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 openings
Dandelion Kaffe
08.27.25: For a cozy, brunch-at-home-on-a-lazy-Sunday feel, head to Dandelion Kaffe, Alameda’s newest stop for sandwiches, salads and specialty lattes. With tasteful green wood paneling and star-patterned tiles, the space feels acutely homey, and you can pair the good vibes with a spicy egg sandwich or a biscoff latte. On sunnier days, take a seat on the outdoor parklet. Dandelion Kaffe, 1629 Park St. (at Pacific Ave.), Alameda
Park Station/Southie
08.27.25: The highly-anticipated beer garden and live music venue Park Station opened in August in Alameda’s East End. The family-friendly and dog-friendly venue offers more than two dozen taps that are dominated by a who’s who of beers from California breweries. Southie, Oakland purveyor of classic American and Mexican cuisine like grilled cheese, corn soup, tostadas and more, has also opened as the food vendor at the beer garden. Park Station, 1200 Park St. (at San Jose Avenue), Alameda
Albany restaurant opening
Sakana and Yasai
09.02.25: Sakana and Yasai has opened in what was formerly Sugata, a family-owned Japanese spot that had been in Albany for nearly 45 years. This is the second Sakana restaurant (the original location is in Kensington). Sushi, sashimi and nigiri all make menu appearances alongside several vegetarian options, but what sets Sakana apart is the use of purple rice (a fiber-rich blend of black and white rice) instead of standard sushi rice in every dish. Sakana and Yasai, 1105 Solano Ave. (at San Pablo Ave.), Albany
Berkeley restaurant openings
Annie’s Ice Cream Gelato
Maybe the third frozen treat shop will be the charm. Annie’s, serving Italian-style gelato, has opened on University Avenue in downtown Berkeley in the same space once occupied by Milkbomb and Ici. Annie’s offers a variety of traditional flavors and toppings, including dairy-free and sugar-free options, and the menu also includes affogatos and milkshake. The Berkeley shop opening comes roughly one year after Annie’s opened up its first shop in Walnut Creek. Annie’s Ice Cream, 2079 University Ave. (at Shattuck Avenue), Berkeley
Hopscotch/Itani Sushi
08.27.25: Kyle Itani, who opened Itani Sushi in the Epicurious Garden in Bekeley’s North Shattuck district in fall 2024, has moved the sushi counter to the street-facing stall and also launched his popular fried chicken concept, Hopscotch, in the food hall as of Aug. 22. Hopscotch debuted as a sit-down restaurant in Uptown Oakland in 2012 before eventually converting to catering and take-out in 2023. The new order-at-the-counter chicken spot at Epicurious Garden serves combo trays, salads and sandwiches with four styles of chicken — fried, rotisserie, tenders and saucy wings. Itani Sushi and Hopscotch are located inside Epicurious Garden, 1511 Shattuck. Ave. (at Vine Street), Berkeley
Matcha Matcha
08.12.25: Demand for matcha is heating up globally, and Matcha Matcha, a new Berkeley café, is here to quell local cravings with ceremonial-grade matcha drinks, creamy soft serve and Japanese-inspired snacks. The café celebrated its soft opening on Friday, Aug. 8, pouring creative beverages like osmanthus matcha — iced osmanthus tea topped with a creamy matcha foam — red bean matcha lattes and yuzu matcha tonics. Matcha Matcha, 2315 Telegraph Ave. (between Bancroft Way and Durant Avenue), Berkeley
El Cerrito restaurant opening
Sweet Potatoes UpBeet Cafe
08.20.25: 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
Emeryville restaurant openings
Choc’late Mama Cookie Co.
08.05.25: As the name suggests, you might expect to find cookies at Choc’late Mama Cookie Co., and you’d be correct — but its new brick-and-mortar, which opened on Aug. 4, offers so much more. A destination for plant-based cookies, grab-and-go snacks, massage therapy and chiropractic care by appointment, Choc’late Mama provides whole-body nourishment through several avenues. Choc’late Mama’s cookies are organic, vegan, gluten-free and grain-free and come in flavors like classic chocolate chip, raspberry jam centers and peanut butter. Choc’late Mama Cookie Co., 4310 Sherwin Ave #102, Emeryville
El Huarique de Juancito
09.02.25: Emeryville may have lost Peruvian joint Las Brasas over the summer, but it wasn’t long before the void was filled by a new Peruvian restaurant, El Huarique De Juancito, now open in Las Brasas’ old spot on San Pablo Ave. The menu features a diverse mix of Peruvian specialties, from breakfast favorites like tamales and pan con chicharrón to dinner items including pollo a la brasa and lomo saltado. Peruvian seafood hits like leche de tigre and ceviches are also on offer. El Huarique de Juancito, 4336 San Pablo Ave. (at 45th St.), Emeryville
Oakland restaurant openings
Good Vybes and Brews
08.20.25: 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
Guangdong BBQ
08.12.25: A new takeout spot has graced Oakland’s Chinatown with a varied selection of barbecued poultry and pork. Guangdong BBQ offers whole roasted duck, soy sauce chicken, spare ribs, plus whole pigs to-go from a casual outpost just up the street from Chinese Garden Park. Guangdong BBQ, 345 8th St. (at Webster Street), Oakland
Lucy Blue
08.20.25: Lucy Blue, a collaboration between chef Michele McQueen and Matt Sturm of Town Fare, opened its doors on Aug. 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
08.20.25: 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
Taqueria El Zócalo
08.12.25: Decked out in talavera tiles, murals and Mexican art, Taqueria El Zócalo is Oakland’s latest destination for Mexican comfort food. You’ll find burritos, tacos and quesabirrias on the menu alongside dishes like empanadas de huitlacoche (corn mushroom) made with blue corn tortillas and memelitas — masa cakes topped with beans, tomatillo salsa and queso fresco. Taqueria El Zócalo, 1243 33rd Ave. (at International Blvd.), Oakland
Weslo’s
08.12.25: If you’ve stopped by the recently reopened Loard’s Ice Cream, you might have also noticed Weslo’s, a sandwich spot tucked into the same building. Cold deli sandwiches like the Wentino (Genoa salame, hot Italian capicola, mortadella, provolone, mayo, tomato, olive spread, lettuce) and kimchi chicken are on offer, as well as Asian-inspired drinks like Thai green tea and lemonade made with Ribena, a sweet black currant syrup. Weslo’s, 2825 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland
Pinole restaurant opening
Sake
There’s little room to argue when $40 all-you-can-eat sushi enters the conversation. Sake, a new sushi spot in Pinole, delivers just that, offering 23 appetizers alone and a host of sushi rolls, nigiri sushi and sashimi options. You can also drop in for the $30 all-you-can-eat lunch option. Sake, 1361 Fitzgerald Dr., Pinole
Richmond restaurant openings
Richmond Eats
Richmond Eats has completed its evolution from food stand to brick-and-mortar restaurant, moving into the space formerly occupied by El Garage near the Richmond BART station. The Salvadoran restaurant serves a wide menu of pupusas, burritos, tortas, tacos and more. Richmond Eats, 1428 Macdonald Ave., Richmond
Walnut Creek restaurant opening
Original Joe’s
08.20.25: 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
