After Decades In The East Bay, A Beloved Restaurant Will Close At The End Of This Year: Report

OAKLAND, CA — Wood Tavern, a beloved destination brasserie in Oakland's Rockridge neighborhood, will be shuttering for good at the end of the year, according to a San Francisco Chronicle report.

The owners of the restaurant told the Chronicle that when the lease expires at the end of the year, Wood Tavern will be closed for good.

Instead, owners Rich and Rebekah Wood will focus on other projects, including expanding Southie, a sandwich shop with two locations in the East Bay, including next to Wood Tavern, according to the report.

"It's so emotional and so personal," Rich Wood told the Chronicle while describing how customers have pleaded with him not to close. "It’s unspeakable to think about what we’re about to do,"

Wood Tavern opened in 2007 and has been featured in the Michelin Guide.

"It's a classic neighborhood standby, where friends, families and chic couples congregate for drinks at the copper-topped bar," the Michelin Guide describes Wood Tavern. "Flanked by organic groceries, indie bookstores and antique shops, its environs speak of peace, weaving a bohemian spell that captivates both regulars and rookies alike."

The closure brings another chapter in the East Bay's food scene to a close.

Ala Mediterranean Grill and Mezzes in Alameda closed last year. Fish & Bird Sousaku Izakaya in Berkeley closed in June, with the owner citing a "tough" six and a half years.

Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.