Some unfortunate news out of Oakland: chef-owner James Syhabout is closing HAWKER FARE on Saturday February 18th. (Let’s all pause for a collective groan.) Sadly it’s about the building—which has been sold with the surrounding buildings to investors—so the area is going to be developed (and Eater reports his lease went month to month). So he decided to close up shop. Fortunately the SF location will continue forth, and Syhabout is also plenty busy with his redux of The Dock. His first cookbook is coming out too. For a full-on experience with Lao Issan funk, plan on coming by Hawker Fare Oakland during its final week, when Syhabout is reportedly going to be bringing the heat and running dishes that didn’t end up in the cookbook. 2300 Webster St. at 23rd St., Oakland, 510-832-8896.
And now for some good news: Downtown Oakland has a wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzeria that just opened, BARE KNUCKLE PIZZA (you may recognize Viet Nguyen from his farmers’ market stall). There are pies for everyone, even a vegan pie. Open Tue-Sat 5pm-9pm. 351 12th St. at Webster, Oakland, 510-463-1524. [Via Nosh.]
More pizza: Charlie Hallowell will be opening a second location of his ~BOOT AND SHOE SERVICE~, this time in downtown Berkeley in the former Build Pizzeria space. Look for an opening in a year or so. There is also an 8,000-square-foot basement club, but plans are TBD. 2286 Shattuck Ave. at Bancroft, Berkeley. [Via Nosh.]
The socially conscious and nonprofit 1951 COFFEE COMPANY is now open in Berkeley, providing employment to graduates from a refugee barista training program. Here’s more: “To date, 1951 Coffee Company has 26 graduates of its barista training program and participants have gone on to secure jobs at Blue Bottle, Due Torri, and Dropbox, among others. Currently, the training program is able to enroll eight participants per each two-week cycle. And now, graduates have the opportunity to gain additional experience by working at the café in Berkeley.” Co-founders Doug Hewitt and Rachel Taber partnered with the creative team at Montaag, a Norwegian-American research and design agency, to collaborate on the 1,176-square-foot interior that also helps educate coffee patrons about the path to resettlement. You’ll find an assortment of coffee drinks by Verve Coffee Roasters, cold brew from Berkeley’s Algorithm, and pastries from a variety of local bakeries. Open Mon-Fri 7am-7pm, Sat-Sun 8am-7pm. 2410 Channing Way at Dana, Berkeley.
More cawfee: there’s a new café in Albany, HAL’S OFFICE, which opened next door to Bonnee and Abraham Elterman’s frozen yogurt shop, As You Wish. Nosh reports they are serving Counter Culture Coffee, along with pastries from Oakland’s Firebrand. For now, hours are daily 7:30am-5:30pm. 1207 Solano Ave. at Cornell, Albany.
A feast at Hawker Fare. Photo: © tablehopper.com.
