15 Bay Area Restaurants and Bars That Closed in July

This is a curated list of the Bay Area’s most notable and permanent restaurant and bar closures, with new updates published once a week. See a closing we missed? Then drop us a line. For more news, check out our list of restaurants that closed earlier this summer.

July 25

SOMA — Michelin-listed SoMa restaurant Gozu will effectually close, as the team behind the wagyu- and steak-focused restaurant announced an “evolution” to a new restaurant dubbed the Wild, per a press release. The new restaurant will focus on “intentional and delicious food that echoes our commitment to returning to our roots and embracing the essence of nature.” Both an a la carte menu and chef’s choice option will be available to diners when the Wild launches in August.

OAKLAND — Chef Paul Canales closed his Spanish restaurant Duende on Sunday, June 30, after 11 years in downtown Oakland. Canales cited “a super challenging business environment” as one of the reasons for closing, as business was down and more customers leaned on delivery or to-go, which never really took off or fit the style of food at Duende.

OAKLAND — Binny’s Cocktail Lounge and Restaurant is another Oaklnd favorite set to close, East Bay Nosh reports. The owners announced a closing party set for Saturday, August 10 via Instagram. The space has already been sold to a new owner who plans to launch a new bar in October named Aura.

NEWARK — Long-running sushi and teppanyaki favorite Nijo Castle is closing its doors after 39 years in business, SFGATE reports. The distinctive building will be demolished to make way for an AC Hotel by Marriott. The restaurant’s last day of service is Wednesday, July 31.

ROSEVILLE — Brickyard Kitchen & Bar is now closed after serving its last burgers and flatbread pizzas on Sunday, July 21, the Sacramento Bee reports. The restaurant opened in 2016 as Hop House before changing its name to Brickyard in 2017, and now at its closure, the owners thanked the community for its support throughout the years in a Facebook message, writing, “We could not have made it through COVID without you!”

July 17

MID-MARKET — Sunset Squares Pizza has closed its Mid-Market location as of June 26, per Tablehopper. Don’t despair: Chef Dennis Lee’s slow-fermented sourdough crusts, served classic and round or Detroit-style and square, are still available at the Sunset Square Slices location at 553 Divisadero Street.

OAKLAND — Oakland’s Gyu-Kaku Japanese Barbecue location at 459 Eighth Street has closed, according to East Bay Nosh. The restaurant opened in 2021; a note posted on the restaurant’s website thanked guests and staff for the “great memories.”

BERKELEY — Za’atar Kitchen, the Mediterranean deli tucked inside the Berkeley Organic Market & Deli, has closed, per East Bay Nosh. Fans of Za’atar’s falafel can now sample Brazilian street food from Casa do Petisco, the new deli in the space.

July 10

HAIGHT ASHBURY — Fulton Street’s Barrel Head Brewhouse, known for its draft pours and menu of snacky comfort food like chili and soft pretzels, will close the weekend of July 12 after a 10-year run, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Co-owner Ivan Hopkinson told the Chron that as much as he wanted to keep the brewery and taproom open, the long-term impact of the pandemic — plus rising costs — led Barrel Head to close.

OAKLAND — Oakland’s worker-owned restaurant Understory, known for its Filipino, Moroccan, Mexican, and Vietnamese cuisine, closed on June 30, per the San Francisco Chronicle. “Despite the challenges we will face in closing operations, our full worker collective acknowledges this decision as necessary to maintain our integrity, the principles upon which Understory was founded, and for our collective to remain strong and unified throughout the transition,” the restaurant wrote on Instagram. A fundraiser to support workers’ and the restaurant’s transition is underway.

OAKLAND — The Oakland location of Baby Cafe Hong Kong Bistro, which highlights Hong Kong-style Chinese cuisine, has closed after an eight-year run in Chinatown, East Bay Nosh reports. Locations at Emeryville’s Public Market and Union City remain open.

EMERYVILLE — The original location of Minne Bell’s Soul Movement, an Emeryville soul food favorite for rosemary fried chicken and mac and cheese, will close on July 28, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. There’s a silver lining, though: Chef and owner Fernay McPherson recently expanded to a second location in San Francisco’s Fillmore district, which will remain up and running as McPherson redirects her attention there.

July 3

MARINA — Amici’s East Coast Pizzeria is closing its Marina District location at 2200 Lombard Street when the lease expires in September, the San Francisco Business Times reports. At the time of reporting, that meant the last sit-down Amici’s in San Francisco is closing — there is also a ghost kitchen location in SoMa for delivery and pick-up that remains open — but now there’s word that a new Amici’s is on the horizon. The Times now reports that Amici’s will open a location at Pier 39 this summer, along with a slew of new tenants such as Humble Sea Brewing Co. and Fire + Ice Grill and Bar.

BERKELEY — Nomad Tibetan at 1593 Solano Avenue is closed as of Sunday, June 30, East Bay Nosh reports. The restaurant served momos, noodles, and more, for 11 years in Berkeley.

HAYWARD — Long-running hot dog mini-chain Caspers will close its Hayward location at 951 C Street on Saturday, July 13, SFGATE reports. That Hayward spot has been around since 1949, and co-owner Ron Dorian told the news outlet that the company will downsize its five other locations “to make operations more efficient.”