Oakland’s burger scene took a one-two hit in June, as two longtime favorites went quiet almost back to back. Malibu’s Burgers in Uptown served its final round of plant-based smashburgers on June 6, and TrueBurger’s Broadway shop has shut down after roughly 11 years in business, leaving its Grand Avenue counter as the last one standing. The closures land in the middle of a broader East Bay shakeup, with everything from old-school diners to food hall stalls closing their doors this month.
Owner Darren Preston announced the end of Malibu’s Uptown run and told the San Francisco Chronicle that he even rolled out meat and cheese options earlier this year in an effort to boost sales. It was not enough to keep the doors open, and Malibu’s served its last customers on June 6. “I wish I could say it was a hard decision, but it was actually pretty easy,” Preston said. The business began life as a food truck and built a following for its Tasha Grande plant-based burger.
TrueBurger confirmed the closure of its Broadway location in a social media post, a move that leaves only the Grand Avenue outpost operating, according to The Oaklandside. Neighborhood chatter and online review updates now list the Broadway shop as closed, as the company appears to be consolidating after more than a decade on that stretch of Broadway.
What Is Driving The Closures
Across the East Bay, operators are pointing to a familiar bundle of problems: rising food and labor costs, unpredictable foot traffic, and razor-thin margins that can quickly sink a small business. Those pressures can land especially hard on niche concepts and independent spots that lack deep pockets. Coverage of Malibu’s and other recent shutdowns has highlighted how plant-based restaurants may be particularly exposed when ingredient costs are high and customer demand shifts, a pattern noted by City Scoop Now.
Other East Bay Losses
June did not spare the rest of the East Bay either. After 42 years in business, Sam’s Doghouse in El Sobrante has closed, according to Richmondside. In South Berkeley, local tipsters and dining roundups say that Milyar and Zing cafes have gone dark, per Berkeley Eats, and a KoJa Kitchen kiosk at the Emeryville Public Market has reportedly closed as well. On a larger scale, Bay Area hospitality group Vine Hospitality abruptly shuttered its LB Steak and related restaurants late in June, the San Francisco Chronicle reported…