Adesso, the sister restaurant to Dopo on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland, will close in the next few weeks. According to owner Jon Smulewitz, the decision was made in order to “focus efforts and energy on Dopo, and other projects.” In a recent email to customers, Smulewitz wrote: “As you may have heard, after an incredible 8-year run, we have made the difficult decision to sell Adesso… From its inception and nomination for a James Beard Award in 2009, to the raucous World Cup games in 2014 and the amazing Warriors Finals runs the last 2 seasons, its truly been a fabulous adventure and we can’t thank you all enough for being a part of it.”
While the closing date has yet to be set, Smulewitz said they will spend the next few weeks celebrating “the wonderful memories” they have created at Adesso. He wrote: “We’ll be putting some of the old favorites from past menus back on and we’d love to see and hear from all of you. It’s truly impossible to overstate how much we appreciate all the employees and customers who have made the past eight years possible.” Adesso, principally a small-plate and aperitif spot that is also a gathering place for big sports games, is known for its excellent housemade salumi.
Italian Homemade Company Replacing the shuttered AG Ferrari at 2905 College Ave. in Berkeley’s Elmwood neighborhood will be another purveyor of Italian deli food. The San Francisco-based Italian Homemade Company describes itself as offering “Italian gourmet street food and specialties from Marche and Romagna regions.”
The Italian Homemade Company currently only has a presence in San Francisco. Italian Homemade’s menu runs the gamut from salads, Piadina sandwiches (made with yeast-free flatbread, traditionally served with cold cuts), and fresh pasta dishes. No word yet on an opening date, but we’ll keep you posted. AG Ferrari, part of a small chain of Italian food and wine shops, was on College Avenue for 27 years. It closed its Elmwood store in February.
The Kebabery, a sister restaurant to Camino, from owners Russell Moore and Allison Hopelain, as well as partner Brian Crookes, will open imminently, reports Eater SF. We told you about the new venture back in June 2016. The restaurant will pick up the casual vibe of the spot it replaced, Salsipuedes, which closed in April 2016. The menu includes sandwiches and make-your own combo plates of kebabs and falafel, the Longfellow Special (a bowl of soup with yogurt and fried spices, one salad and a grilled flatbread), and salads, as well as extras like spiced shoestring fries, red lentils and pickled chiles. The Kebabery is at 4201 Market Street, Oakland.
Riveter Café at 1707 Solano Avenue closed on March 7. In a note to customers, the owners wrote: “Riveter Café is closed until further notice. We are so grateful to our customers, vendors and employees who made it all possible.”
Sláinte, a new Irish pub, will open at Jack London Square on April 8. The restaurant and bar is the brainchild of the owner and beverage director of Uptown Oakland restaurant Hopscotch, Jenny Schwarz, and Irish-born chef/owner Jackie Gallanagh. Sláinte means “good health or cheers” in Irish Gaelic and the place will be serving home-style Irish cooking, as well as local and imported Irish beers and classic cocktails.
A grand opening party on Saturday April 8 kicks off at 2 p.m. with a performance by McBride Irish Dancers alongside live musicians playing the uilleann pipes (Irish bagpipes), fiddle and bodhran drum. The celebration will continue late into the evening with Irish beers, festival cocktails and traditional Irish fare. The party is open to the public (no tickets necessary). Sláinte will be open daily from 10 a.m. through midnight. Update, 10.p.m.: Sláinte has had to postpone its April 8 opening party. In a Thursday afternoon Facebook post, the owners write: “As many of you know, the opening process is always filed with the unexpected and countless moments that keep us on our toes. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to host our Grand Opening Party this Saturday. We are waiting on one final permit and then we will be able to share the new date for the festivities we have planned. Thank you for your patience and continued support!”
