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
Alley Yokocho Kitchens
02.26.26: The restaurant, near the Cal campus on Telegraph Avenue, focused on Japanese “alley” dining has closed. Alley Kitchens served a variety of Japanese fare, such as tonkotsu ramen and chirashi bowls. Alley Yokocho Kitchens, 2309 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley.
Olfactory Brewing
03.06.26: The Berkeley taproom appears to have closed. The brewery closed its San Francisco taproom in the Dogpatch in December, citing “unsustainable operating costs.” The Berkeley location opened approximately two years ago. At the start of March, the Berkeley taproom’s Instagram had “closed” posted in the bio, with no further posts about its shuttering. As of March 5, the brewery’s website and two Instagram accounts have been taken down. Olfactory Brewing, 2055 Center St., Ste. D, Berkeley.
Mt. Agni
02.19.26: A tipster informed Nosh that Mt. Agni, on the North side of UC Berkeley’s campus, has closed, and the restaurants phone is disconnected and the website has gone dark. The restaurant specialized in Nepali, Himalayan, and Indian dishes such as momos and biryanis. Mt. Agni was located at 1829 Euclid Ave. in Berkeley.
Vietnam House
02.26.26: The Vietnamese restaurant that served sandwiches, noodle soups, rice plates, and boba has shuttered. Gusto, an Algerian halal spot that serves merguez (a North African-style sausage), tacos, and burgers opened in its place. Vietnam House, 1986 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley.
Castro Valley restaurant closure
Knudsen’s Ice Creamery
02.06.26: After 20 years in Castro Valley, Knudsen’s announced that it is closing its doors. Knudsen’s served homemade icecream, burgers, sandwiches, and more. Knudsen’s Ice Creamery, 3323 Castro Valley Blvd, Castro Valley
Oakland restaurant closures
The Athletic Club Oakland
02.12.26: The sports bar and restaurant in Uptown announced its closure, stating, “To the regulars, irregulars and every other guest that has joined us for the good times – Thank you.” The venue opened in May 2018 with bar bites, lots of beer, 37 big screen TVs, and gusto for our local and international sports competitions. Its last day of business was Super Bowl Sundayon February 8. The Athletic Club Oakland, 59 Grand Ave., Oakland.
Attraros Thai Eatery
02.12.26: The Thai restaurant in the Swan’s Marketplace building in Old Oakland has closed. The restaurant was known for regional Thai dishes and an appetizer sampler that made the best Thai dish list in the Chronicle. The restaurant was open for two years, and was operated by Akara Sutraromluck and Pim Soithong of Pintoh Thai in Oakland, which is still open. A note in the window reads, in part, “ From time to time, we’ll be bringing back beloved Attraros dishes as special features at Pintoh, so a little piece of Attraros lives on.” Attraros Thai Eatery, 542 9th St., Suite B, Oakland.
The Barbary
02.26.26: A sign on the window of the tiki bar states that the business is being transferred to a new owner, under the name Sable Lounge. The Barbary, a themed bar that served handcrafted drinks, opened its doors a little over two years ago, led by two sisters who previously worked at Trader Vic’s. The building was also once home to Libertine and Lucky Lounge. The Barbary, 3332 Grand Ave., Oakland.
Boba Binge (Oakland Chinatown)
02.12.26: The Boba Binge location in Oakland Chinatown has shuttered. In its place is a sign for Jolly Cafe. The Uptown location of Boba Binge is still open, while the owners have also recently launched a new concept, Binge Coffee House, in Berkeley. Boba Binge specializes in Vietnamese sandwiches and tea and coffee drinks. Boba Binge, 1004 Webster St., Oakland.
Gus’s World Famous Chicken
02.26.26: The Tennessee-based hot and spicy fried chicken and Southern plates spot seems to have closed its Oakland location. Gus’s was first introduced to the Bay Area in 2020, as a delivery and take out option during the pandemic. Gus’s World Famous Chicken, 1430 Broadway, Oakland.
Tiger’s Taproom
02.26.26: The Jack London neighborhood taproom will pour its last orders on Sunday, March 1, the last day of SF Beer Week, according to Tiger Taproom’s Instagram announcement. Owner Brian states, “This has been one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make, but after 7.5 unforgettable years with amazing friends, family, and community, Tiger’s Taproom will be closing.” In the same announcement, Brian notes that small businesses are suffering and losing foot traffic. Tiger’s Taproom, 308 Jackson St., Ste 4, Oakland.
Xocolate Bar (Rockridge)
02.19.26: Following the Valentine’s Day chocolate-buying surge, the Xocolate Bar permanently closed its Rockridge location, which opened in 2023, on Feb. 15. The Xocolate Bar’s original shop on Solano Avenue in Berkeley remains open. In a statement, owner Malena Lopez-Maggi said city regulations prevented her from transitioning more business operations to the Rockridge location as she originally planned, and several factors led to the closure. TheXocolate Bar was located at 5854 College Ave. in Oakland.
Newark restaurant closure
Seoul Mama
03.06.26: A Newark Korean restaurant, Seoul Mama, has closed. The family-run restaurant announced that due to slow business, they have decided to shutter. The restaurant served bibimbap, tofu stew, and teppanyaki dishes. Seoul Mama, 5890 Mowry School Rd., Newark.
Walnut Creek restaurant closure
Genova Deli
02.19.26: In a decade, the Bay Area has lost all of its Genova Delis. In 2016, fans flocked to the original Oakland location for one last sandwich. In November, another location on Treat Boulevard in Walnut Creek shuttered, and now, as of this week, the final location, in downtown Walnut Creek, has closed, as first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. Genova Deli has a history dating back nearly six decades in Walnut Creek and the first Oakland deli opened in Temescal in 1926. The company’s ravioli business will remain open and continue selling to Bay Area markets and restaurants, according to the Chronicle report, and another Genova Deli in Napa, owned by a different set of family members, remains open. Genova Deli was located at 1105 S California Blvd. in Walnut Creek
