Trueburger Opens in Temescal; Pizza and Cocktails Hit Swan's Market

Just in time for the five-year anniversary of their original location on Grand Avenue, Oakland's popular Trueburger has expanded, according to Inside Scoop. Owners Greg Eng and Jason Low have joined a growing number of eateries at the intersection of the Temescal and Piedmont districts; their neighbors include the newly opened restaurant-butcher shop Clove & Hoof, as well as Blue Bottle's year-old café in the W.C. Morse building.

The Broadway location, while larger than its predecessor, will offer the same simple menu of daily-ground burgers, fries and milkshakes, with the addition of garlic fries. For now they're only open for lunch Tuesday-Saturday, 11am-3pm; dinner is coming soon.

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Deeper in the heart of downtown, Old Oakland's Swan's Market, home to B-Dama, Cosecha and The Cook & Her Farmer has hreceived another unique restaurant and bar in the form of Hen House/Deep Roots Oakland. Masterminded by Brendan Eliason, owner of Periscope Cellars, the 240-square-foot space was originally the home of Periscope's wine bar. Now, the petite place has been divided in two, with Hen House providing food and Deep Roots booze— guests can grab their food and drink, then snag a spot in the market's communal dining area.

Helmed by Celeste Cooper (Pizzaiolo) and Alexandra Lopez (Oliveto), Hen House will serve a simple (and short, given the limited space) menu of homey Italian-inspired dishes for lunch and dinner, including pizzas. For his part, Eliason has lined up about a dozen wines by the glass, as well as an inventive "cocktail" menu. Designed to work around their limiting beer and wine license, the cocktail menu includes items like the Tuscan Punch, a red wine-based drink fortified with lime juice, "exotic spice syrup," and "a little extra booze." Oh, and they'll also be serving Hamm's, an homage to the blue-collar beer company that once operated a brewery in San Francisco. They're open now for lunch and dinner (Wednesday-Friday, 11:30am-3pm and 5-9pm), as well as brunch (9:30am-3pm) and dinner (5-9pm) on Saturdays.