Hopscotch Catering & Takeout • Oakland
Caterer · Downtown ·
Upscale diner, Japanese-influenced American fare, craft cocktails
Upscale diner, Japanese-influenced American fare, craft cocktails
"Dubbing itself an "upscale diner," Hopscotch draws inspiration for its menu from the many cultural influences of the Bay, with menu items like the soba bucatini with mascarpone and walnut pesto, classic fried chicken, and kimchi fried rice with a shoyu egg (available at brunch). Chef-owner Kyle Itani, a fourth generation Japanese-American, grew up in nearby Vacaville, but has spent extensive time traveling through Japan; his food is a personal narrative that reflects a mashup of those cultures." - Ellen Fort, Eater Staff
"I felt a tinge of sadness when Hopscotch, an 11-year-old Oakland restaurant, closed in June, but its end paved the way for Good Luck Gato: chef Kyle Itani teamed up again with former Hopscotch staff—Matthew Meyer (who served as Hopscotch sous chef for seven years) and Daniel Paez (who tended bar there for four years)—and Paez has even revisited Hopscotch hits on the new cocktail list, including the maple Old Fashioned that inspired the Fistul of Pesos." - Dianne de Guzman
"After 11 years in the Uptown Oakland neighborhood, I find the impending closure of Hopscotch—set for Thursday, June 22—to be bittersweet. Itani’s first restaurant, co-founded in 2012 with Jenny Schwarz when he was 29, earned acclaim for its Japanese-inspired, American diner food, including a 3-star review in its first year from Michael Bauer, a Chronicle Rising Star Chef nod in 2013, and an appearance on Check, Please! Bay Area. Over time the operation shifted from lunch, happy hour, dinner, and weekend brunch to experiments with an all-day menu and then dinner-only as Itani tried to adapt to the changed dining landscape; special events consistently packed the room and ultimately turned Hopscotch into more of a special-occasion spot. Although the dining room will close, the food will live on as Hopscotch Catering (started during the pandemic), the Annex will host private events through the end of July, and the space is being prepped—alongside Low Bar owners and former Hopscotch employees Matt Meyer and Daniel Paez—for a new concept with cosmetic changes hoped to be completed by September; reservations for the final week can be made via Resy." - Dianne de Guzman
"Hopscotch closed after 11 years. Chef Kyle Itani will use the space for a new project with the team from nearby Low Bar." - Paolo Bicchieri
"In Uptown Oakland, I’d stop by Hopscotch (open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) where the American-Japanese menu includes oysters, fried chicken, soba noodles, and doughnuts with butterscotch cream to satisfy your sweet tooth." - Lauren Saria