The Star, From Little Star, Due Any Day in Oakland

The Star
3425 Grand Avenue, Oakland
Phone: (510) 843-7827
Web: TheStarOnGrand.com
Status: Opening within days, pending final inspection

Oakland is bracing itself for a big new pizzeria, and that's The Star, a spinoff of S.F. deep-dish favorite Little Star from owner Jon Guhl. We first heard about the expansion back in January, and it will be very much like the two S.F. location but with a full bar, and an expanded menu that includes meatballs, sandwiches, and a few new signature pies.

Guhl had been aiming to be open by the first week in June, but things have been held up a bit both with their liquor license and final inspection, but Diablo Dish reports they could swing open as soon as this week(end).

The garlic bread, spicy baked wings, and green goddess salad are all on the new menu at The Star, alongside new additional small plates like meatballs, stuffed mushroom caps, and sandwich wedges. Also, there are full-size subs on locally made sourdough rolls, including a meatball sub, and an Italian sausage sub.

As for the pizzas, there are nods to the new East Bay location like the Tilden, a thin crust pie with roasted zucchini, feta, tomatoes, pesto; and the Mt. Diablo, also thin crust with spicy calabrese sausage, cherry peppers, red onions, crushed red chilies, served with tabasco. The Little Star Classic combo (sausage, mushrooms, onions, green bell peppers) is renamed for The Port (of Oakland). And the Mediterranean Chicken pizza from the S.F. locations becomes deep dish at The Star and is renamed the Gold Coast.

Also, Guhl says that he's now banning all high-fructose corn syrup and GMO foods in his restaurants. "Let's just call it a personal choice," he says. "I don't want someone from Monsanto's legal department calling me."

The Star is located in the former Milano restaurant space, on Grand Avenue near Elwood Ave. And as you may know, Little Star also has a location in Albany in addition to the Divisadero and Valencia Street branches. Hours for The Star are still TBA.

· Weekly Dish: Chow to Oakland? [Diablo Dish]
· ExpansionWire [~ESF~]
· Little Star Expanding to Grand Avenue in Oakland [Grub Street]