Telegraph Will Open in the Former Cafe Bar/Grey Cactus Space

By July 15, the space that housed Grey Cactus for a mere four months and Cafe Bar before that, will become Telegraph, a neighborhood bistro and bar. Chris Sargent, who owns and operates Brazen in Berkeley, has signed a lease for the space recently and is bringing his team and philosophy to a new area of town.

"We have been looking at that space for a long time," said Sargent. "When my wife Carissa drove by a month ago and saw that the place was closed and owned money on taxes, we knew we had to try to get it." And got it they did. Sargent got in touch with the landlord who visited them at Brazen and had a lease for them to sign only 4 days later.

Telegraph, a reference to communication and creating connections and community through it, will serve new American cuisine. With emphasis on vegetables, the new spot will also bring  in a variety of fish, shellfish, and oysters. Sargent is working with a fabricator to build a special vessel on which to offer a shellfish platter. "It will be chic and out of the way, not a barrier on the table," he explained.

Because this was a turn-key deal and much of the equipment was in place, Telegraph will open very soon. The space, however, will get a good makeover. The first room, pictured here, will be where the bar (now tucked in the back) will reside. The interior will get repainted and other details in the space will get updated to elevate the vibe yet keep the dining room accessible and inviting.

The kitchen crew at Telegraph will include chef Jorge Cazares, previously of Linger, who will run the lunch and brunch programs, and chef Craig Field, formerly of Rioja, who will serve as chef de cuisine. Brian Wilson, who also came from Rioja, is the executive chef at Telegraph as well as the upcoming Kindred. Sous chef Maggie Restive, who opened Brazen with Sargent last year, will become pastry chef for both restaurants as well as Kindred, when it opens. Speaking of Kindred, the opening of the Sunnyside spot has now been pushed to March.

Telegraph will serve lunch Monday through Friday, dinner seven days a week, and brunch on the weekends.