Oakland’s Well-Loved Grilled Meat Destination the Kebabery Is Closing for Good

The last day of service for Russell Moore’s Kebabery on Shattuck Avenue is October 8. Moore, known for live-fire cooking at his restaurant now-closed Camino and his tenure at Chez Panisse, tells the San Francisco Chronicle this is his last hurrah in Bay Area restaurants. His reasons for getting out of the scene are not unique: Moore says that two and a half years into the pandemic, business remains unreliable and money is burning fast. “It’s just been an exhausting few years and it hasn’t really let up,” Moore told the paper.

In comparison to the upscale Camino, the idea was for Kebabery to offer a more casual and accessible dining experience. Camino closed in 2018 after a decorated decade, and before the pandemic, the idea was to open additional Kebabery outposts as the casual, counter-service model lent itself well to proliferation. Moore remains optimistic for the Bay’s culinary scene — but for other restaurateurs as he and his team’s time in the industry has come to a close. The restaurant’s Instagram announcement encourages fans to “support your fave independent restaurants” on the way out.

Glen Park grocery store temporarily due to rodents

Canyon Market, in the heart of Glen Park, closed on September 28 due to a San Francisco Department of Public Health inspection finding a “severe rodent infestation.” The San Francisco Chronicle reported store owner Janet Tarlov blamed a local resident who leaves large piles of birdseed near the BART station.

FiDi steakhouse to debut a piano bar

On October 4 the Vault Garden at 555 California Street is adding a weekly lineup of pianists and $10 throwback cocktails. From 4 to 6 p.m. guests can enjoy live music and appetizers at happy hour prices. Musicians including Kyle Athade and George Glover are on the calendar.

Peninsula cidery shuts down due to rising costs

Redwood Coast Cider called it quits on October 1, with owner Christina Krzaszczak citing increasing rents and local development as reasons for the closure. Palo Alto Online reports the San Mateo block the cidery has called home since 2015 is the future home of mixed-use development.

Divisadero bar crawl to raise money for fire relief

With fires devastating Oasis Cafe, Kava Lounge, and Phuket Thai on Divisadero, local businesses are pitching in to help their neighbors. On October 8 Emporium will host a DJ party from 6 to 9 p.m., and raffle tickets will be offered by numerous bars in the area. The crawl is also on October 8, from 4 p.m. to midnight at locations including Fly Bar, Danny Coyle’s, Madrone, and more.