Fonda bidding farewell after two decades of service; Beer Baron enters final weekend in Rockridge

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.

Fonda

Fonda, a Spanish & Mexican Mayan tapas restaurant and longtime cornerstone of the Albany/North Berkeley restaurant community, is bidding farewell to Solano Avenue for good after more than 20 years in business. Fonda reached out to Nosh directly to confirm the news and published a statement on its website, citing sluggish pandemic recovery as the impetus for the closure. “While this is not our preferred outcome, the simple reality is that the restaurant industry is a tough one to navigate successfully, especially after a pandemic that altered dining habits significantly,” the statement reads. Fonda’s last night of service will be Nov. 23. Fonda, 501 Solano Ave., Albany

Beer Baron

Beer Baron, the craft beer and whiskey bar that once boasted three East Bay locations, will close its Oakland branch on College Ave., bringing the count down to one. (Its Pleasanton bar remains.) Since 2018, the casual watering hole has provided Rockridge with a solid space for gatherings on its large outdoor patio, as well as lunch, dinner and happy hour options, plus a wide selection of whiskeys from around the world. Beer Baron will close on Nov. 9, per an Instagram post. Beer Baron, 5900 College Ave., Oakland 

Cafe9Ine

In the face of “rising food costs, labor expenses, and other daily demands,” El Cerrito’s Cafe9Ine announced its closure last week via a heartfelt Instagram post penned by chef-owner Merceda Crosby. The café, opened four years ago, served as a hub for grabbing coffee and a comforting breakfast burrito or sandwich. Crosby has opened a fundraiser to “close out this chapter without the burden of lingering debt” and cover outstanding expenses. Cafe9Ine was located at 11100 San Pablo Ave. in El Cerrito.