Rob AriasHere’s a look at Food & Drink news in Emeryville since our most recent December update. Highlights include a new “virtual” restaurant, the announcement of a Matcha café moving from pop-ups to brick-and-mortar, a new pizza spot replacing an old favorite, and the latest comeback for Comeback Cafe.
Peet’s Closures & Denny’s Watch
Peet’s Coffee fans in Emeryville can breathe a sigh of relief: the Public Market location is not among the Bay Area closures we’ve confirmed. Peet’s recently announced plans to close up to 30 locations, with the changes expected by the end of the month.
We’re also continuing to monitor developments around a list of Denny’s closures that was expected to be made public by the end of 2025. The company has said it intends to close roughly 150 “underperforming” stores nationwide as part of a broader restructuring. The footprint reduction comes alongside a reported $620 million deal to take Denny’s private under new ownership led by investment firms.
Pizza Gallery Opens at Former Rotten City Pizza Space
Pizza Gallery held its soft opening on January 7, filling the corner space at Hollis Street and 66th left vacant by Rotten City Pizza. Proprietor Ahmad Bakhtary is still putting on finishing touches, including a new exterior mural and interior upgrades such as new stools and a vinyl-record DJ booth.
Those hoping for a more economical menu than its predecessor should be satisfied: prices for an 18-inch pie range from $32 to $38. Pizzas lean into an art-themed concept with names like The Truffle Monet, Da Vinci Pesto, and Van Gogh’s Garden.
Bakhtary says he hopes to eventually expand the menu beyond pizza to include kabobs, wings, and Middle Eastern desserts.
Online ordering via Doordash is expected to go live soon.
Hours: 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Monday–Sunday
Pizza Gallery: 6613 Hollis St., Emeryville
Go Banh Mi “Virtual Brand” Coming To Emeryville
A new banh mi restaurant recently surfaced online, promoting a “grand opening” in Emeryville. Early marketing materials included an AI-generated image suggesting a new storefront. In reality, Go Banh Mi will operate as a virtual brand out of Lanesplitter Pizza on San Pablo Avenue.
Many established restaurants are increasingly sharing or repurposing underutilized kitchen space to operate ghost kitchens or virtual brands as a way to generate additional revenue. Trader Vic’s briefly ran a Mexican concept called Señor Pico from its kitchen, and some Denny’s locations have hosted a separate burger brand known as The Meltdown.
They expect their online ordering system to be live on February 1.
Go Banh Mi: 3645 San Pablo Ave, Emeryville, CA 94608.
Comeback Cafe Reopens under New Management
For those who prefer their banh mi from a traditional brick-and-mortar café, Comeback Cafe has officially reopened following renovations, restaffing, and a refreshed menu.
In addition to banh mi sandwiches, the café offers Vietnamese comfort food staples including vermicelli plates, pho, and a selection of appetizers. Drinks include milk tea, matcha lattes, ube beverages, and Vietnamese coffee.
They’ve started fresh with a new Instagram @come.backcafe.
Comeback Cafe: 6009 Christie Ave, Emeryville, CA 94608.
For the Love of Matcha to Former Dee Spot Cafe Space
The long-vacant former Dee Spot Cafe space, empty since 2023*, has officially been leased to a new tenant.
For the Love of Matcha has spent the past two years operating as a pop-up at local farmers markets, including Grand Lake and Temescal, drawing long lines and consistently positive reviews. The business is now preparing to transition into a permanent brick-and-mortar location.
“The space has been cleared, cleansed, ready to hold our vision. The transformation is visible now, even in its raw state,” the owners shared in a recent newsletter.
For the uninitiated, matcha is a powdered green tea made from whole leaves, prized for its antioxidants and its ability to deliver calm, focused energy. It has been trending upward as an alternative to coffee and other caffeinated beverages. For the Love of Matcha uses ceremonial-grade matcha sourced from Yame, Japan.
Pastries have also been teased, though no formal menu has been announced. The business is targeting an “early 2026” grand opening and encourages followers to subscribe to its newsletter for updates.
For the Love of Matcha: 1195 65th St., Emeryville
Correction: Dee Spot’s closure date updated.
City Preparing for Tokyo Central/Handroll Factory Grand Openings
The biggest food news in January if of course the highly anticipated grand opening of Tokyo Central and you’d have to be living under a rock to not know that its the weekend of January 31 and February 1. The anticipation goes back six years to 2021 when CenterCal Properties (Bay Street Emeryville’s owners) began plans through the city.
The full slate of activities is posted on Bay Street’s website including $10 gift cards for their first 100 customers and special performances. The event is open to the public but you can RSVP on their facebook page.
The grocery store will also have an embedded restaurant called The Handroll Factory. Browse their menu on the Tokyo Central Blog.
The floor plan for the store as well as hours and other details can be viewed on the Tokyo Central’s blog.
For what it’s worth, Dee Spot has not been empty since 2018 – see Yelp reviews. More like some time in 2023. Not sure whether the ownership just got transferred or what. But that’s a hard place to have a cafe – it’s a bit out of the way, and the city ought to completely repave the road it’s on. Hopefully For the Love of Matcha will do well in that space as they take this new step. Congratulations to them!
Thank you. Yeah, I believe they closed temporarily in 2018 then held some pop up events for a period and may have reopened at some point?
I don’t remember the precise timeline but I’ll add a note here for clarity.