Bocanova, a former Jack London Square restaurant popular for its Pan-American and Latin-inspired dishes, is returning to Oakland this year. The restaurant will open at 1111 Broadway in downtown Oakland, where owner and chef Rick Hackett has recently applied for a liquor license.
In a phone call with What Now San Francisco this week, Hackett says that while the menu will feel familiar to those who enjoyed Bocanova in the past, customers can expect an entirely new dining experience. There will be a bar area and a patio towards the front of the restaurant, meant to be a more casual all-day space serving sandwiches, tacos, burrito bowls, plus other lunch and dinner fare.
Towards the back of the restaurant, there will be an exhibition kitchen with a large la plancha grill, serving family-style dishes for a more interactive and communal experience. It is there that Bocanova will feature Peruvian-style anticucho skewers. This area is also outfitted with a back patio that can accommodate around 50 guests. One menu item that Hackett is particularly looking forward to is the house ceviche.
Bocanova became a well-frequented Happy Hour and Brunch spot at Jack London Square since opening in 2009. In 2017, they closed the restaurant to relocate to an Uptown location that never materialized.
Now, Hackett is excited to bring Bocanova back to Oakland in downtown. He hopes to open by November of this year if all goes according to plan. Stay tuned.
