The Great Recession, and then the pandemic, did in some of the last holdouts. But not Berkeley's Back Room, which celebrates its 10-year anniversary this month. The Back Room's survival is due to the passion of its founder, Sam Rudin, the musicians who love it and come back time after time to play there, and the commitment of audience members who know the experiences they have there are truly memorable.
Ibrahim reflected on their journey, stating, 'We took a leap of faith. We didn't know if this place was going to make it.' Their decision was influenced by friends who wanted a Middle Eastern restaurant in Silicon Valley.
The first type of American: people who joyride the day's updrafts like marvelous, glossy crows. They easily recall the locations of treats encountered over their lifetime. They answer this question Glock-shot fast, as if they have been waiting to be asked it. They are happy.
"We will continue his legacy," Mamdani said, referring to former Mayor Fiorella La Guardia's establishment of La Marqueta as a marketplace for affordable food in the 1930s.
"Joe is so goddamn competent he has almost made me rethink my position on Stanford University. Almost. In Joe, you've got a man with the talent of three men able to do the work of six men. I'm thrilled to see him succeed, and we're all succeeding because of him."
In 1924, Lionel Sternberger, at just 16 years old, first put cheese on a hamburger and served it to a customer at the Rite Spot in Pasadena. This simple act changed the course of American food history, leading to the creation of the cheeseburger, a dish that billions of people have enjoyed since.
Gasoline doesn't have a particularly high profit margin, which is partly why most gas stations double as convenience stores or offer fresh food. If chains like Buc-ee's and Sheetz can make more money by selling food, they can afford to lower their margins on gasoline.
"What we didn't expect was the response - customers were coming by, messaging us, and sharing stories about what the restaurant meant to them. It made us realize this wasn't just a place to eat - it had become part of people's routines and memories."
Amy's Kitchen, known for its vegetarian fast food, will close its last drive-thru at San Francisco International Airport on March 25, 2024. This closure signifies the end of the company's restaurant operations, which have faced numerous challenges in recent years.
Closing a store is not a decision we take lightly, but this store has had performance issues for an extended period of time. We have worked to enhance and remodel the location, but it has not shown the sales and profit needed to continue operations. In fact, despite the best efforts of a great team, we have lost money year over year at this location.
This booming teahouse chain specializes in Chinese flower and fruit teas, particularly jasmine teas. The brand is growing rapidly around the world—after launching its first location in 2021 in Shenzhen, China, it has grown to more than 2,000 worldwide locations. The soft opening for Molly Tea started at the end of October, and has been a popular addition to San Mateo's B Street promenade, drawing long lines.
Editor's note: Nosh covers food and restaurant news across the East Bay, and each week we publish one article covering all the restaurant openings and one article covering closings. Have a tip for Nosh? Submit it here. Subscribing to the Nosh newsletter is the best way to stay up to date on all of the openings and closings, breaking news, deeper developments, and events in the East Bay food scene.
