Nearly four years after opening the acclaimed Oakland restaurant Burdell, chef Geoff Davis is preparing his next act: a bar and grill called Uncle’s.
Whereas Burdell is known for its produce-driven soul food that celebrates Davis’s family matriarchs and
their food, as Food & Wine reports, Uncle’s will build on Davis’s memories and fondness for hanging out with his uncles.
With that in mind, Davis is designing what he calls a “classic restaurant.” It’s not a steakhouse or a supper club — though the restaurant will serve steaks of various kinds. He prefers using the term “bar and grill” to describe what he and the team are going for. “We’re trying to reclaim what a bar and grill is,” Davis tells Eater. “I think that went out of fashion, but that’s really what it is: It’s a wood-fired grill, and good cocktails, and good wine. [Uncle’s is] a little bit more ambitious than just a neighborhood restaurant.”
Although he’s trying to escape the steakhouse comparison — and all the trappings that come with that term — Uncle’s does share some of the same energy. He explains it like this: The restaurant he’s creating is a place where you have your go-to dish, maybe it’s the fish, “then you add your sides, you get a classic [appetizer] to start, you get a classic cocktail that doesn’t feel out of place.” Slyly, the Burdell team’s Valentine’s Day pop-up was a bit of a preview of what is to come at Uncle’s. Dubbed the Tavern, that pop-up featured options like a tableside Caesar or a chopped salad; clams casino pasta with herb linguine; seared pork chops for two with pan jus; loaded potatoes; and creamed spinach. Expanding on this with Food & Wine, Davis shares that, yes, there will be steaks, but with “lesser-loved cuts of beef,” such as picanha, coulotte, and hanger steak. Oysters will also play a part, as will Italian American pasta dishes of rigatoni alla vodka, and of course, martinis.
“There’s a way to go and have dinner for a reasonable price, and come on a Wednesday night and not have it feel like it’s a steakhouse kind of occasion,” Davis says. “You don’t have to take out a loan.”
Much like Burdell, Uncle’s is a family affair in a few ways. There’s the name, of course, which channels family vibes, but Uncle’s will also raise up Burdell’s restaurant family. Zara Fernandez-Aurelio, who runs logistics and operations for Burdell, will become a partner in Uncle’s, as will Seth Corr, Burdell’s wine and service lead. Burdell chef de cuisine Brandon Cavazos will move over to Uncle’s to run the kitchen.
The restaurant is set to take over the Wood Tavern space on College Avenue, which will close at the end of 2026 after nearly a 20-year run. Alex Spatzier Architects will work on the restaurant design, and Davis says he is excited to work with landlord John Chalik to upgrade the space. The team will aim for a timeless-meets-1970s aesthetic, per Food & Wine.
Uncle’s is slated for a spring 2027 opening, and Davis is happy about taking on a new project in Oakland. “I’m excited that it’s a whole new thing,” he says. “I think in cooking soul food, there’s some limitation there and limitations in how people perceive it. I’ve decided to show off more range … My background really is in more classic stuff like this, and I worked at a lot of French- and Italian-leaning places. So I think being able to flex those muscles is good.”
Uncle’s (6317 College Avenue, Oakland) debuts in Spring 2027.
