Muka Reopens Sunday As An Organic Brasserie

Muka Reopens Sunday As An Organic BrasseriePhoto: Jared Schwartz/Hoodline
Jared Schwartz
Published on April 17, 2014
After taking almost 2 months off to figure out who they want to be, Muka reopens this Sunday with a fresh menu and new identity.

We got a chance to sit down with Jean-Luc Kayigire, owner of Muka, about the changes he’s made and what folks should expect when they step inside his revamped bar and coffee shop.


“I really wanted to bring in more culture and attract a diverse crowd to Muka,” Jean-Luc told us. “So we tore down some walls, infused more coffee into the menu, and have a plan to utilize the back space for groups and make this a place where artists can come and show their stuff.”

Let’s start with the coffee. He’s partnered with a friend who works at Red Bay Coffee Roasters in Oakland to create 3 unique blends with beans that come from Burundi, Rwanda, and Tanzania. Why those countries? Because he was born in Burundi, his mother was born in Rwanda and his father in Tanzania.


“The coffee is being made in Oakland with my partner but brought in from those countries,” Jean-Luc explained. “My goal is to eventually roast the coffee here in the store and serve it in a French press instead of a pour-over. When you use a pour-over, it’s cold by the time it comes to the customers. I grew up in France and like the French press and want it to be warm when you get it.”

Along with coffee, they’ll have liquor, beer, and wine for your drinking pleasure. With 4 beers on tap, Jean-Luc is excited to carry 1664 Kronenbourg, a French pilsner that’s only found in a handful of bars in San Francisco. The wine is mostly French and everything will be available by the glass and under $15 (except for one type of champagne).

And if all goes well with the permitting process, they’ll have tables outside so you can drink in the sun, too.


The menu will start by offering organic croissants, sandwiches, salads and soups. There will be many vegetarian and vegan options and the plan is to start baking the croissants at 4am each morning.

Here's an example of the Japanese Style Roast Beef sandwich ready for takeout (top round roast, sliced onions, Japanese tare, zesty aioli), vegan Quinoa Salad (quinoa, dried fruit, lemon-honey vinaigrette), and a bottle of Beaucanon Estate wine:


In addition to the front bar space, they have a large back room with a screen and AV equipment. They hope anyone looking for a place to drink and work can do so at Muka.

Serena Malkani, business strategist for Muka, explained that “whether you need to work on something for your job or community group, you can come over, hookup your laptop to a larger screen, do some work, and enjoy some drinks. It’ll be open to all.”


The fun doesn’t stop there. They plan on making Sunday their big day, complete with a mimosa brunch, Bloody Marys and live music or a DJ playing in the background.

“We also want to feature new artists throughout the spot since most of us met through different musical or artistic outlets,” Serena told us.

Muka has a soft opening this week but is going large with their Opening Celebration this Sunday from 11am-9pm. You can check out more information on their Facebook invite

And where does the name Muka come from? “It’s my Mom’s name” Jean-Luc told us. In Rwanda, it means “daughter of.”

Stop by Muka for their official opening this Sunday or anytime after. They plan to be open Tuesday-Sunday and closed on Mondays (hours are still TBA). And if you're interested in showcasing your art, please reach out to Serena at
serenamalkani{at}gmail{dot}com.