East Bay restaurant openings and closings in February
Cupcakin’ at Virginia Bakery, La Perla Puerto Rican Cuisine, Viet Kitchen, more opened; Ladle & Leaf, Dosirak Shop, Ninna, more have closed.
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Top Stories
Pandemic closes popular kids’ camp Sarah’s Science after 34 years
Sarah Shaffer, the camp’s founder and director, described the painful decision to file for personal bankruptcy and close down.
Award-winning East Bay hot sauce maker is fundraising for Texas; try quesabirria with an Indonesian twist
Plus: Espresso Roma is for lease, a Black history jazz brunch, Chez Panisse is closed this week due to potential COVID-19 exposure, more.
Nosh
John Fox, who ran the world’s largest wine Ponzi scheme from his Berkeley store, gets out of prison
He was sentenced to six and a half years but is getting out two years early.
A sneak peek inside Berkeley spizzicheria Casa Barotti
The casual College Avenue eatery featuring regional Italian bites like focaccia, pizza al taglio and panzerotti opens Feb. 23.
Alameda County food workers eligible for COVID-19 vaccine; Cheese Board now open on Sunday
Plus: Gather’s greenhouse is open, Kinja’s new Oakland location, Limewood’s cannabis pairing dinner, a documentary about Tu David Phu, more.
Coronavirus
COVID-19 has hit economy hard: tax revenue down 13.2%, 3,000+ jobs lost
But the news is not all bad, as a new economic report shows investors put $700 million into Berkeley’s biotech and clean-tech sectors.
Berkeley residents are a generous bunch: The city ranked 7th in GoFundMe’s list of most-giving cities
Three campaigns raised the most money in 2020: for Moe’s Books, Rialto Theaters and a West Berkeley metal shop making plastic face shields for health workers.
‘Urgent’ changes at Golden Gate Fields amid 100 more COVID-19 cases
More than 300 people at Golden Gate Fields have now tested positive for COVID-19. The racetrack has approximately 540 workers, the state has said.
The vaccine ‘will not mean back to normal.’ How 3 businesses rose to the challenge of COVID-19
These business owners switched from building phone booths to sneeze guards, designed a user-friendly testing kiosk and created a “cleanroom” for customers.
Recent stories
This Berkeley ‘wonderland’ of a shop imagines a second life for trash, as art
Artist and business owner Frida Godoy crafts fantastical creations from recycled materials at Reuse Arts and Crafts.
Loyal customers have kept this 70-year-old Berkeley stationery store going
Sonny Han, owner of Payn’s Stationery on Solano Avenue, talks about survival and his fortuitous decision to install mailboxes before the pandemic lockdown.
Cal’s favorite fried chicken sandwich maker is uplifted by students’ support
Pinky & Red’s is facing an uncertain future as its owner Bernadine “Pinky” Sewell undergoes colon cancer treatment and her lease with UC Berkeley ended.
Oakland chef to compete on ‘Top Chef;’ Cupcakin’s Virginia Bakery location nears opening
Plus: HelpBerkeley founder wins a Jefferson Award for Public Service; Blue Ox Wine Co. rebrands as Hammerling Wines; “Berkeley’s Fascination with Food.”
Boichik Bagels’ Temp Tee homage; California Craft Beer Week
Plus: Super Bowl eats; Colusa Market owner is retiring; Alameda County passes ‘Good Food’ resolution for correctional facilities; Campo di Bocce closes.
