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. Have a tip for Nosh? Submit it here.
Good Vybes and Brews
Good Vybes and Brews recently opened in Oakland’s Jack London district. Organic, fair-trade beans and matcha are on the daily lineup, and the cafe’s website states that, unlike most other establishments in the U.S., tipping isn’t part of the business model here. Alternatives to dairy milks are complementary as well. The café is currently in soft opening mode through August; check on Instagram for their opening hours. Good Vybes and Brews, 412 Madison St. #103 , Oakland
Lucy Blue
Oakland’s newest watering hole is gearing up for its Uptown debut. Lucy Blue, the result of a collaboration between chef Michele McQueen and Matt Sturm of Town Fare, will open its doors on August 24. Just steps from the Fox Theater, Lucy Blue is putting down roots in the same space that Spanish restaurant Duende operated out of for more than a decade before its closure last summer. The menu features cocktails and zero-proof drinks named for Oakland neighborhoods alongside inventive bites such as oxtail arancini, buttermilk-brined fried quail and wasabi ranch deviled eggs. Lucy Blue, 468 19th St., Oakland
Oak-Dar
Specialty Ethiopian coffee, brewed in a traditional clay pot, is the star of the show at Oak-Dar, a new cafe in Downtown Oakland. You can opt for a cup of black coffee or go the more flavorful route, adding Ethiopian condiments like ginger or butter to your brew. Breakfast and brunch are also on offer — try the chechebsa (flatbread) with honey, the omelette or a breakfast sandwich. Oak-Dar, 1312 Broadway (between 13th and 14th), Oakland
Original Joe’s
A classic San Francisco institution has finally arrived in the East Bay. Original Joe’s, which first opened on Taylor Street in 1937, is about as classic as old-timey Italian-American cuisine can get. Its new Walnut Creek location boasts 300 seats, two outdoor patios and a cozy cocktail lounge with slick green leather booths and a fireplace. You’ll find comforting dishes like spicy rigatoni, zucchini fries, chicken parmesan and butter cake on the menu. As of the time of publication, a minor kitchen fire prompted the restaurant to temporarily close, but it should be back in business within a week or so. Original Joe’s, 1300 S. Main Street, Walnut Creek
Sweet Potatoes UpBeet Cafe
Honey jasmine lattes with bee pollen garnish. Ube lattes dusted with rose petals. Mochas spiced with hints of cinnamon and cacao. Are you thirsty yet? These are just a few of the offerings now available at the newly opened Sweet Potatoes UpBeet Cafe, located across from the El Cerrito Plaza shopping center. Breakfast items like smoothies and avocado toasts are available as well. Sweet Potatoes UpBeet Café, 6401 Fairmount Ave. (at Kearney Street), El Cerrito
