Red Bay Coffee shuttering HQ, Michael’s Chocolates gone, and three.one four pizzeria presses 'pause'

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.

Brown Cap

Brown Cap, the mobile ice cream vendor serving organic soft serve across Berkeley neighborhoods, has ceased operations. The business is listed as permanently closed on Google, and a brief but sweet goodbye message greets website visitors: “Thank you so much for a fabulous 7 years — we love you all, especially the children!” Brown Cap was known for serving Straus ice cream in a homemade chocolate shell, root beer floats and affogatos.

Michael’s Chocolates

Michael’s Chocolates, home to award-winning small-batch artisan chocolates, has closed. The business shuttered over the summer after four years on Grand Avenue and 10 years in business. The shop was a mainstay for confections boasting flavors like pistachio cardamom, bourbon caramel pecan, passionfruit vanilla and dark chocolate truffle. Michael’s Chocolates was located at 3352 Grand Ave. in Oakland.

Red Bay Coffee (Fruitvale headquarters)

Red Bay Coffee, the beloved Oakland-based cafe specializing in direct-trade coffee, is shutting down its Fruitvale flagship coffee shop at the end of the month. “As our lease comes to an end, we’ll be focusing our energy on other parts of our business — continuing to roast, ship, and serve you through our other locations and partnerships,” the company wrote on Instagram. “Remember, our roastery is just down the street, where you can still stop by to pick up fresh coffee beans or schedule a tour to see where the magic happens. And visit our Grand Lake and Berkeley Cafes in the East Bay and Ferry Building and 220 Montgomery in San Francisco.” Red Bay was located at 3136 International Blvd. (at Fruitvale Avenue) in Oakland.

Roughly 18 months after first firing up its pizza ovens in Westbrae, three.one four closed recently. Multiple Nosh tipsters shared the news, which was delivered via a note posted in the restaurant’s window. The message did leave open the possibility of a return for three.one four, which opened in March 2024 with a focus on wines and rustic Italian dishes and pizza. “It’s with a very heavy hear that we must share three.one four pizzeria will be closing its doors for the time being,” the note reads. “The decision has been incredibly painful, but it comes after facing ongoing financial headwinds and overwhelming debt from the opening that have made it impossible to continue operations right now … We hope this isn’t goodbye forever, but a pause as we search for a way forward.” Three.one four was located at 1329 Gilman St. (between Neilson and Tevlin streets), Berkeley.

Red Bay Coffee shuttering HQ, Michael’s Chocolates gone, and three.one four pizzeria presses ‘pause’

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