Amy’s Vegetarian Drive Thru Plots Marin Expansion and More A.M. Intel

Amy’s Drive Thru in talks to open second location

Petaluma-based Amy’s Kitchen, known to freezer aisle shoppers as the maker of organic, vegetarian packaged foods like burritos and pizza, is in the preliminary stages of opening a second vegetarian fast-food restaurant in Marin, taking over a vacant Denny’s diner space off Highway 101 in Corte Madera. Amy’s Drive Thru opened its first location in Rohnert Park in 2015, a fast-food joint with a green roof that was heralded as the first of its kind. A preliminary hearing with the Corte Madera’s Planning Commission will be held to consider the second Amy’s Drive Thru in September. There’s already one hiccup, as a local zoning ordinance bans drive-thru restaurants, but that could be changed.

Subrosa Coffee’s Oakland expansion is open

Temescal coffee shop Subrosa has opened the doors to its new Oakland branch at 4008 MLK Jr. Drive in the Longfellow neighborhood. The new location is brewing De La Paz and Linea coffee and serving food from Firebrand Breads and Pepples Donuts. In Oakland, Subrosa owner Catherine Macken says she’ll host more of the block party and flea market events for which her Temescal Coffee shop has become known.

Draw Billiard Club all cued up in Berkeley

We got trouble, right in here in Berkeley: Literally underground pool hall Draw Billiard Club at 64 Shattuck Square reports it will open next month. The restaurant and bar, which promises Chicago-style deep dish pizza, packs 15 pool tables into 8,000 square feet.

Roma Antica adds pinsa, pasta to the Marina this month

Starting August 15, Roma Antica will bring the Marina its authentic Roman food, including pinsa, the lighter-crust pizza-like specialty first brought to the US with SF’s Montesacro. Partners Dogukan Solmaz, previously general manager at Trattoria da Vittorio, and chef Davide Cogliati, who as cooked at Acquerello, are taking over the former Kobani Mediterranean Grill space at 3242 Scott Street.

Bernal Belgian bar BEL closing, pinball bar moving in

BEL, the second bar/restaurant from the owners of nearby pizza spot PI bar, will be closing their Belgian restaurant at 3215 Mission Street at the end of August. They’re transferring the lease to Outer Orbit, a forthcoming pinball bar from another couple of Bernal Heights neighbor. For some time, the Outer Orbit team has been eyeing local spaces for their “colorful, family-friendly pinball arcade featuring novel concessions, local beers, fine wine, and Hawaiian inspired meals,” and now they’ve got one.

The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen is franchising

Want to buy a grilled cheese franchise? The American Grilled Cheese kitchen is licensing them across all 50 states, as co-founder Nate Pollak advertises. The humble American Grilled Cheese Kitchen empire is made up of two San Francisco locations — for now. Meanwhile, another homegrown grilled cheese company, The Melt, has expanded to locations in Southern California, Colorado, and Texas.