BERKELEY, Calif. —The popular restaurant BUILD, on the corner of Shattuck and Bancroft streets here, reopened its doors this past Saturday.
Customers wouldn’t have been able to tell anything had happened. Its bold design, with black and yellow in the signage and interior, complements hardwood floors and chrome and stainless steel. It also features black and white photos from the 1960s that fill entire walls — and the delivery boxes.
The design is the brainchild of Lisa Holt and David Shapiro, the owners, who were inspired by their trips to Italy. Jonathan Popenuck (sous chef) and Jonathan Martinez (general manager) said in a recent interview that a small kitchen fire the previous week meant they had to close; but no one was injured, and a week of cleanup and installation of new appliances meant the kitchen was back in business.
“We could feel the impact of the fire,” Martinez said. “But when we opened again it was like a traditional Friday night.”
The owners chose to open in Berkeley because of its history with food and outstanding restaurants. And under the “build” concept, customers can choose from six sauces, 42 toppings and seven cheeses.