Berkeley Gets New Masa-Based Mexican Spot

Cafe Bolita is the first brick-and-mortar restaurant from Emmanuel Galvan, the chef-owner of the popular Bay Area pop-up Bolita Masa. The cafe will focus on showcasing the versatility of masa, the dough made from nixtamalized corn, in a variety of forms beyond just tortillas. Galvan sources heirloom corn from Mexican distributor Tamoa to create the fresh masa for his dishes. The Berkeley restaurant is opening in phases, starting in February 2026 with a takeout window and a limited menu. The initial offerings include tamales, quesadillas, and coffee from Grand Coffee. The full 24-seat dining room and expanded breakfast, brunch, and lunch service are expected to launch by March, with dinner service to follow. Cafe Bolita moves into the space formerly occupied by Standard Fare, a beloved Berkeley restaurant that closed in December 2025 after 11 years when its chef-owner, Kelsie Kerr, retired. Galvan plans to retain much of the Standard Fare staff and will pay homage to the former restaurant with menu items like frittatas. Meanwhile, in Fresno, Jimmy Pardini, the owner of Annex Kitchen, recently opened a new full-service Italian restaurant called Willow Osteria in Clovis in the fall of 2025. The menu is inspired by Pardini's travels through Italy and features regional pastas and wood-fired meats. Pardini is also expanding his Fresno footprint with another new concept: an Italian-inspired sandwich shop named Strada. Expected to open as early as April 2026, Strada will be located in the Park Cross Shopping Center and will feature freshly-baked breads and artisan meats. This will be Pardini's fourth restaurant in the Fresno area.