Crispy Roast Pork and Other Filipino Delights Arrive in West Oakland

A sprawling, 8,000-square-foot bar, restaurant, and events space debuts in West Oakland on Saturday, August 25.

Dubbed 7th West, the future social hub features fresh murals, loads of outdoor seating, room for live music and art shows, and an exclusive kitchen space for Dennis Villafranca of the Filipino truck Jeepney Guy. Villafranca is best known for his lechon, boneless roasted pork belly with crispy golden skin. But at 7th West, he’s able to offer a much more extensive menu than with his truck. It features fun bar snacks like fried pig ears and chicken nuggets dredged in mochi flour and coconut milk, plus larger rice plates piled with adobo ribs or buttery shrimp. There are a couple of vegan options, too.

It’s one in a string of Filipino eateries to recently open in Oakland, joining Likha inside Hometown Heroes and FOB Kitchen, which is scheduled to take over Juhu Beach Club next month.

The new effort comes from Oakland’s Donna Inscho Brinkman and Kevin Pelgone of The Overlook Lounge and Pancho Kachingwe of The Hatch. With those bar backgrounds, you can expect to find creative cocktails at 7th West, which incorporates ingredients such as Thai chili pepper, sugarcane, and rosemary. The beer list favors breweries from the West Oakland neighborhood and nearby Alameda.

The three friends have expressed the goal of making 7th West a true community space that’s family-friendly during the day but also caters to the late-night crowd. There’s a small dog park, an arcade, indoor and outdoor bars, and the capacity to host a wide range of events highlighting local art, music, sports, and even gaming. The opening celebration starts at 11 a.m. at 1255 7th Street, with a ribbon cutting followed by live music, DJs, dancing, and tarot readings.