Dining Design Diary: Go Inside Oakland’s Sexy Haven
Author:Lindsey ShookAn old waterfront warehouse on Jack London Square is now home to chef Daniel Patterson’s Haven, where the bar specializes in gin and the kitchen keeps the fare casual.
Opened late last year, we recently had the chance to visit this Oakland hotspot. Haven is the third restaurant from Patterson, who is also the mastermind behind Plum and the adjacent Plum Bar, which we toured last fall, and the highly-praised Coi.
Haven features a new California-inspired menu from Executive Chef Kim Alter, formerly of Sausalito’s Plate Shop, and inventive cocktails from Mixologist Scott Beattie, but where the restaurant really shines is in its design. Daniel Patterson called in designer Scott Kester, who previously crafted the spaces of both Plum and Coi, as well as San Francisco’s RN74 and New York’s Lotus.
Kester played with existing industrial materials, like salvaged metals and brick, to help the space meld in with the historic neighborhood. Custom touches such as Shaker-inspired chairs and vintage factory lighting round out the restaurant. The result is both chic and casual and provide the perfect background for an evening of bites and libations.
Haven, 44 Webster Street, Oakland; open daily from 5 to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday until 11 p.m.
