Bar Dogwood Opening a Sister Spot, Darling's, Next Door

Uptown Oakland restaurateur Alexeis Filipello has been in the process of turning the space next door to her Bar Dogwood into a second bar for some time, and now details on the space have emerged, according to Tablehopper. The new bar will be called Darling's, after its onetime incarnation as a pharmacy of the same name (though it was more recently a jewelry store), and will feature some of the old equipment from the pharmacy that Filipello found in the shop's basement. In keeping with the old-school pharmacy theme, it'll be the first bar in Oakland to ride the wave of the soda-fountain revival commenced by the Ice Cream Bar, offering phosphates, lactarts, and other classic counter drinks in both boozy and non-boozy versions.

For those who prefer not to consume their liquor in fountain form, Darling's will also offer a seasonal cocktail list and a limited selection of spirits, with a focus on whiskey, tequila, and mezcal. Dogwood's meat counter is going to be ripped up and transplanted into Darling's to create a walkway between the two bars, serving up the house-cured meats and sandwiches that have become its specialty and adding new items like salads and crudo. And in a move that aims to promote conversation, Filipello is enforcing the old-school vibe with a no-phones rule at both Darling's and Dogwood: "If you need to send a quick text, okay, but no more of people just staring at their phones," she told Tablehopper. As for an opening date, drinkers can plan on putting their iPhones away sometime in November.

· Bar Dogwood Is Getting a Sister Bar: Darling's [Tablehopper]
· Bar Dogwood Is Expanding [~ ESF ~]