PATHOS, a new Greek restaurant from chef-owner Nick Eftimiou, is getting ready to open in Berkeley on Tuesday November 26th (we mentioned this one more than a year ago). You’ll find modern Greek cuisine, ranging from flatbreads and roasts cooked in the wood-burning oven to traditional avgolemono soup. The focus will be on family recipes and regional cooking, including a traditional version of the gyro, with braised lamb shoulder and housemade pita; check out the full menu here. There is also a full bar that will include many Greek and some domestic wines, along with a selection of ouzo. The plan is to keep the bar open late on Fridays and Saturdays, serving bar snacks and mezzes to hungry night owls. To start, though, they’ll just be open for dinner Tue-Sun 5pm-10pm. In two weeks, lunch will be added, followed by late-night hours. 2430 Shattuck Ave. at Channing, 510-981-8339.
We heard from the folks at MATEVEZA that they’re opening another location in Oakland’s Uptown District. The new space is 2,300 square feet, and there will be 15 beers on tap, most of them brewed on-site. Food will be Argentine, with empanadas from El Porteño and other local producers, and bottles and growlers will be available as well. Liquor license activity also suggests that they’re looking to move into the former Et Al space on Polk; we’ll let you know when we hear more. 1701 Telegraph Ave. at 17th St., Oakland.
And in the “why, bureaucracy, WHY!?!?” department comes this story: beloved, tiny Albany restaurant JODIE’S is in danger of being closed down by the county health department because the old building is in need of updating. The family-owned business needs an additional sink for hand washing and changes to the ventilation system. Berkeleyside Nosh has the full story, including information on the family’s attempts to get the repairs done. Right now, they’re selling T-shirts and accepting monetary donations in an attempt to raise the money for either a renovation or a relocation. Please do help if you can, don’t let a hand washing sink shut down a beloved institution! We gotta keep things funky, people. 902 Masonic Ave. at Solano, 510-526-1109.
Coming soon to the former Filippo’s space in Berkeley is CUGINI MANZONE. License activity and subsequent follow-up by Berkeleyside Nosh reveal that the project is from Giuseppe Manzone and his brother and sister-in-law, and they’ll be cooking pizzas in a 3,000-pound wood-burning oven from Italy. The plan is to open in January 2014. 2930 College Ave. at Russell.
A rendering of the interior of Pathos. From Facebook.
