Split, an American-cooking-made-from-scratch restaurant, is opening its newest eatery in Uptown Oakland on Monday, January 17, 2022, according to a press release Thursday. Split will open for lunch only to start with breakfast and dinner slated to be added by the end of the month.
Split is housed in the space, at 2301 Broadway, which was formerly Dosa by Dosa. This will be Split’s third Bay-area location and the first to offer cocktails. Split is the sister restaurant to MIXT, a sustainable restaurant operation known for its chef-crafted salads.
“Split will be a fun and approachable addition to the vibrant Uptown neighborhood,” Hayden Perry, vice president of marketing, said in the release. “We’re honored to be in close proximity to other great artisanal food purveyors, like Drake’s Dealership, Firebrand, and Humphrey Slocombe.”
Split takes a “natural and artisanal approach” to familiar and well-loved American classics with an “unexpected twist,” the release notes. Signature menu items include the Classic Crispy chicken sandwich, the Reserve Burger, the Shroom Scramble, and the Alamo Salad. In addition to familiar menu favorites from its San Francisco locations in Russian Hill and SoMa, Split Oakland will offer cocktails and special menu additions.
Culinary Director Matt Colgan, who is himself an Oakland resident, created six exclusive menu items for Split Oakland, including new burgers and a housemade fruit hand-pie.
Cocktail specialist Alisi Kaihau designed five cocktails unique to Oakland: two slushies and three pre-batched cocktails on draft, each featuring a local ingredient or spirit. The Split Oakland beverage menu also includes wine, beer, and Bloody Marys.
The centerpiece of Split Oakland’s dining space is a stylized 21-foot oak tree (pictured above); a ubiquitous symbol of Oakland. Made from Sitka spruce, white oak, and tung oil, the sculpture was designed by local artist John Isaac Whittaker.
“The tree is a metaphor for growth, conviviality, and community, with its canopy of sculptural branches literally reaching over the dining room,” Jon de la Cruz from Oakland-based interior design agency DLCID said in the release. “Incorporating the tree as a sculptural element in the heart of the space was our way of melding the diversity of Oakland into Split’s approach to fresh and healthy American dining.”
Guests can order at the counter or ahead of time on Split’s website, and seat themselves. Runners will bring out guests’ meals, which are served on trays. The Oakland location will have indoor seating for 107 as well as limited outdoor seating with heat lamps on Broadway.
Starting on January 17, Split will be open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. When fully open, Split will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with weekday breakfast available from 9 a.m to 11 a.m., weekend brunch available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and a combined lunch and dinner menu available daily from 11 a.m to 9 p.m.
