Editor’s note: Nosh covers food and restaurant news across the East Bay, and each week we publish one article covering all the restaurant openings and one article covering closings. The openings and closings for each month are then compiled into a round-up. Have a tip for Nosh? Submit it here.
Berkeley restaurant closures
The Cheese Steak Shop
12.05.24: Thank you to the alert Berkeleyside reader who let us know that the Cheese Steak Shop has permanently closed its Berkeley location on the corner of Shattuck and University Avenue. The fast-casual chain, which still operates East Bay locations in Oakland and Alameda, specializes in Philly-style cheese steak sandwiches on soft Italian rolls, with veggie and chicken options for those who aren’t sold on sirloin. The Cheese Steak Shop was located at 2014 Kala Bagai Way in Berkeley.
DogHaus
12.12.24: A tipster let us know that DogHaus, a casual eatery specializing in sausages like bratwursts and beef hot dogs, has temporarily closed its Berkeley location. The restaurant’s website confirms that its doors are closed for now, but we don’t know details about when it might reopen. DogHaus was located at 1407 San Pablo Ave (Suite A) in Berkeley.
Simply Bowl
01.08.25: To the dismay of one tipster, Simply Bowl, a purveyor of comfort foods like poke bowls, curries and chicken teriyaki, seems to have quietly closed without ceremony. UC Berkeley is currently redeveloping much of property on that block. Simply Bowl was located at 2156 University Ave. in Berkeley.
Oakland restaurant closures
10th & Wood
12.19.24: 10th & Wood, a casual eatery known for savory breakfast plates and fried chicken sandwiches, is closed for good after over a decade in service. While West Oakland is seeing a gradual uptick in restaurant openings (especially with the Prescott Market’s debut on the horizon), the cozy local gem was one of the few restaurants in the Prescott neighborhood. 10th & Wood was located at 945 Wood St. in Oakland.
Daytrip
11.27.24: Daytrip, the celebrated fermentation-forward date spot co-owned by Stella Dennig and Finn Stern closed in mid-December after three years of operation on a lively stretch of Telegraph Avenue in Temescal. Dennig and Stern plan to return in 2025 with a new concept in the same space. Read more about the reasons for the closure and what the duo have planned next in the Nosh article from November.
Dokkaebier Taproom
01.08.25: Dokkaebier, a top-rated brewery located near the Jack London waterfront, permanently shuttered as of Dec. 29, according to an SF Chronicle report. Known for its Korean-inspired beers brewed with ingredients like lemongrass and kimchi, Dokkaebier is shifting from a brick-and-mortar facility to focus on distribution to bars, restaurants, retail and online vendors. Dokkabier was located at 420 3rd St., Oakland.
Firebrand Cafe & Bakery Oakland
12.17.24: Firebrand left its first ever retail location after nine years at the end of December. CEO and owner Matt Kreutz cited ongoing financial struggles and slow business as reasons for choosing to shutter the location as the lease was coming to an end. The Alameda cafe and bakery, which opened in the summer of last year, remains open. Read more about Firebrand’s closure in the Nosh article from December.
Forge Pizza
01.08.25: After 12 years of waterfront views and wood-fired pies, Forge Pizza bid farewell to Jack London Square on December 26. Though the departure from its idyllic location is a blow, frequent flyers will find the restaurant reborn at Oakland International Airport in the future, per an Instagram post. Forge’s Napa location remains open, and a new location is in the works in Rockridge. Stayed tuned to Nosh for updates on the opening. Forge Pizza was located at 66 Franklin St. (Suite 100) in Oakland.
The Kon-Tiki
12.12.24: Downtown Oakland bar and lounge The Kon-Tiki, known for its rum-centric cocktail menu and signature smash burger, will close after service on Sunday, Dec. 22, as first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. Owners Matt Reagan and Christ Aivaliotis announced in September that the bar was struggling, and, despite a subsequent surge in business, it wasn’t enough to make it into 2025. The Kon-Tiki originally opened in 2017. Reagan and Aivaliotis (who also operate El Cerrito’s Little Hill Lounge) also closed their Uptown Oakland restaurant, Palmetto, in 2023. The Kon-Tiki is located at 347 14th St. in Oakland and will close on Dec. 22.
Left Bank Brasserie
12.05.24: Left Bank, the French brasserie named for the iconic Parisian neighborhood on the southern bank of the river Seine, is saying au revoir to Jack London Square for good. Several tipsters pointed out the closure, and signs appeared on the restaurant’s exterior the day after Thanksgiving notifying the public it had closed permanently. Left Bank offered classic French fare like duck confit, French onion soup and prawns Provençal with a side of waterfront views, plus several rooms for private dining. Left Bank Brasserie was located at 472 Water St. in Oakland, but still has locations in Larkspur, Menlo Park and Silicon Valley’s Santana Row.
Obelisco
12.19.24: Friday, Dec. 20 was the last day of business for traditional Mexican spot Obelisco. First opened in 2007, Obelisco specializes in Mexican classics made with local and organic ingredients like tacos with fresh tortillas, sopes and pozole. Obelisco owner Leticia Chavez has been vocal the last few years in asking for the city to do more to curb crime and boost business in Fruitvale. In September, Chavez told The Oaklandside that the area faced a variety of issues, and the recovery following the pandemic had been slow. “It is not just about the economic impact caused by the break-ins,” Chávez said. “We also have to relive the trauma every time it happens.” Obelisco was at 411 E. 12Th St., #110 in Oakland, and will close after service on Dec. 20.
