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.
Alameda restaurant opening
UMe Tea
10.20.26: A new boba shop in Alameda just soft opened last weekend. UMe Tea is a California-based bubble tea brand, which first opened in Cupertino. The menu includes milk teas, matchas, fruit teas, and street snacks. Other East Bay locations include San Leandro, Fremont, Livermore, Walnut Creek, and San Ramon. UMe Tea, 1321 Park St. (at Alameda Avenue), Alameda
Albany restaurant opening
Gioia
10.27.26: A new cafe has opened near Solano Avenue in Albany. The cafe serves Ethiopian coffees, pastries and other snacks. Gioia opened Friday, Oct. 3. Gioia, 816 San Pablo Ave., Albany
Berkeley restaurant openings
BKK Mexican and Thai
10.20.26: There’s a new Mexican and Thai restaurant in Berkeley (thanks to Nosh reader Alissa for the tip). BKK Mexican and Thai seems to have opened in the former Taqueria La Familia in South Berkeley. The new restaurant held its grand opening earlier this month. The menu showcases an array Mexican and Thai food, including carne asada fries, crispy surf and turf tacos, Tom Kha, and pad se ew. BKK Mexican and Thai, 2971 Shattuck Ave. (at Ashby Avenue), Berkeley
Kat’s Kitchen
10.20.26: A long-awaited diner has soft opened in Berkeley. Kat’s Kitchen announced on Instagram that it is officially open to the public now, under chef Michael Fornasero. “Michael brings an incredible culinary background from legendary spots like Foreign Cinema, A16, and The Boonville Hotel. Rooted in his lifelong passion for organic farming and the farm-to-table movement, he crafts delicious, thoughtful dishes featuring produce grown locally and even right on his own farm in Lake County,” the post reads. The new restaurant is in the former location of the popular brunch spot, Rick & Ann’s Restaurant, which closed last summer. The current hours listed on the website states open for breakfast and lunch Thursdays through Tuesdays, with a wine bar coming soon. The breakfast menu includes toasts, waffles, bowls, Dutch baby, pancakes, and a variety of savory dishes. Kat’s Kitchen, 2922 Domingo Ave., Berkeley
Elmwood Subs
10.15.26: A new sandwich shop has opened in Berkeley’s Elmwood neighborhood. Elmwood subs serves breakfast bagels, sandwiches, and avocado toast. Meanwhile, the subs menu includes a host of sandwiches, from a meatball sub melt to pastrami, buffalo chicken, and falafel sandwiches. Elmwood Subs, 2992 College Ave. (at Webster Street), Berkeley
Shattuck & Butter
10.27.26: A new brunch spot is opening in Berkeley soon. Shattuck & Butter’s soft opening is slated for Oct. 15 in the Epicurious Garden space formerly occupied by Eggy’s Neighborhood Kitchen (which has moved further south on Shattuck). The website notes the people behind the restaurant live in the neighborhood: “We are a tight knit group of cooks and 4 neighbours that love to feed and be fed! We live right around the corner and would love to get more involved with the community.” Shattuck & Butter, 1511 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley
El Cerrito restaurant opening
El Cerrito Supply Co.
10.27.26: A new homegoods shop showcasing local artisans, including pantry and dry goods, as well as an event and workshop space, and coffee bar by Mirage Roasters, has landed near Sunset View Cemetery and Mortuary. The owner said they also plan to host food pop-ups. An Instagramopening announcement states: “Check us out (quietly) in November, then come to our grand opening in December.” El Cerrito Supply Co., 7523 Fairmount Ave., El Cerrito
Emeryville restaurant openings
Liquified Juicery
10.15.26: Emeryville Public Market has a new tenant. Liquified Juicery opened this past Saturday inside the bustling marketplace. The juice company, founded by Ashley Comora, serves a variety of cold-pressed juices, smoothies, elixirs, and sea moss products. Comora’s drinks can also be found at the two Berkeley Bowls as well as a new Liquified Juicery in Petaluma. Liquified Juicery, 5959 Shellmound St., Emeryville
Hayward restaurant opening
Jjamppong Zizon
10.15.26: The popular South Korea restaurant chain is opening its second location in the East Bay. An Oakland outpost opened in Temescal in June. Now, a new location has opened in downtown Hayward. The restaurants serves a lot of dishes, including Korean jajangmyeon (black bean sauce noodles) and a variety of spicy seafood noodle soups, including some with handpulled noodles. Jjamppong Zizon, 702 A St., Hayward
Oakland restaurant openings
Chabar
10.20.26: A new Asian comfort food restaurant opens in Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood. The owner of Chabar told Nosh that “Chabar is all about delicious Asian comfort food paired with great boba.” Chabar, located at the Fruitvale Public Market in the former space of Tacos El Ultimo Baile and before that, Nyum Bai, serves teriyaki rice bowls, zaap spicy rice, katsu, and crispy street snacks, as well as Thai teas and boba drinks. Chabar, 3340 E. 12th St., #11, Oakland
Gamsa Sushi
10.27.26: New omakase Japanese restaurant Gamsa Sushi opened last Friday in the former location of Uzen. Helmed by chef Dahan Kim, who previously worked at Sausalito’s Sushi Ran, it is billed as a 12-course sushi experience. According to the East Bay Times, it will also have an a la carte menu, and may not focus solely on Japanese food. Gamsa Sushi, 5415 College Ave. (at Hudson Street), Oakland
Grocery Outlet Bargain Market
10.06.26: Grocery Outlet has opened up near Lake Merritt, in a shuttered Walgreens. The significance is that Walgreens closed several pharmacies following the pandemic, including a few in East Oakland. The new Grocery Outlet, known for its sometimes obscure bargain finds, which have been memeified, is opening on Oct. 22. Grocery Outlet, 301 East 18th St., Oakland
Little Gem
10.06.26: A new takeout window in Uptown Oakland focusing on fresh salads and bowls soft opened on Oct. 4. “Great vegetables, warm grains, bold dressings, plenty of texture and ingredients that earn their place on the plate,” the website states. The menu features a charred cabbage caesar, roasted carrot and tahini, fattoush, and other salads. Drinks include a date tahini smoothie, a green smoothies, and strawberry dragonfruit tea. Little Gem is located in the former Drink Thicc location (Drink Thicc recently moved to Temescal). Little Gem, 372 24th St., Oakland
Plum Market
10.15.26: A new marketplace recently opened in Terminal 2 inside the Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport. Plum Market sells snacks and grab and go food. It also has a hot bar with breakfast items like biscuits and gravy, potatoes, and bacon; lunch items; and other hotbar dishes. Plum Market, 1 Airport Dr., Oakland
Sweet Pour’n Flow
10.20.26: A Vietnamese coffee and food pop-up is now open inside the Aloha Bar in Oakland. Sweet Pour’n Flow serves coffee and tea, plus rice bowls, banh mi, egg rolls, and more. The pop-up soft opened last weekend. Sweet Pour’n Flow, 952 Fruitvale Ave. inside Aloha Bar, Oakland
Taqueria El Chacho
10.20.26: A new taco spot, with many outposts including at the North Berkeley BART station, recently debuted in East Oakland. Taqueria El Chacho serves tacos, baked potatoes, tortas, and more near the border of Oakland and Alameda on High Street. Taqueria El Chacho, 569 High St., Oakland
Trader Vic’s
10.15.26: A new bar comes to Terminal 2 inside the Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport. Not just any bar, but an outpost of the legendary Trader Vic’s, which first opened in Oakland in 1934 and is known as the bar where owner Vic Bergeron created the mai tai cocktail. The Trader Vic’s outpost inside the airport is a full service restaurant and bar. The menu includes more than two dozen tropical-inspired drinks. A “Rooted Road” cocktail is a nod to the Rocky Road ice cream flavor, also created in Oakland, made with rum and cognac with macadamia nut, chocolate, and coffee flavors. The food menu includes breakfast dishes, starters, sandwiches, tacos, salads, eight non-alcoholic drinks, beer, and wine. Trader Vic’s Outpost, 1 Airport Dr., Oakland
Pleasanton restaurant opening
Gold Bean
10.06.26: A new Gold Bean Cafe is opening in Pleasanton. Gold Bean opened its first location on Durant Avenue in Berkeley, and now has another location in Berkeley and San Leandro. The cafe is known for their Latin-inspired coffee drinks such as iced churro and flan flavored drinks. The Pleasanton location is opening October 10. Gold Bean, 440 Main St., Pleasanton
Richmond restaurant openings
Lemon Crab
10.20.26: A Cajun seafood boil spot just opened in Richmond. Lemon Crab serves seafood boils, fried seafood baskets, as well as other dishes like crab fried rice or noodles. Lemon Crab, 1400 Macdonald Ave. (at Marina Way), Richmond
San Pablo restaurant opening
Ramen Yama
10.27.26: San Pablo’s newest Japanese restaurant is in its soft opening phase, serving a menu of chicken broth ramen, two vegan options, miso broth ramen, other noodle options, and side dishes. Ramen Yama, 3340 San Pablo Dam Rd., Ste. F, San Pablo
