Two San Francisco institutions with southern flair are opening new locations across the Bay, the first being 4505 Burgers & BBQ which is finally opening in the former Glenn's Hot Dogs space in Oakland's Laurel District.
The easterly expansion of 4505 was announced way back in 2016, and various permitting and construction delays have put us here, three years later, with the opening scheduled for June 14. As Eater explains, the new space is far bigger than chef Ryan Farr's Divisadero flagship, with a 2800-square-foot, 1950s-era building that has been lovingly restored. The Oakland location boasts a patio, as well as room for a whole-hog smoker, which the SF location does not have. [UPDATE: Some permitting delays have delayed the opening a bit, into late June, possibly.]
The plan is to be open seven days a week from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., serving the 4505 signatures (pulled pork, ribs, brisket, spicy fries, frankaroni, and the "best damn grass-fed cheeseburger"), as well as local beer from Temescal Brewing and Ghost Town.
But yet another SF restaurant is getting closer to making its debut in the East Bay, and that's Brenda's French Soul Food. Brenda's expanded from Polk Street to Divisadero five years ago with Brenda's Meat & Three, and owner Brenda Buenviaje announced last fall that she'd be opening a fast-casual location in Oakland's Temescal neighborhood simply called Brenda's. The space is in the ground floor of the new Maya condominium complex at 4045 Broadway (at 41st).
The plan is to serve quick-service po’boys, beignets, biscuits, and fried chicken, and Buenviaje tells Hoodline that her best estimate for an opening timeframe now is late summer.