Berkeley authorities closed northbound traffic in the 2300 block of Shattuck Avenue Monday morning, and evacuated a local business, after they received a report of an envelope with a suspicious substance inside it, according to Berkeley Police spokesman Off. Byron White.

White said that the police and fire departments went to La Note restaurant, at 2377 Shattuck Ave. (at Channing), after receiving a call at 9:41 a.m. from the business. Someone at the restaurant said they were concerned about a letter they had received with a suspicious substance inside it.

After Berkeley Fire Department’s hazardous substance team investigated the substance, it was determined to be harmless.

Customers at La Note, a popular brunch destination, were asked to leave the restaurant, Byron said.

Shattuck Avenue northbound was reopened just before 11 a.m., according to a Nixle alert sent out by Berkeley Police.

Tracey Taylor is co-founder of Berkeleyside and co-founder and editorial director of Cityside, the nonprofit parent to Berkeleyside and The Oaklandside. Before launching Berkeleyside, Tracey wrote for...