East Bay Restaurant Scene Heats Up with Six New Openings

The East Bay food scene is experiencing a surge of activity this month, with six new restaurants and cafes opening their doors across the region, from a library-based cafe to a backyard restaurant’s brick-and-mortar debut.

As Kneaded Cafe will open inside the San Leandro Library on Feb. 14, marking an expansion for bakery founder Iliana Berkowitz. The cafe at 300 Estudillo Ave. will serve salads, sandwiches, baked goods, and espresso drinks, including seasonal offerings like lavender latte.

Meanwhile, a popular backyard-based restaurant has made the leap to a permanent location in Oakland’s Jack London Square district. Cenaduria Elvira, owned by Elvira Varela, soft opened a few weeks ago at 468 3rd St. and will celebrate its grand opening on February 21. The restaurant specializes in Jalisco-regional favorites including tostada raspada and crispy, fried tacos durados. Varela’s tostada earned recognition as one of the top dishes of 2023 in the New York Times.

San Leandro welcomed two additional establishments this month. Mediterranean restaurant Lavanta opened Feb. 9 at 599 Dutton Ave., serving souvlaki, pasta, and mezze dishes. Gold Bean Cafe soft opened over the weekend at 138 Pelton Center Way, bringing its third location to the area after establishing cafes in Berkeley. The shop is known for specialty drinks including a churro latte and Vietnamese-inspired egg coffee.

Walnut Creek gained a new dessert destination with the arrival of Duck Donuts at 2920 N Main St. The North Carolina-based chain specializes in cake donuts with flavors like maple bacon and s’mores.

Richmond rounded out the recent openings with Top Thai Cuisine at 12200 San Pablo Ave. The restaurant represents an expansion for the owners, who opened their first location in Castro Valley in 2005. The Richmond location features noodles and curries, a “Penang beef special,” and vegetarian options.

The wave of openings reflects diverse culinary traditions across the East Bay, from Mediterranean and Thai cuisine to Mexican regional specialties and American-style donuts. Several of the new establishments represent expansions of existing successful concepts, with As Kneaded, Gold Bean Cafe, and Top Thai Cuisine all building on previously established locations.

The openings span multiple East Bay cities, with San Leandro receiving the most new establishments with three locations. The variety of venues ranges from quick-service options to full-service restaurants, and includes both chain operations and independent establishments.

These February openings add to the East Bay’s growing restaurant landscape, offering residents new dining options across price points and cuisines. From the unique library setting of As Kneaded Cafe to the New York Times-recognized dishes at Cenaduria Elvira, the new establishments bring both familiar concepts and distinctive offerings to their respective communities.

The timing of multiple soft openings and grand openings suggests restaurateurs are capitalizing on the post-holiday dining season to introduce their concepts to East Bay diners.