Loring Cafe Oakland

ABOUT US...

Where does the name "Loring" come from?

Once upon a time in ‘86, the original Loring Café opened on Loring Park in Minneapolis, Minnesota, attracting a mix of artists, writers, actors, musicians and their friends from the local arts and theater scene. The Loring grew over time, quintupling in size, establishing an adjacent
theater (the Loring Playhouse), hosting annual summer block parties, and fostering generations of friendships and folklore (most of it true), while providing the best in Bohemian dining and people watching. Owner, Jason McLean went on to open the Loring Pasta Bar, the Kitty Kat Club and
the Varsity Theater, across town, and to design and renovate the historic Music Hall lobby in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Today, the tradition continues at the Loring Café in Oakland.

What is your take on “Bohemian” dining?

The Loring dining experience is both casual and enchanting, characterized by an unpretentiously delicious and highly affordable menu, live music programming, friendly service, and an imaginative background. Feel free to read the newspaper, say hello to your neighbors, and eat your dessert first. Our take on Bohemian dining combines the elegant and the everyday, on the menu and otherwise. Don’t be fooled by some of the fairytale finery. This is not uptight fine dining. At the Loring, celebrity chefs are out, and the kitchen table is in.

What is the “culinary state of the union?”

New American food is not afraid to combine great Mexican dishes, European bistro food, Asian flavors and nicely-done diner favorites—not all in one dish, but all on one menu. You’ll find that diversity in your city, your home cooking, and also at the Loring. Like in your home, the culinary
state of the union also includes a turn to sustainable, local goods, and recycling, without that being advertised in every instance. What you will notice is our commitment to pocket book sustainability.

What building features are original and what did the Loring contribute?

We found 37 Grand as a nice, blank canvas with some history too. The Loring Design and Build Guild exposed the existing brick walls and timbered ceiling and added the undulating brickwork, steel beams, trusswork, Corinthian columns, riser seating, and tile. The space was not formerly a restaurant, so the bar and the kitchen are new too.

What’s the story on the brickwork?

The Loring Design and Build Guild has been laying crooked bricks for Jason McLean productions since ‘86. Using a variety of support mechanisms, the walls and arches are suspended in unlikely
ways and topped with finishes and a few treasures. We think of the brickwork as one of the signature features of Loring venues, contributing to their whimsy and magic just as much as anything.