The Bold Italic’s 2020 Awards
This article is part of The Bold Italic’s 2020 Awards, which celebrate the Bay Area’s small businesses and local residents who have hustled and shown creativity throughout 2020. See all the award winners here.
Fact: Oaklanders love Homeroom. I mean, what’s not to love? The restaurant specializes in one thing: ooey gooey mac and cheese that has won over hearts since the restaurant opened in 2011. Oh, and homemade Oreos.
Homeroom has fared a bit better than other restaurants throughout the pandemic since it already had a very robust takeout operation with its sister restaurant, Homeroom To Go. But they took business a step further to make sure people could dine with them if they wanted to by building a beautiful, colorful parklet. It actually seems to seat more than the inside space used to.
Homeroom’s incredible effort was recognized as the winner of “Best Parklet in the East Bay” category of The Bold Italic’s 2020 Awards. And the competition was tough; Oakland and Berkeley, as well as other East Bay cities, have seen a huge amount of amazing parklets takeover the streets this year.
We caught up with Courtney Tarnow, marketing and community manager of Homeroom, to congratulate her on the win and ask her about the restaurant’s challenges and wins this year.
Read on for the interview and to read the about the other nominees for “Best Parklet in the East Bay.”
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
The Bold Italic: How have you stayed afloat this year?
Courtney Tarnow:
We’re lucky to have experience offering takeout and delivery only at Homeroom To Go. When we first had to close indoor dining, we moved all orders to To Go and continued to operate from one location. As time went on, being able to expand pickup and outdoor seating at our restaurant was a huge help. It’s really a kudos to our team and our customers for their flexibility.
How are you holding up now, heading into a month of shelter-in-place?
While we’re sad to have an empty parklet, the health and safety of our guests and team is our highest priority. We’re feeling prepared for this transition back to shelter-in-place, based on the lessons we learned back in March and April.
What are your hopes for 2021?
Our biggest hope for 2021 is to see a safe return to indoor dining. And we can’t wait to continue to serve guests in our parklet again!
How can people help support your business?
Eat our mac! We’re open late for delivery every night, and we’re constantly refreshing our menu. Right now, we’re excited to have giant peppermint Oreos on the menu and a great value on gift cards — get a free mac when you buy over $50 in Homeroom gift cards.
Other nominees for Best Parklet in the East Bay
1. Sobre Mesa
Sobre Mesa is an Afro-Latino Kitchen that pulls on Chef Nelson German’s (of alaMar Kitchen & Bar) Dominican roots and African ancestry, with influences from Cuba, Puerto Rico, and other Latin countries. The menu is a mainly tapas menu, made using fresh local ingredients, that pair perfectly with a menu of cocktails. This year, Sobre Mesa built a parklet as vibrant as their food. Heading into this next month, owners Nelson and May German said: “Once again we are forced to innovate.” They will continue to offer cocktails and dessert from alaMar to minimize overhead, in addition to meal kits of lobster thermidor and whole jerk chicken, as well as holiday meal kits. They are also offering virtual cocktail demos accompanied by cocktail kits for private companies.
2. Kingston 11
This uptown Oakland restaurant has long been a favorite of the community, serving up authentic and delicious Jamaican food. To adapt to the pandemic, Kingston 11 upgraded their front and back patios, including a parklet in the front complete with heat lamps and often DJs (we’ve seen people dancing in the streets!).
3. A16 Rockridge
The Oakland outpost of this Italian restaurant has built an impressive, intimate parklet, with string lights giving a romantic ambiance and plenty of seating. We can’t wait to check it out next year when it reopens, and in the meantime, A-16’s pasta and pizza makes for a great take-out option.
Sign up for The Bold Italic newsletter to get the best of the Bay Area in your inbox every week.
