San Francisco Saluhall loses tenant: downtown eatery shutters, vacancy grows

Show summary Hide summary

• Cheezy’s leaves Saluhall, will operate as pop‑ups while hunting for a new storefront
• Short‑lived cafes and brewery shakeouts
• Neighborhood restaurants pivot or retire

A string of recent closures and format changes across the Bay Area’s dining scene is highlighting how shifting foot traffic, landlord decisions and owners’ life choices are reshaping neighborhood food spots. These moves — from a food‑hall pizzeria switching to pop‑ups to longtime chefs retiring — matter because they affect workers, regulars and the future of small hospitality businesses in the region.

Cheezy’s leaves Saluhall, will operate as pop‑ups while hunting for a new storefront

At the center of the latest wave of changes is Cheezy’s Artisan Pizza, which quietly stopped regular service at Saluhall after disputes with the food‑hall operator. Cofounder David Jacobson told local reporters that reduced customer flow following the closure of an on‑site bar and cooking school, plus cuts to support staff, made daily operations increasingly difficult.

Jacobson says the pizzeria temporarily withheld rent during negotiations, and the venue’s parent company, Ingka — the corporate entity linked to Ikea that manages the hall — responded by revoking the business license. Rather than close entirely, Cheezy’s plans to continue through a mix of pop‑ups, catering and pizza‑making classes while searching for a new location. (945 Market Street, San Francisco)

Short‑lived cafes and brewery shakeouts

Not all exits were the result of long decline. Inside the Don Lee Building on Van Ness, the coffee shop Emerald Lounge shuttered after just nine months; the owners announced on Instagram that they’re seeking a different spot. (1000 Van Ness Avenue)

In Berkeley, Olfactory Brewing has gone beyond a taproom closure and into corporate dissolution. The brewery’s Berkeley location closed in February, and the parent company filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, ending operations after a December shutdown at its Dogpatch site. (2055 Center Street)

Meanwhile, dessert shop La Noisette Sweets confirmed it will close on April 1 after a decade in business. The owner cited retirement and a desire to focus on family and health. (2701 Eighth Street, Berkeley)

Neighborhood restaurants pivot or retire

Some operators are changing their business models rather than keeping storefront hours. In Noe Valley, Damansara, a Malaysian restaurant that opened in 2022, has transitioned from dine‑in to takeaway and now to appointments and private catering only. Owner Tracy Goh framed the move as a return to private‑chef work that allows her to concentrate on authentic recipes.

In the Mission, longtime sushi chef Andy Tonozuka closed the final We Be Sushi location mid‑February, telling local media that retirement at age 76 felt like the right step after nearly four decades in business. The brand once operated multiple locations but wound down during the past few years. (538 Valencia Street)

On Grand Avenue in Oakland, the tiki‑style Barbary Coast has left its space; storefront signs indicate a new concept, Sable Lounge, will take over the site. (3332 Grand Avenue)

And in Vallejo, plant‑based comfort food spot Vegan Mob closed its outpost as the owner shifts focus toward franchising. The operator celebrated the location’s final day with a closing event; its Oakland and San Bruno sites remain open. (1745 Sonoma Boulevard)

• Cheezy’s Artisan Pizza — left Saluhall; continuing with pop‑ups, catering and classes (945 Market St., SF)
• Emerald Lounge — closed after nine months; owners searching for new location (1000 Van Ness Ave., SF)
• Olfactory Brewing — Berkeley taproom closed; parent company filed Chapter 7 (2055 Center St., Berkeley)
• La Noisette Sweets — closing April 1; owner retiring (2701 Eighth St., Berkeley)
• Damansara — moved to appointment‑only private events and catering (Noe Valley)
• We Be Sushi — final location closed; owner retired after 39 years (538 Valencia St., SF)
• Barbary Coast — tiki bar closed; new tenant signage for Sable Lounge (3332 Grand Ave., Oakland)
• Vegan Mob — Vallejo location closed; company pursuing franchising (1745 Sonoma Blvd., Vallejo)

What ties these stories together is a mixture of practical and personal factors: lower foot traffic in shared food halls, staffing and contract disputes, retirement choices, and strategic pivots such as franchising or transitioning to private‑client work.

For readers, the immediate impact is local: familiar spots disappear from weekly routines, and employees face job uncertainty. For the industry, these shifts illustrate how operators are exploring alternative revenue streams — pop‑ups, classes, private catering and franchising — to compensate for the unpredictability of brick‑and‑mortar hospitality in today’s cities.

If you noticed a closure we haven’t listed, local news outlets and business updates remain the best sources for confirmation; several of the changes above were reported by the San Francisco Standard, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Business Times, Mission Local, East Bay Nosh and the Vallejo Times‑Herald.