Minnie Bell’s moves to San Francisco and other restaurants recently leave the company

Restaurant closures in Berkeley

Gilman Grill

08.01.24: Gilman Grill’s last day was July 31, after “maybe 30 years or so,” said an employee in the quiet, nearly empty, old-fashioned little restaurant on its last day of operation (it was open for 33 years), smiling and shrugging. “It was a good time.” The highly visible shop on the corner of Gilman and Fourth streets was known for its come-as-you-are comfort in otherwise industrial-chic West Berkeley – down-home plates of classic breakfast and lunch, served heartily and without frills in the square, diner-like dining room or outside on the patio. The restaurant was forced to close because of gentrification of the neighborhood, high rent on the corner location and ongoing construction that slowed business, according to a source who preferred to remain anonymous. Gilman Grill was located at 1300 Fourth Street in Berkeley.

Jamba Berkeley

25.07.24: Smoothie and juice chain Jamba, formerly Jamba Juice, has permanently closed its busy Bancroft store across from the UC Berkeley campus. Although the store is marked as temporarily closed on Yelp, the store space has been completely cleared out and signage is gone. Jamba was located at 2514 Bancroft Way in Berkeley.

Za’atar Kitchen

07.11.24: Elmwood’s hidden gem Za’atar Kitchen in the Berkeley Organic Market & Deli has permanently closed shop, a Nosh reader and falafel fan discovered this week. The woman-run Mediterranean shop (in the market’s former Badan food stand) had developed something of a cult following during its brief existence and will be missed, though hopefully it won’t be the last we see of falafel. In happier news, newcomer and Brazilian street food purveyor Casa do Petisco, from husband-and-wife team Barbara Nogueira and Christene Diehr, who are also executive chefs, is already open. Za’atar Kitchen was located in the Berkeley Organic Market & Deli at 2462 Ashby Ave. in Berkeley.

Closing of a restaurant in Emeryville

Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement (Emeryville)

18.07.24: Chef Fernay McPherson’s critically acclaimed soul food kiosk Minnie Bell’s closed after closing on July 28. The closure is for a happy reason – after five years in the Emeryville Public Market, McPherson’s original dream of opening a storefront in San Francisco’s Fillmore District, the neighborhood where she grew up, has come true. While we’re happy for her, we will sorely miss her and the fried chicken and cornbread of this area. Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement was at 5959 Shellmound St.

Closing of the Hayward restaurant

Casper’s Famous Hot Dogs C Street, Hayward

07.11.24: Long-standing Bay Area hot dog chain Caspers will say goodbye to one of its Hayward locations on July 13. The family-owned hot dog chain, with nostalgic, distinctive design and signage, opened in Oakland in 1934, and the C Street Caspers in Hayward has been in operation since the 1940s. The closure leaves five Caspers remaining in the East Bay, including a second Hayward location on Foothill Boulevard. Caspers Famous Hot Dogs was located at 951 C St. in Hayward.

Restaurant closures in Oakland

Gyu-Kaku Japanese Barbecue Oakland

07.11.24: “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of our Oakland Gyu-Kaku location,” a new statement on the chain’s website reads. “We want to thank all of our wonderful guests and amazing staff for the great memories. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please visit us again at our other locations in NorCal or across North America and the world.” Gyu-Kaku first opened in Oakland in 2021; the closest locations are in San Francisco and the South Bay. Gyu-Kaku was located at 459 8th St., Suite A, in Oakland.

Souvenir Coffee (Old Oakland)

25.07.24: Local coffee company Souvenir’s lovely Swan’s Market cafe in Old Oakland closed after hours on July 31, the bustling group announced on Instagram. According to the post, the closure comes ahead of a planned new location, with more details to come. (Souvenir also has locations in Albany, Berkeley and San Francisco.) Souvenir Coffee was located at 917 Washington St. in Oakland.

Tacos El Ultimo Baile (Fruitvale)

25.07.24: Dominic Prado’s Tacos El Ultimo Baile Fruitvale Public Market location has closed after two years, but catering remains an option for fans of the wildly popular taqueria that started as a taco stand and then a food truck. (Note: The community-minded Oakland chef frequently cooks at local collaborations and events, is active on Instagram, and is also running for Oakland City Council.) Tacos El Ultimo Baile is closed at 3340 E. 12th St. (Fruitvale Public Market) in Oakland, but remains available for catering.

Turkish cuisine

25.07.24: Berkeley’s venerable Turkish Kitchen has quietly closed, becoming part of the ever-changing landscape of downtown Berkeley. Although Nosh was unable to reach management for further details (or a possible future reopening?), the restaurant’s tall Shattuck Avenue windows are covered in black window coverings, its neon signs appear to have gone dark for good, and the restaurant’s phone and web presence are both down. As locals may recall, the popular restaurant from George Baylar of A La Turca first opened in 2007, enriching Berkeley’s dining scene with vibrant, particularly Turkish, specialties; a second location, Turkish Kitchen Express, opened on Telegraph Avenue in 2012 but closed after a year. Turkish Kitchen was located at 1986 Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley.

Wise Sons Uptown Oakland

08.01.24: The struggling Wise Sons Bagels deli in Oakland has closed. San Francisco-based Wise Sons opened in Oakland in 2020, shortly after acquiring Oakland’s independent Montreal-style bagel shop Beauty’s Bagels. The group kept the Beauty’s Bagel Shop in Temescal brand (and it’s still open, along with the Wise Sons stores in San Francisco), but remodeled Beauty’s second location to become the first East Bay store to bear the Wise Sons name. In addition to business difficulties related to the pandemic, the store has faced other difficulties, including two car accidents to its exterior and several break-ins. Wise Sons Uptown was located at 1700 Franklin St. in Oakland.