Rendering of Osaka Marketplace.
Courtesy of Osaka Marketplace
Osaka Marketplace Sets Pleasant Hill Opening Date
It’s happening, folks. The much-anticipated new Pleasant Hill outpost of Japanese-centric grocery store Osaka Marketplace has set an official opening date: November 20. The Bay Area–based supermarket with locations in Fremont and Foster City is known for its hard-to-find imported Japanese food, homewares, and beauty products, as well as an immersive culinary environment that includes annual cultural food events such as the Osaka Summer Festival, which highlights the city’s famed street fare.
At 49,000 square feet, the Pleasant Hill store will be Osaka’s largest and most ambitious to date and will eventually include a standalone, pop culture–themed food hall with vendors cooking made-to-order Japanese specialties such as ramen, katsu, and tempura.
Osaka is the latest in a wave of large Asian markets to launch across the Bay Area, following this year’s openings of H Mart in Dublin and Tokyo Central in Emeryville. Look for more details on the Pleasant Hill grand opening in next week’s Dish.
Salt and Lime
Courtesy of Salt and LIme
Salt and Lime Debuts in Walnut Creek
There’s another addition to a suddenly buzzing section of downtown Walnut Creek. Salt and Lime opened softly over the weekend in the former Oyama Sushi space on North Main Street, a once-languishing central corridor that has been revitalized over the last year by the likes of Doppio Zero, Mensho, Ruby Lou’s Boujee Bites and Games, and Milky Flakes. The newest entry is a family-friendly sit-down Mexican concept that aims to deliver accessible but scratch-made favorites. It is led by Saul Tallarico, who also co-owns downtown’s Prime Steakhouse and Martini Garden, 1515 Restaurant and Lounge, and Dan’s Irish Sports Bar.
Salt and Lime
Courtesy of Salt and Lime
Chef Chelsea Ozuna’s opening menu (which sports the tagline “Mexican Fare with California Flair”) leans into that approach with antojitos starters that include queso fundido and a trio of bean, azul cheese, and elote dips, along with house specials such as taquitos, flautas, enchiladas, quesadillas, and quesabirria tacos, all priced at $14 or under. There are also street tacos, Mexican Caesar and Cobb salads, a kids’ menu, and burritos that can be customized to come dry or wet, with red or green sauce, and with carne asada, pollo asado, grilled chili-lime shrimp, or a calabacita veggie mix. The Mexican-themed cocktail list offers several tequila and mezcal drinks, including a frozen margarita and an espresso martini with mezcal.
The interior, meanwhile, is bright and colorful with a 15-seat bar, reclaimed wood tables, and garage-style windows that open up onto North Main. Salt and Lime will be in soft-launch mode for a few weeks, but look for a grand opening announcement soon.
World Market Sets Opening Date in Dublin
Exciting news for bargain shoppers and foodies: World Market, the Alameda-based retail chain formerly known as Cost Plus World Market, which offers a wide selection of imported food and drinks, is poised to open in Dublin. Set to debut November 20, it will take over the former Any Mountain space next to Barnes and Noble in Hacienda Crossings. The sprawling shopping center off I-580 has had a distinctly international array of food-related openings over the last year or so, including Middle Eastern fast-casual Dish N Dash, Cantonese dim sum house Pearl Bay Manor, Vietnamese noodle soup go-to Joe’s Pho, and sit-down Mexican concepts El Dorado Cantina and Tequila Bar and Grill. And coming soon, according to Hacienda’s website: Yemeni coffee chain Sana’a Café.
Gross Out Expands in Oakland
In Oakland, bargain grocery hunters (and aren’t we all these days?) can now shop at a new Grocery Outlet—with another on the way next year. The Emeryville-based discount grocery chain, affectionately known as “Gross Out,” opened a new location in the city’s Eastlake neighborhood. Meanwhile, signage is up at another planned outpost in a former Walgreens site in the Temescal district, where local councilmember Zac Unger told Nosh that it should be opening next year.
Massés Sports Bar and Grill Returns to Downtown Walnut Creek
A popular sports bar has made its triumphant return less than a year after closing its longtime Walnut Creek location. Forced to exit its sprawling home of 30-plus years on North Main Street this February, Massés Sports Bar and Grill reopened at 1411 Locust Street in the heart of downtown. The former Dia y Noche and Redux Lounge space is less than half the size of Massés’s previous 10,000-square-foot venue, which was packed with billiards, bocce, and 40-plus televisions—but it looks like owners have managed to repurpose several pool tables and an impressive number of flat screens, which line all four walls for easy 360-degree sports viewing. There’s still a full bar with dozens of beers on tap and a pub-grub menu highlighted by nachos, burgers, and wings.
Cook’s Seafood Shuts Down in Pleasanton
Cook’s Seafood has abruptly shuttered its long-awaited outpost in Pleasanton. The storied fish-and-chips purveyor also closed its original location, a combination seafood market and restaurant that had been in operation for nearly 100 years in Menlo Park. In May 2025, Cook’s debuted its second location near the Alameda County Fairgrounds a full eight years after signing its lease and teasing Tri-Valley seafood lovers with an “Opening Soon” notice that seemed destined never to be fulfilled. Cook’s suddenly closed both shops last week, letting diners know via a brief notice at Menlo Park.
“We are sad to inform you that after 98 years, we are closing all locations effective October 28, 2026. As you know, this year has been very difficult for restaurants. Our team thanks you for all your years of visiting us, and we’ll miss you.”
Hops and Scotch Shutters in Walnut Creek
And more sad news as Hops and Scotch, known for its vast selection of craft beer and whiskey, closed after more than eight years on the ground floor of the Avalon apartment complex near the Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre BART station in Walnut Creek. Owners posted a note in the window last week thanking customers “for sharing your good times with us.”
The Post Set to Deliver in Alamo
Word on the street is that the Post is opening softly this week in Alamo. Specifics have been scarce on the new concept, which is taking over the space formerly occupied by neighborhood favorite Forli Restaurant. What we do know is that the Post will serve elevated American comfort fare from the same husband-and-wife team behind Main Street Kitchen and Bar, a popular staple for years in downtown Walnut Creek. Look for more details in next week’s Dish, and in the meantime, keep an eye on its Instagram for opening updates.
Small Bites from Around the East Bay
AloJapan.com