It’s no secret that owning and operating a food business is hard, but in the Bay Area it is its own beast. Owning a food business here means wading through a competitive market littered with high real estate costs, rising labor and food costs and a dining scene that, at times, can be unforgiving.
Yet a growing number of East Bay restaurants, bars and cafes are doing more than just keeping their doors open, they’re crossing the bridge and adding their culinary influence to one of the most celebrated food cities in the United States
Rose Pizzeria, named one of the best pizza spots in the country by the New York Times, made the jump with its Inner Richmond location in April. Elaichi Co. also expanded to San Francisco that month, bringing its chai-centric ethos to the downtown area. Other East Bay-born food businesses like Signal Coffee Roasters, Boichik Bagels, and Red Bay Coffee made their debuts earlier and left a considerable mark, having established multiple locations across San Francisco…