Driving past the San Francisco Panhandle last month, I saw a crowd of young adults gathering to celebrate three days of Grateful Dead concerts. The vibe of the tribe was unmistakable. Most of them were sitting in a circle. Others wandered back and forth between the group and a row of camper vans. Similarly attired in loose, flowing, earth-toned outfits, they looked like models enjoying the aftermath of a successful retro-themed runway show. From an idealized distance, they embodied that old catchphrase from the 1960s countercultural movement, “Turn on, tune in, drop out.” None of them looked stressed out or pressed for time.
Florencio Esquivel and Jenabi Pareja, two of Understory’s principals, don’t self-identify as hippies but their restaurant collective is a descendant of that particular cultural era in America. One that proposed an alternate reality in which the 99% could make a living without having to genuflect toward CEOs, their avaricious boards of directors and multinational corporations in general. In collectives and cooperatives—legally structured collectives—commerce serves the greater good of the group and, in Understory’s case, the community as well.
This “socialist” approach to doing business in America hasn’t flourished in the way that, since I was a child, I naively imagined it would. Group dynamics are tricky enough without government indifference or antagonism. The Cheeseboard in Berkeley, that East Bay stalwart, has been worker-owned since 1971. And, instead of quashing the notion of a competitor, the owner-workers there helped Arizmendi get off the ground. Since 2020, Understory has kept going even after moving out of its first location in Old Oakland without a new place to land.
Pareja said that closing the doors last year was sad. “But we wanted to prioritise the workers the most and our values and really brainstorm it out—how can we reopen at a new space?” he asked. Before moving into the Fruitvale location, they tried pop-ups in different places and a catering program. “That time was really difficult for us to close a successful restaurant, to put a pause on it, but good things come to those who wait,” he said.
Esquivel added that they closed the restaurant at the end of June, one of the cafe’s highest grossing months. “We were in a tough spot having to decide [whether or not] to keep this profitable business going,” they said. But they made the decision to close down rather than compromise the collective’s values. “We might have to close down, but at least we will conserve what this project is about,” Esquivel said. “Staying together and really honoring what this work is.”
Understory started with four worker-owners. The team has since added 10 candidate members. “The menu reflects the folks that work here,” Pareja said. But they’re still making some of the house favorites—such as fried oyster mushrooms—from the first iteration.
“When we have tried to take them off the menu in the past, people would get upset or protest,” he said. The ube waffles, vegan and gluten-free, have also returned, as has the papaya burger. Esquivel explained that, whether it’s on top of a pork or bean patty, the papaya adds a nice crunch. “We caramelise green papaya so it’s really an unexpected flavor and texture.”
The new space on International Boulevard is more expansive than the previous one. Pareja said Understory can host community events, work gatherings and parties. A community art gallery is set up as a separate curtained room at the back of the dining room.
“I want to invite folks to let them know we’ve reopened,” Pareja said. “We’ve seen people stay here just to crochet or have a meeting.” He said that some ride-sharing companies have taken customers to the old location, but Yelp does have the updated address.
“This is an immigrant, working-class neighborhood,” Esquivel said. “Being here at this point in time, that resonates with our collective. Being in solidarity when we’re experiencing a lot of economic uncertainty and terror from immigration and ICE, it’s been really wonderful to be in this neighborhood.”
Understory, 3340 International Blvd., Oakland, Ohlone Territory. Cafe Tue-Fri, 9am to 2pm; dinner Wed-Fri, 5–9pm; brunch Sat-Sun, 11am to 3pm. understoryoakland.com. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
