a closing and a 'coming soon' on oxford street

a couple of quieter changes to note on oxford street in berkeley.

first, say hello once again (soon!) to long-time berkeley favorite east bay spice company. the cocktail bar is coming back to the uc berkeley campus neighborhood and currently coming together inside the former viv & ingrid boutique space at 2142 oxford street.

a peek through the windows reveals an updated but very familiar mirror image – complete with the bar's signature library ladder – of the original cocktail bar that presided for 10 years a few doorways down at 2134 oxford. since closing in 2024 in anticipation of the upcoming oxford and center demolition, it has operated in successful limbo as a pop-up out of downtown berkeley's tap-in lounge, from the same owners.

but soon, east bay spice company will return and reopen as a standalone cocktail bar, now at 2142 oxford street in berkeley. (ps as with many of these coming berkeley openings, they are also hiring.)

second, ongoing area construction may have been one factor that led to a quiet closing for the oxford and kittredge location of berkeley salad chain organic greens. the salad restaurant shuttered quietly back in august after nine years on that prominent corner.

berkeley's other two organic greens locations (on solano avenue and in the elmwood) remain open, but organic greens kittredge at 2177 kittredge street in berkeley has permanently closed.

september 10, 2025