Oakland’s Award-Studded Friends and Family Bar and Restaurant to Close in December | Eater SF

"An accolade-studded Oakland bar and restaurant that became a refuge for the Bay Area’s restaurant industry and queer community, this nearly six-year hub opened at the height of the COVID pandemic in 2020, scheduled days after the shelter-in-place mandate was implemented. It was named a 2022 semifinalist in the Outstanding Bar Program category by the James Beard Awards and placed No. 33 on the 50 Best Bars North America. In 2024, former State Bird Provisions chef Gaby Maeda joined the team, pioneering powerful dishes including upscale onigiri and the creamy roe-topped les eggs. Owner Blake Cole and the team navigated pandemic-era hurdles—parklets, outdoor dining, to-go cocktails—but despite being exactly the place they dreamt of, overwhelming debt and inconsistent business lingered, with Cole working without a salary for years. The restaurant will close on Tuesday, December 30, with private bookings continuing into January and February; until someone takes the lease, the brand will live on through private events and dinners, sustained by a soulful, generational sense of community that felt welcoming to everyone." - Paolo Bicchieri