Rob AriasSome Food & Drink updates in and around Emeryville since our last update in February. These include a new Public Market stall, the likely closure of Cookie Plug and a delay in the Emery Farmers’ Market move.
We also have two updates involving the Mandela Parkway corridor that connects Emeryville to the West Oakland BART station.
Kilovolt Coffee ‘Forced to Move’
Kilovolt Coffee, who have occupied a space along Mandela Parkway near 18th St. since 2014, are being forced to move. Kilovolt might be considered among the early small, retail business “pioneers” along the corridor that was completed in 2005 catering to local artisans at the nearby American Steel Studios and BART commuters.
Their property was sold to SKB, a real estate investment firm headquartered in Oregon, in 2021. While initially supportive of the cafe, a shift occurred and according to Kilovolt, they no longer desire a tenant in the space. Kilovolt’s lease expires on April 30 when they are expected to shutter for good.
The good news is that they were able to secure a new spot in West Oakland just a short walk away at 1746 13th Street.
Kilovolt have launched a kickstarter targeting $15K to help them make the move and retain their employees.
Cookie Plug “Temporarily” Closed?
When two cookie establishments opened at about the same time in Emeryville, one had to wonder if a city as small as Emeryville could support both of them. The answer seemed to be “no.”
Cookie Plug, who opened at the former Subway space on Christie Ave back in September 2023, appears to have shuttered. Google notes the location as “Temporarily Closed” and the location has been removed from the Cookie Plug website.
Many were critical of the business even before they opened for their marketing – and after they opened for the overall freshness and overly sweetness of their product. Their founder, Eric Martinez, has also waded into controversy for his political leanings by launching “Freedom Bowls” which Rolling Stone Magazine called “MAGA themed.”
Meanwhile, Butter Pecan Bakeshop, locally born and independently owned, has been building a loyal following for their flavor and freshness. Butter Pecan has rapidly expanded to four locations since opening their first Pinole location in 2021.
If Cookie Plug miraculously reopens, we will update this story.
Prescott Market Food Hall Opens
The highly anticipated Prescott Market Food Hall officially opened their doors on April 5 after a soft-opening period.
Anchored by an Almanac Beer Company’s taproom, they fledgling food hall features eight food and beverage entities including Fast Times Burgers, Highwire Coffee, Pizzeria Violetta, Prescott Meats, Woo Can Cook and Café Noir.
The buildings owned by srmERNST were originally built for a H. C. Capwell’s factory who were once a prominent department store in the East Bay. srmERNST specializes in adaptive reuse and urban infill projects and were involved in the early stages of the Sherwin-Williams redevelopment project.
The food hall features ample picnic benches and promises to be the preferred “pre-party” area for Oakland Ballers games who begin their second season in the Pioneer League on May 20th.
More can be read on the Food Hall on Oaklandside.org.
Demiya Coming to Public Market
Demiya, who already have four locations around the bay including San Jose, Dublin and Fremont, have announced a new location at the Public Market.
The Japanese restaurant specializes in curry dishes served with rice topped with options like fried chicken, pork cutlet or soft-shelled crab.
Diablo Dish has speculated based on their use of hashtags that their menu may also include “Omurice” which is popular Japanese breakfast dish consisting of a thin scrambled egg omelet over chicken fried rice with a tomato-based sauce.
4/18 Update: While their social media account note they expected to open Winter, 2025, clearly this was erroneous as they announced their soft opening on
Farmers’ Market Move Delayed
The Emeryville Saturday Farmers’ Market move from The Emery Apartments to The Public Market has been delayed. They initially expected the move to take place on April 5, 2025.
The weekly events are being put on by the Regional Farmers’ Market Association who also coordinate recurring events in San Jose, Cupertino and SF.
The Farmers’ Market, not the first attempted in the city, kicked off back in July, 2024 after resolving some permitting issues. After initial enthusiasm by residents, foot traffic has tapered off making the event unsustainable according to their organizers.
Their new location will be in the lot across from the Public Market that has previously hosted Off the Grid weekly events.
The rescheduled opening day is slated for May 3, 2025. Markets are held every Saturday from 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
“The market will run until November 1 as of right now,” provided RFMA Consultant Greg Pursley. “But if it has good attendance through the season, we will try to shift it over to a year round market.”
Benihana Permitting Still Not Issued
The big news over the past two months was of course the announcement that Benihana had pulled permits to renovate and occupy the former Chevys space along the Emeryville shoreline. Reception to the news was mostly positive across our social media channels where we shared this information.
We should note that although the city published this in the “Comings & Goings” section of their quarterly Activity Guide (page 47), the project is certainly not a lock and The city has edited their blurb to reflect this.
While a demolition permit for interior work was approved by the city, the permit is not technically “issued” until the contractor pays the fees and picks it up. As of April 7, this has not happened.
Until this payment has been resolved, its not inconceivable that they could back out.
Soul Blends Coffee Opens in West Oakland
Soul Blends Coffee Roasters has opened its first brick-and-mortar café in Oakland’s Clawson neighborhood tangent to Emeryville’s southern border.
Soul Blends was founded by Black entrepreneurs Justice Chambers and Jenna Garrett as a farmers’ market pop-up in 2021. They offer signature espresso drinks mostly crafted from African-sourced beans including their signature Moroccan Spiced Latte. “Our café is more than just a place to grab coffee – it’s a space to connect, unwind, and savor beverages inspired by the African diaspora,” they note on their website.
Soul Blends also offers bites including pastries from Oaklandia Cafe x Bakery during the week and from Starter Bakery on weekends. Other menu items include avocado toast and the growingly popular Hella Dac Biet’s fried-rice burritos.
East Bay Express recently published a comprehensive write-up of their opening describing the location as a “neighborhood hub and oasis of calm.”
Soul Blends is located at 3207 Louise Street on the corner of 32nd Street and are open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed on Tuesday’s).
