avenue), Berkeley. Connect with the tea shop on Facebook and Twitter.
Revival coffee window The downtown Berkeley restaurant is teaming up with Highwire Coffee Roasters to open a to-go coffee window out of its Addison Street window. There’s no construction required, so expect an opening date in the near future. Revival Bar and Kitchen is at 2120 Shattuck Ave (at Addison Street), Berkeley. Connect with the restaurant on Facebook and Twitter.
Romeo’s Coffee At this Telegraph Avenue coffee shop, you’ll be able to find coffees with a caffeine rating, as well as pastries from Starter Bakery and locally sourced juices, bagels and sandwiches. Look for an early September opening. Romeo’s Coffee will be at 2499 Telegraph Ave. (at Dwight Way), Berkeley.
Tender Greens The LA-based salad and sandwich fast-casual restaurant is headed to University Avenue this fall. It replaces the Chinese restaurant Taiwan, which closed last year after 42 years of operation. Tender Greens will be at 2071 University Ave. (at Shattuck Avenue). Connect with the restaurant on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Triple Rock expansion The historic Berkeley brewpub is expanding into the space next door, which will double its footprint, allowing the brewery to increase its production space. It will also gain a new kitchen (and menu), as well as a larger bar area. Triple Rock plans to open the expanded space mid-August in conjunction with the brewery’s 30th anniversary. Triple Rock Brewery and Alehouse is at 1920 Shattuck Ave. (at Hearst Street), Berkeley. Connect with the brewery on Twitter.
Urban Remedy The Marin county-based health food and juice company is headed to the Elmwood, bringing its 100% organic raw snacks, ready-to-eat meals and fresh fruit and vegetable juices that “blend cutting-edge nutrition with Traditional Chinese Medicine” to Berkeley. Urban Remedy will be at 2946 College Ave. (at Ashby Avenue), Berkeley. Connect with the company on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Oakland
Degrees Plato One of two beer gardens planned for the Laurel district of Oakland, Degrees Plato will be a family- and bike-friendly bar with craft beer and a food menu full of Latin flair. Expect dishes like tortas, tacos, quesadillas de huitlacoche, tamales and pozole. No set opening date. Degrees Plato will be at 4251 McArthur Blvd. (at High Street), Oakland.
Laurel Beer Garden This beer garden is slated to also open in 2016 on MacArthur, replacing neighborhood favorite Miliki restaurant. For now, Miliki remains open due to permitting issues, but the beer garden entrepreneur (and property owner) Paul Schneider plans to open his business in December. Laurel Beer Garden will be at 3721 and 3725 MacArthur Blvd. (at Loma Vista Avenue), Oakland.
LocoL coffee shop The second Oakland location of LocoL will be a coffee shop of sorts in the former Tomm’s Bar-B-Q at the corner of Market and 35th streets. According to co-owner Roy Choi, the café will serve “savory pastries type-ish.” The LocoL coffee shop will be at 3446 Market St. (at 35th Street), Oakland. Connect with LocoL on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.
Mikkeller Tasting Room and Bottle Shop Trappist Provisions owner Chuck Stilphen is transitioning his Rockridge bar into the East Bay’s first devoted tasting room for Copenhagen-based Mikkeller Brewing Company. The bar will stay open during the transition, which should wrap up in August. Mikkeller Tasting Room and Bottle Shop will be at 6309 College Ave. (at 63rd Street), Oakland.
The Cat House This new bar will replace The New Easy in Grand Lake, with familiar faces on board as owners: Hortensia Mitura and Hana Haysasi have both worked at Boot and Shoe service around the corner. No word on an opening date yet. The Cat House will be at 3255 Lakeshore Ave. (near Lake Park Avenue), Oakland.
The Kebabery Camino owners Russell Moore and Allison Hopelain will be opening this kebab-focused take-out restaurant in the former Salsipuedes space sometime this fall. The menu will feature sandwiches and make-your own combo plates of kebabs and falafel, plus a changing selection of salads and sides and Moore’s naturally leavened flatbread. The Kebabery will be at at 4201 Market St. (at 42nd Street), Oakland.
Beyond
610One Restaurant A new Asian-American restaurant, 610One Restaurant will replace Emeryville’s Bucci’s restaurant in the coming months. Few details are available, however, one of the co-owners, Utid Srisawat, is the chef and co-owner at Cha Am Thai in San Francisco. 610One Restaurant will be at at 6121 Hollis St. (at Doyle Street), Emeryville.
East Brother Beer Company Richmond is getting a craft brewery and taproom when East Brother Beer opens this August. It will pour updated “craft classics made with precision” — saison, red IPA, red lager, oatmeal stout and a pilsner. East Brother Beer Company will be at 1001 Canal Blvd. (near Wharf Street), Richmond. Connect with the brewery on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Estelle This modern-American restaurant is set to replace short-lived Basic Café in Emeryville. It will continue to be run by Basic’s owner, George LaFrance. Estelle will be at 5000 Adeline St. (at 53rd Street), Emeryville.
Patatas Opening soon in place of Commonwealth Micropub, Patatas will start out as a take-out and delivery restaurant specializing in pan-Latin cuisine. Eventually, it will expand to include sit-down service. Patatas will be at 3986 Adeline St. (at 40th Street), Emeryville. Connect with the restaurant on Facebook.
Yuzu Ramen and Broffee The newest East Bay ramen shop is set to open any day now. It will offer at least six different ramen styles, including tonkotsu, gyukotsu (made with beef broth), vegan and even cheese-topped ramen. In addition, Yuzu will serve what it calls “broffee” (aka bone broth) in the mornings. Yuzu Ramen & Broffee will be at 1298 65th St. (at Hollis Street), Emeryville.
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