Cheese Steak Shop departs Berkeley and Left Bank Brasserie leaves Jack London Square

Left Bank Brasserie

Left Bank, the French brasserie named for the iconic Parisian neighborhood on the southern bank of the river Seine, is saying au revoir to Jack London Square for good. Several tipsters pointed out the closure, and signs appeared on the restaurant’s exterior the day after Thanksgiving notifying the public it had closed permanently. Left Bank offered classic French fare like duck confit, French onion soup and prawns Provençal with a side of waterfront views, plus several rooms for private dining. Left Bank Brasserie was located at 472 Water St. in Oakland, but still has locations in Larkspur, Menlo Park and Silicon Valley’s Santana Row. 

The Cheese Steak Shop

Thank you to the alert Berkeleyside reader who let us know that the Cheese Steak Shop has permanently closed its Berkeley location on the corner of Shattuck and University Avenue. The fast-casual chain, which still operates East Bay locations in Oakland and Alameda, specializes in Philly-style cheese steak sandwiches on soft Italian rolls, with veggie and chicken options for those who aren’t sold on sirloin. The Cheese Steak Shop was located at 2014 Kala Bagai Way in Berkeley.