Growing craft brewery Cellarmaker, which began life in a small space in SoMa a decade ago and has since expanded with a Berkeley-based brewing operation and some highly acclaimed Detroit-style pizzas in the Mission, has just debuted its much-anticipated Jack London Square brewpub.
As we reported in early 2022, Cellarmaker nabbed the former Blue Bottle headquarters on Webster Street in Oakland's Jack London Square. And now, with a lengthy remodel complete, Cellarmaker Oakland has arrived.
The taproom and pizza spot opened last week, and in addition to offering 13 beers on tap — with many of those available in cans to go as well — Cellarmaker Oakland offers a full food menu with even more options than the five-year-old Cellarmaker House of Pizza in the Mission.
There are five square (8" x 8") Detroit-style pies available, including a half-pesto, half-red-sauce Divorciado (new at this location), and there's a seasonal sweet corn pie with poblano peppers and feta. There also three options for thin-crust, "bar-style" pizzas: cheese, pepperoni, and a seasonal Summer Bounty pie with leeks, lemon chili ricotta, Castelvetrano olives, squash blossoms, and house-marinated fresh mozzarella.
And there are several surprises among the starters at this location, including a pork belly and jowl sisig lettuce wrap, and some adobo-marinated spare ribs. Polenta cheese fries with marinara dipping sauce and a dino kale salad round out the new offerings. There are also two desserts: a tropical cheesecake, and a chocolate cake made with one of Cellarmaker's signature brews, the Coffee & Cigarettes porter.
If it seems like Cellarmaker was just in the news with another opening, that's because it was. The brewers moved their brewing operation to 940 Parker Street in Berkeley in July, also known as the former home of Rare Barrel Brewing, which Cellarmaker acquired last year. The new Berkeley space offers a great beer garden and rotating pop-ups for food, but pizza will not be offered there.
After the closure of their original SoMa digs last year, Cellarmaker now has three locations: Cellarmaker House of Pizza on Mission Street, and the two East Bay outposts.
Cellarmaker Oakland (300 Webster Street) is open Wednesday to Sunday starting at 3 p.m., closing at 9 p.m. except on Friday and Saturday, when it will close at 10 p.m.