After serving pints and pub fare for over 16 years in San Francisco's vibrant Mission district, local favorite The Monk's Kettle is packing up and moving across the bay to Rockridge, Oakland. A press release issued on April 8 announced the cherished neighborhood gastropub will be taking over the old Citron space on College Avenue, just a short walk from the Rockridge BART station, promising patrons a bigger spot with both indoor and outdoor seating perks—including a deck with an inground lemon tree.
The Monk's Kettle's days at the 16th Street haunt are numbered, with plans to remain open until early summer; they follow through on these plans, hoping to transition to the new Oakland location by fall and, meanwhile, negotiate what comes next, started looking for a new home—which they found in Rockridge where they have finally decided on a larger space in a neighborhood that offers more bang for their buck, the temporary lease in San Francisco ensures that fans of the establishment can still enjoy their offerings through June. According to the press release, the Rockridge location offers a great room for the bar and dining area and a back deck that seats around 30 and is covered so it can be used all year round.
Anticipating sentimentality and quite the fanfare as the move date approaches, The Monk's Kettle is going out with a bang in its original location, offering a series of specials, events, and cellar sales to bid adieu to their loyal San Francisco regulars—activities poised to start rolling out in May. "Chef Raiden will be digging through old menus," the press release states, "and starting in May, will feature weekly specials of dishes from the past 16 years." Fans can expect to pair these nostalgic plates with complementary vintage beers, some of which date back in 2008. The details of these special send-offs are to be announced on the pub's social media channels.
According to a post on The Monk's Kettle's Facebook page, the transition to Oakland is expected to be wrapped up by September once the necessary renovations are complete—renovations that include bringing over the lionhead back bar from the San Francisco site while the final chapter in The Mission will include significant moments where indeed, "You've got a couple of months to make your last visits to the place we've occupied since 2007."
