Forge Pizza says farewell to Jack London Square, Korean-inspired taproom shutters

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.

Forge Pizza

After 12 years of waterfront views and wood-fired pies, Forge Pizza bid farewell to Jack London Square on December 26. Though the departure from its idyllic location is a blow, frequent flyers will find the restaurant reborn at Oakland International Airport in the future, per an Instagram post. Forge’s Napa location remains open. Forge Pizza was located at 66 Franklin St. (Suite 100) in Oakland. 

Dokkaebier Taproom

Dokkaebier, a top-rated brewery located near the Jack London waterfront, has permanently shuttered as of Dec. 29, according to an SF Chronicle report. Known for its Korean-inspired beers brewed with ingredients like lemongrass and kimchi, Dokkaebier is shifting from a brick-and-mortar facility to focus on distribution to bars, restaurants, retail and online vendors. Dokkabier was located at 420 3rd St., Oakland.

Hotbird

Hotbird, the Downtown Oakland eatery serving Nashville-style spicy chicken sandwiches, took a final bow on Jan. 4. The closure was announced on Instagram, but, according to the post, a new venture will be in the works soon. Hotbird was located at 1951 Telegraph Ave in Oakland. 

Simply Bowl

To the dismay of one tipster, Simply Bowl, a purveyor of comfort foods like poke bowls, curries and chicken teriyaki, seems to have quietly closed without ceremony. The impetus behind the closure is unclear. Simply Bowl was located at 2156 University Ave. in Berkeley.