Philo
Philo, CA · Local Life
berkeleyhighjacket.com
V-day brings ‘Rocky Horror’ to UC Theatre
For 22 years, weekly midnight performances of the cult classic movie/musical experience “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” were a staple of the iconic UC Theatre. The long run was cut by the UC Theatre’s closure in 2001, but “Rocky” showings returned in 2016 as the theater was reborn as a live music venue. These days, shows happen less frequently, instead only taking place on Halloween and Valentine’s Day. This year’s Valentine show was a particular standout and delightful experience.
sfonthebay.com
The Experience, Emeryville: Townhouse Comfort
Want to overcome those Monday Blues? Get down to Emeryville’s iconic Townhouse for some comfort classics with an elevated style. Food is fresh and locally sourced, an ode to their cherished history – from bootlegging to speakeasy to western bar/political HQ to culinary hit to what is now Emeryville’s go-to place to meet friends for appetizers and drinks or to settle in for a quiet savory dinner on the deck or indoors. (Still, a culinary hit!) Plan on it for the next Monday or Tuesday and it will set the tone for your whole week!
alamedapost.com
Alameda Brewing Launches Shorts Festival
On Sunday, February 22, Alameda Brewing welcomed filmmakers, directors, actors, screenwriters, and cinema enthusiasts to celebrate the inaugural Alameda Shorts Fest. The event, at 1716 Park Street, combined film culture with craft beer during SF Beer Week to bring a cinema experience into a new space. The curated program included two viewing blocks with seven shorts each. Submitted shorts were ten minutes or less and covered a variety of genres including drama, comedy, documentary, experimental, horror, animation, and more. All films were created within the past three years and reflected independent voices from around the Bay Area and beyond.
sfonthebay.com
The Experience, Alameda: Faction Brewing Beer Weekend
Their award-winning, Pale 586, is back on draft! Hopped with HBC 586 in both cryo and pellet form for that classic West Coast snap and aromatic punch. It’s crisp, balanced, and way too easy to keep going back. Their crew says it’s Draft Only, “so come get it…or regret it.”
hoodline.com
North Italia Rolls Into Walnut Creek With Fresh Pasta On March 25
Walnut Creek is about to get a big twirl of fresh pasta. North Italia, the fast-growing scratch-kitchen Italian chain, is set to open its first San Francisco Bay Area restaurant at Plaza Escuela on March 25. The new spot will cover about 8,500 square feet, seat roughly 200 guests, and feature an al fresco bar plus an open kitchen where pasta will be made fresh every day. The debut brings weekday lunch, weekend brunch, and a full dinner lineup to downtown Walnut Creek.
eastbaymag.com
Chez Panisse opens next-door cocktail lounge
Despite the darkness and a cold January wind, a line formed out the door of Bar Panisse. Inside, every bar stool and table was occupied. The Save César Berkeley campaign collected more than 4,000 signatures to protest Bar Panisse from opening in Bar César’s place—to no avail. Those Bay Area residents who didn’t object to the closure are now arriving in their winter wardrobes to fill every seat. Perhaps some of Save César’s signatories have also stopped by but are disguised by many layers of puffy clothing.
whatnow.com
Kothai Republic and Two Other San Francisco Restaurants Closed in February 2026
San Francisco’s dining scene saw notable changes this month, with the city bidding farewell to three beloved restaurants. The closures span a range of concepts, from longtime neighborhood staples to well-known Asian eateries. Restaurants That Bid Farewell to San Francisco This Month. Diners in San Francisco have said goodbye...
berkeleyside.org
Alley Yokocho Kitchens and Vietnam House shutter in Berkeley; Gus’s World Famous says goodbye to Oakland
Editor’s note: Nosh covers food and restaurant news across the East Bay, and each week we publish one article covering all the restaurant openings and one article covering closings. Have a tip for Nosh? Submit it here. Subscribing to the Nosh newsletter is the best way to stay up to date on all of the openings and closings, breaking news, deeper developments, and events in the East Bay food scene.
KQED
A Lantern Festival Celebration Brings Night Market Vibes to Oakland Chinatown
On Sunday, March 1, Oakland’s Pacific Renaissance Plaza will be festooned with red paper lanterns, lucky New Year’s scrolls and what event organizer Diana Wu describes as “spring blooms vibes.” The sound of taiko drums will echo through the streets of Chinatown. Hungry guests will feast on shrimp dumplings and hand-pulled noodles. Eventually, the whole plaza will erupt into an all-out dance party.
hoodline.com
Croissant Invasion: Paris Baguette Rolls Into Novato and Vallejo
Global bakery-café Paris Baguette is zeroing in on the North Bay, with new locations slated for Novato and Vallejo that the company says should open within the next year. Crews are already at work at the Novato site, a sign the brand is moving quickly to lock in neighborhood storefronts. The arrivals add another national player to the Bay Area bakery scene and bring the chain’s cakes, pastries and Lavazza coffee closer to Marin and Solano shoppers. Locals can expect storefront signs, hiring notices and gleaming pastry cases to follow as the buildouts move along.
hoodline.com
Berkeley's Old Pump Shack Now Slinging Smashburgers Locals Crave
The Station, a tiny corner eatery in South Berkeley that still carries the bones of a 1930s service station, has quietly turned into the kind of spot neighbors plan their week around. What started as Pizzaiolo's pandemic pop-up is now a permanent smashburger stand where every main item stays under $14 and tickets move fast. Between the garden, the fire pit and a short, dependable menu, the little building at Russell and Claremont has become one of the East Bay's buzziest quick stops.
firstcallgolf.com
Oakhurst Country Club unveils The Clubhouse Kitchen
Clayton, Calif. (February 25, 2026) – Oakhurst Country Club recently debuted The Clubhouse Kitchen, a new modern and casual dining space for members and guests of the Clayton, California private club. The new restaurant is a complete renovation and rebrand of the Club’s former Bistro 19 restaurant. The renovation project took over six weeks to finish.
beyondthecreek.com
Liminal Dance Labs opens in Lafayette
Liminal Dance Labs (now known as 925 Dance Collective according to their website) opened in Lafayette where Bake N Take Pizzeria used to be next to Kelly-Moore Paints. Information about tuition can be found here. Learn more about their leadership and faculty here. From their website:. We are an East...
Alameda Post
‘Words that Made the Difference’ to be Performed in Selma, Alabama to Mark Landmark Civil Rights Events
A cast of 18 local actors will travel to Selma, Alabama next week to perform Alameda playwright Dr. Cindy Acker’s award-winning Words that Made the Difference: Brown v. Board of Education during the annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee during the week of March 5-8. The Jubilee commemorates marchers, led by John Lewis, who faced a bloody attack when they walked across Selma’s Edmund Pettus Bridge to bring attention to voting rights in 1965.
Axios
A.C.T. makes "Paranormal Activity" feel real
It's been a while since I've screamed in the theater, but a theatrical adaption of "Paranormal Activity" isn't standard fare for San Francisco — especially with live poltergeists in the mix. Catch up quick: The play, which premiered on the West End in December 2025, is loosely based on...
oaklandside.org
The Barbary and Gus’s no longer serving, plus the final weekend for Tiger’s Taproom
Editor’s note: Nosh covers food and restaurant news across the East Bay, and each week we publish one article covering all the restaurant openings and one article covering closings. Have a tip for Nosh? Submit it here. Subscribing to the Nosh newsletter is the best way to stay up to date on all of the openings and closings, breaking news, deeper developments, and events in the East Bay food scene.
Eater
A Companion Bar for the Goodest Boy Is Pouring Magnums in the Marina
Norcina chef and owner Kaitlynn Bauman, along with general manager Angelo De Lorenzi, have opened a companion bar to their restaurant, dedicated to local celebrity and goodest boy, Franklin — an English Labrador retriever who’s a regular at their restaurant. Say hello to Frankie’s. Located just five...
Alameda Post
All Around Alameda – Beat the February Blues
It’s been a cold and soggy few weeks, and the allergy-relief aisle at the grocery store is looking a little sparse. But if you can scrounge up a bit of energy for a fun local event, we’re sure that you’ll find a little bit of sunshine. On Friday, February 27, head to the Alameda Main Library for an afternoon with the Black Banjo Reclamation Project. Turn back your calendars on Saturday, February 28, for some old-fashioned fun with the Roller Derby & Radios Fundraiser at the California Historical Radio Society. The same day, spend some time painting with other artists at Frank Bette Center for the Arts at Come Paint With Me. On Sunday, March 1, join fellow treasure hunters at the famous Alameda Point Antiques Faire. And on Monday, March 2, try something new with the Bhangra Fundamentals Dance Class at Rhythmix Cultural Works. Now, get out there!
Alameda Post
Alameda Brewing Launches Shorts Festival
On Sunday, February 22, Alameda Brewing welcomed filmmakers, directors, actors, screenwriters, and cinema enthusiasts to celebrate the inaugural Alameda Shorts Fest. The event, at 1716 Park Street, combined film culture with craft beer during SF Beer Week to bring a cinema experience into a new space. The curated program included two viewing blocks with seven shorts each. Submitted shorts were ten minutes or less and covered a variety of genres including drama, comedy, documentary, experimental, horror, animation, and more. All films were created within the past three years and reflected independent voices from around the Bay Area and beyond.