UP IN SMOKE Last April, Nosh reported that Texas-style BBQ and beer garden Smoke Berkeley on San Pablo Avenue was in danger of ultimate. At the time, proprietor Tina Ferguson-Riffe stated she changed into looking for a new spot after the building owners stated they’d be demolishing the restaurant, which she runs with her son Sean Hagler, to construct a new power-through vehicle wash. Smoke could keep on at the space for more than a year, but Ferguson-Riffe told Nosh that she had recently given a July 31 move-out date.
Originally, the property owners requested that Smoke Berkeley depart after its lease ends on June 30. However, Ferguson-Riffe was granted an extension through July, the eating place’s busiest month, particularly right around July 4. Ferguson-Riffe remains seeking out a new space and is holding onto the wish that the restaurant can continue to be in Berkeley. Stay tuned on Nosh for greater updates. Smoke Berkeley, 2434 San Pablo Ave. (close to Channing), Berkeley
THAT’S A WRAP FOR FISH FACE. Fish Face Poke Bar at Public Market Emeryville has closed. The Sacramento-based restaurant from chef-owner Billy Ngo (who also owns Kru Contemporary Japanese Cuisine) focuses on traditional Hawaiian-style poke. The Emeryville place opened in October 2017, and was Fish Face’s third region, its first outside of Sacramento. It’s the 2nd Sacramento vicinity at Carmichael’s Milagro Centre closed in January, and line with Public Market owner City Center Realty Partners, the Emeryville outpost accompanied fit on May 31.
City Center Realty Partners changed into unclear about why the enterprise left, however, provided this announcement: “There’s always a ramification of motives for anybody enterprise’s fulfillment or failure, which can consist of the entirety from product services to operations. We are presently exploring a pair of various principles for that area.” We reached out to Fish Face Poke Bar for comment. However, we had not heard a response at the time of publication.
TROUBLE AT THE REPUBLIC Berkeley vegan forte store Animal Place’s Vegan Republic asks its lovers for assistance. According to an Instagram submit posted a remaining week, the shop has visible a drop in commercial enterprise and believes the “massive popularity” of veganism is partly responsible. In the post, Vegan Republic writes, “Chain shops are pulling away customers with their newfound openness in carrying vegan merchandise, and it’s a blessing and a curse.” First opened as the Republic of V in February 2014, it was the primary grocery store within the Bay Area to offer completely vegan merchandise.
About a year after opening, its founders, Joe Haptas and Noelle Callahan, bought the store for the Grass Valley nonprofit sanctuary Animal Place. Since then, one hundred percent of profits from the store have long been passed to Animal Place, which provides a domestic for unnoticed cattle. Whether or not you agree that veganism as a fashion is behind Vegan Republic’s gradual commercial enterprise, locals can also want to come out to help the store, mainly for the reason that any other Berkeley vegan fixture, Sanctuary Bistro, is closing quickly. Animal Place’s Vegan Republic, 1624 University Ave. (between California and Jefferson), Berkeley
MORE PIZZA TO COME AFTER PIZZA The restaurant space remaining running as Pizzahhh in Northside (at 2503 Hearst Ave.) will reopen as a brand new pizza spot step with its former proprietor, Dick Reimann, who additionally owns Berkeley warm canine organization, Top Dog. For more than 40 years, the region turned into a Top Dog, but in 2013, Reimann decided to attempt providing New York-style slices and pies.
Last 12 months, the enterprise closed and was taken over by a new proprietor, Lobsang Dorjee. Nosh has not remarked on Dorjee. However, if all is going as deliberate, Reimann said the new commercial enterprise may even serve pizza and could boast a Cheese Board veteran on the kitchen’s helm. Nosh will provide extra updates as we get them.
