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.
Albany restaurant closure
Sugata
08.21.25: Japanese restaurant Sugata has closed its doors after nearly 45 years in business. The family-owned restaurant, located in Albany, offered a diverse range of Japanese fare, spanning sushi and sashimi to ramen bowls and bento boxes. Yelp has listed the business as closed, and its website appears to have been taken offline. Sugata was located at 1105 Solano Ave. (at San Pablo Ave.) in Albany.
Berkeley restaurant closures
Rick & Ann’s
07.31.25: Following more than three decades of serving orange rice flour pancakes and cheesy potato pancakes, Rick & Ann’s, the beloved brunch and breakfast icon, is bidding farewell for good on August 30th. The cherished Berkeley institution has been a core staple of the tree-lined, shaded corner across from the Claremont Hotel since 1989. With retirement on the horizon, owner and co-founder Ann Lauer chose not to renew the lease in August.
“I’ve enjoyed seeing customers that I held as children, now with their families and some as grandparents. I’ve loved being a part of so many charities and community events that support schools and many children’s organizations,” Lauer wrote on the restaurant’s website, announcing the closure. However, not all is lost: Lauer said her catering business, Ann’s Catering, will move to a commercial kitchen and live on as part of the restaurant’s legacy. Rick & Ann’s was located at 2922 Domingo Ave. in Berkeley.
The Spanish Table
08.15.25: After 24 years in business, grocery store the Spanish Table closed its doors Aug. 17, citing inhospitable business conditions as a result of the 15% tariff on European imports imposed by President Trump. Nosh was there for the final day and spoke withowner Bastian Schoell’s, who said the tariffs, combined with the dollar weakening against the euro, have raised prices by roughly 35%. Schoell still plans to continue running the Spanish Table’s San Francisco location and its online store. The Spanish Table was located at 1814 San Pablo Ave. (between Hearst Ave. and Delaware St.) in Berkeley.
Tomate Café
08.07.25: Tomate Café, a West Berkeley institution serving all-day breakfast and brunch, closed in August. New ownership has taken over the space and is working on opening a new cafe concept serving breakfast and lunch. Stay tuned for updates. Tomate Café, 2265 5th St. (at Bancroft Way) in Berkeley.
Oakland restaurant closures
Mia Mezcaleria
08.21.25: A mainstay for affordable Mexican cuisine and excellent margaritas has departed Jack London Square. Mia Mezcaleria announced its sudden closure on Instagram, and the business is listed as permanently closed on Google. Though the closure was unexpected, the post alluded to hopes of returning in the near future. Mia Mezcaleria was located at 439 Water St. in Oakland.
Prescott Meats Deli
08.07.25: Saddened Reddit users are mourning the unexpected loss of Prescott Meats, which quietly shuttered just months after opening in West Oakland’s Prescott Market. Known for its loaded Reuben sandwiches, pasture-raised meats and made-to-order foods, the deli is listed as permanently closed both on Yelp and on its own Instagram page. Stay tuned to find out which vendors will take its place at the market. Prescott Meats was located at 1620 18th St. in Oakland.
