Charming Fig
The interior of Livermore’s Charming Fig is temporarily closed after a multi-building fire on Oct. 15 that damaged the eatery’s roof, though the kitchen hopes to be up and running for take-out and catering as soon as possible. No one was injured in the blaze that remains under investigation and affected four commercial buildings, three of them vacant and now rubble. Charming Fig is at 1510 Holmes St. in Livermore; watch Instagram for updates on their reopening.
The Golden Squirrel
The family-friendly pub in Rockridge announced on Instagram that it will close after service Sunday, Oct. 22 with plans to re-open following a top-to-bottom revamp. The restaurant and bar offers a rotating selection of craft beers on tap and a full liquor selection, along with a wide selection of traditional pub fare and comfort food, brunch and a kid’s menu. “We will re-open the restaurant by the end of the month or so with a new concept, new menu and a fresh look,” the post stated. “We thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for your business.” Golden Squirrel devotees who are among the first 50 customers each day prior to the closing will receive a free drink. The Golden Squirrel is at 5940 College Ave. in Oakland, and will close after service Oct. 22. Nosh will be watching for updates on its reopening under a new name. — Tovin Lapan
Lulu Camelia Street
Not a closure but a big move for big-deal restaurant Lulu from chef Mona Leena Michael, whose mezze platters and other Middle Eastern specialties have attracted customers to Berkeley for brunch and dinner for two years. Michael has closed the Camelia Street location and hopes to reopen Lulu as soon as November (no date announced just yet) in bigger digs on Solano Avenue in Albany. Stay tuned. Lulu Camelia was at 1019 Camelia St. in Berkeley, and will reopen in Albany in November.
New Tin’s Market
Thanks to a Nosh reader for this tip. Popular Oakland Chinatown grocery New Tin’s Market, in operation for 21 years at 310 7th St., has closed up operations to prepare for a move. The market is valued for its busy meat and seafood counters, vast selection of produce and wide range of products and imports, not to mention knowledgeable service. We were happy to hear from the tipster that they hope to reopen soon in a new space nearby at 7th and Webster, and Nosh will be looking out for more information on the reopening. New Tin’s Market was at 310 7th St. in Oakland.
Souley Vegan
“We thank you for your love and support over the years,” says the brief note on Souley Vegan’s website. “The Oakland location is now closed.” Chef Tamearra Dyson was a new restaurateur when she opened her Creole-inflected, plant-based restaurant Souley Vegan in 2009. The groundbreaking Oakland business eventually grew into a mini vegan empire, with locations (all now shuttered) in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas. A promised second Oakland enterprise, Cajun bar and eatery The Back Porch, was announced in 2021 and purported to open behind Souley Vegan, but there was little visible movement on the space beyond the occasional hopeful announcement during the pandemic. Since mid-August, diners nervously shared news of the ominous-but-optimistic GoFundMe campaign created to assist the Jack London Square flagship. Despite what still feels like a sudden farewell, Souley Vegan was a Black-owned, woman-owned, vegan business that satisfied diners for 14 years. An abrupt closure is surely not what Dyson’s fans ever envisioned for the beloved Oakland destination that will be missed by many. Souley Vegan was at 301 Broadway in Oakland.
