New Taiwanese tea and Nepali spots come to Berkeley, plus Homemade Cafe returns this week

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.

Chicha San Chen

Chicha San Chen, a beloved Taiwanese bubble tea shop with a flagship store in Cupertino, recently opened a new Berkeley location. The space is lofty and light-filled, offering an extensive menu of fragrant drinks like the mango osmanthus oolong tea and brown sugar boba. Chicha San Chen, 2400A Bancroft Way, Berkeley

Drink Thicc

Drink Thicc, home of high-protein smoothies, has touched down at Planet Squeeze in Swan’s Market. Each smoothie is packed with 25 grams of protein and includes various combinations of boosters such as electrolytes, hemp seeds, ashwagandha and creatine, depending on your order. The menu is a creative nod to Oakland, with drinks sporting names like Ghostride Green (organic spinach, spirulina, pineapple, mango, ginger, ashwagandha and niacinamide) and the Bipped in the Tropics (pineapple, mango, banana, activated charcoal, coconut, collagen, chia seeds, creatine, l-glutamine.) Drink Thicc, 540 9th St., Oakland 

Homemade Café

In case you missed it, Homemade Café, the beloved Berkeley institution known for its coziness and community-oriented service, will rise again from the ashes following a heartbreaking 2024 closure. Owner Collin Doran told Berkleyside’s Anna Mindess that the café’s neighbor Rohit Singh, CEO of Breads of India, stepped in to offer financial assistance after hearing of the closure. The café will celebrate its soft opening for breakfast and lunch on Feb. 19. Check out Nosh’s write-up on the resurrection for all the details. Homemade Café, 2454 Sacramento St., Berkeley

Hyphy Burger

Local food influencer Darion Frazier, perhaps best known by his online presence @bayareafoodz, celebrated the soft opening of his new smashburger venture, Hyphy Burger, over Presidents’ Day weekend. Situated in what was formerly All Star Donuts & Burgers in West Oakland, Hyphy Burger delivers celebratory Bay Area vibes with bold, high-energy murals splashing the walls (plus a school bus parked outside that says, “Hyphy Unified School District: vehicle will gas-break-dip.”) The menu is short and sweet, with two burger options: there’s the classic Hyphy Burger with two patties, American cheese, pickles, onions and “you feel me” sauce on a potato bun, and the Burnout Burger, which includes pepper jack cheese, pepperoncini and jalapeños. Fries and milkshakes are also on offer. Hyphy Burger, 898 W Grand Ave., Oakland

Sana’a Cafe

Nosh readers let us know that Sana’a Cafe, a local Yemeni coffee house, has opened in what was formerly Big House Beans on Telegraph Ave. Big House Beans cofounder John Krause confirmed that the café is under new leadership, but didn’t provide details about the change of hands. Nosh sent an email to Sana’a Cafe to inquire; we haven’t heard back yet as of the time of publication. Sana’a Cafe, 4770 Telegraph Ave., Oakland

Tipsy Yeti

Tipsy Yeti celebrated its soft opening on Feb. 14, delivering Nepali flavors with California comfort food in a charming brick interior. Beers on tap and cocktails are also on offer alongside dishes like okra masala and goat curry. Tipsy Yeti, 2512 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley

Vegan Chula

Vegan Chula, a mobile pop-up serving Mexican-inspired tapas and small bites (think plant-based poblano mac and cheese, elote ribs and flautas), announced its new weekly residency at 51 & Tel will begin this Friday, Feb. 21. You can expect the pop-up in the bar’s heated patio space every Friday and Saturday night starting at 5 p.m. until late. Vegan Chula, 5018 Telegraph Ave., Oakland