Chef Geoff Davis, owner of Oakland’s acclaimed Burdell, is bringing a new restaurant to Rockridge. Davis plans to open Uncle’s, a wood-fired neighborhood bar and grill, at 6317 College Avenue—the longtime home of Wood Tavern.
Sources say, with Wood Tavern’s lease expiring at the end of the year, Rich Wood, who is fast approaching age 60, is looking to focus on the family’s other businesses, including expanding Southie, the sandwich shop next door. The family also owns The Wolf on Piedmont Avenue.
Unlike Burdell’s contemporary take on soul food, Uncle’s will draw on Davis’ French- and Italian-influenced cooking, with a wood-fired grill at the center. The menu is expected to feature steaks, oysters, pasta, seasonal vegetables and classic sides—serving food that is approachable, yet ambitious. Martinis and a wine program will round out the bar.
The restaurant’s name is a tribute to Davis’ late Uncle Thea, and reflects the fond times they spent together and their shared love of food—including grilling steaks in his backyard barbecue. The interior is being redesigned with a nostalgic 1970s-inspired ambiance.
The concept for Uncle’s predates Burdell, but Davis put it aside as his Temescal restaurant took off and became nationally recognized. Burdell was named Food & Wine’s 2024 Restaurant of the Year, and Davis was a James Beard Award finalist for Best Chef: California.
Several members of the Burdell team will join the new venture, including Zara Fernandez-Aurelio and Seth Corr as partners and Brandon Cavazos as chef de cuisine. Lunch, dinner, and brunch are planned for a target opening in the spring of 2027.
Related Item:
A car inadvertently crashed into the front window of Southie restaurant on College Avenue in early August. No one was injured, including the driver, who appeared to be an elderly man. It appears the driver may have been exiting the rooftop Safeway parking lot and, while descending the ramp, accidentally hit the gas instead of the brakes. Oakland police responded promptly to the scene.
