Silicon Valley Is Getting a New Traditional German Beer Hall

Keeping it classic and casual

San Jose’s Ludwig’s German Table is expanding to downtown Mountain View, taking over the former Bierhaus space at 383 Castro Street. Bierhaus closed in the fall following a landlord dispute — it relocated to Temescal in Oakland — and the building owners announced plans to open their own German beer hall in its place. Eventually, they brought in Ludwig’s instead. It’ll focus on providing a classic German beer garden setting, serving pints of German brews alongside pretzels, sausages, German cheeses, and more when it opens this summer.

Coffee right by BART

Berkeley commuters have a new convenient pit stop for morning caffeine needs: 1951 Coffee Company has opened a kiosk at the recently renovated Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza. This is the third location for the Berkeley nonprofit, which trains and employs refugees in the specialty coffee industry. Expect to find 1951’s usual lineup for drip and espresso drinks on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Yemeni eats

Falafelland is now open at 133 Sixth Street, the former Foodie deli space, serving much more than typical falafel wraps for the SoMa lunch crowd. The restaurant specializes in traditional Yemeni dishes like kabsa, an aromatic rice dish available with lamb, chicken, or vegetables, alongside coffee and tea.

Looming questions

The future of the Mission’s Jay’n Bee Club looks a little murky right now. The bar and pizza restaurant is closing for repairs until the end of the month. After that, the longtime owner will decide whether or not he’ll move on.