On B Street in Hayward, Storybook bar and kitchen feels like the dining partner to independent bookstore Books on B. Behind the big windows and whimsical logo, the space unfolds through a lounge-like dining room, past a bar with a nautical mural, into an arcade and finally out to a courtyard with tables and a fountain.
“That’s kind of like The Neverending Story,” jokes Aric Yeverino, who co-owns Storybook with Jen Cuevas.
Yeverino, who also renovated the speakeasy at Hayward’s The Dirty Bird, knew he wanted to go in a literary direction, for a feeling of nostalgia and coziness. A fan of magical realism in the style of author Gabriel García Márquez, Yeverino says, “[Literature is] a great escape. Obviously when life isn’t going the way you’d like it, you open up a book.”
Renovations for Storybook replaced a mostly blue, empty catering space with shades of green and gold, potted plants and artwork from children’s literature. There’s a few of Yeverino’s books peppered around.
What unites the space and menu is an attitude. Wary of big egos in the restaurant industry, Yeverino knew he wanted a chef and bartender who could collaborate with their team and bring creativity to their work.
Storybook executive chef Peter Richey has known Yeverino for about 16 years. He mostly oversaw kitchen development, although Yeverino did recruit him for some DIY projects in the dining room.
“On a day-to-day basis, I didn’t notice a lot when things happened,” says Richey. “At the end of the week, I would take a couple of steps back and say, ‘Ok, wow. This is starting to look really awesome.’” A big shift came with the mural behind the bar, painted by local artist Francisco Ramirez.
Richey continued the theme of nostalgia while growing Storybook’s menu, including dishes he’s enjoyed cooking since his early days in kitchens. Opening at the end of December 2025, Storybook keeps the menu minimalist and fluid.
“We’re fairly responsive to the feedback we get,” says Richey. “If dishes don’t sell, we don’t try to push them. We just take them away and find something our guests are looking for…Being a baby restaurant, it’s the only way to go.”
Although Richey switches up the menu twice per season, he preserves continuity by keeping dishes around a month or two so people can return for favorites, and by changing sides while keeping the same entree.
Admittedly, it’s difficult to not order Storybook’s pizza, baked in a massive Forno Bravo oven, the largest they could fit in the kitchen. “We had to take it through the front window,” recalls Richey. “We took all of the windows out of the front of the building and fork-lifted it in.”
Richey takes equal care with the partially whole-wheat sourdough, derived from a starter active since summer 2025. “It too is kind of in its baby stage, just like this restaurant,” says Richey, who refers to the dough almost like a temperamental fantasy creature. “We feed it nearly every single day. It gets a break on Mondays and Tuesdays when we’re closed.”
The pizza is light, doughy and full of flavor. The smaller size fed two, along with one appetizer of fries.
The bar complements the food with literary cocktail names like “As You Wish.” Bar manager Allison Paradee says the goal is to serve “inventive and unique cocktails” with liquor types and flavor profiles that match what Haywarders favor.
“In my interview I talked about how when I’m at home, I like to make custom syrups and play around with a lot of flavors,” Paradee says. “I think that gave Courtney Jackson our general manager an insight into what I might do with the bar program.”
New to the Bay Area, she previously bartended in a touristy Vermont ski town. “When you’re on vacation, you typically look for the quintessential,” she explains. She made the expected hot toddies, apple cider drinks and maple everything. “But here I have a lot more flexibility in coming up with the variations on the classic cocktails.”
A light and refreshing option is Golden Hour, a citrusy cocktail with chamomile, meyer lemon and sparkling wine. A selection of beers, wines and ciders rounds out the drink menu.
To end meals happily, Storybook also has a dedicated dessert chef, Deborah Tang. A former private chef, Tang originally applied as a cook, but when she found out they were looking for a pastry chef, she took the chance to follow her passion for desserts.
“I try to plate the desserts to reflect how we want the atmosphere of our restaurant to be,” says Tang. “Light and fun, playful.” Plus, with fresh ingredients the desserts are delightful to the taste buds as well as the eyes.
Storybook serves three regular desserts, plus specials. Crème brûlée is the most popular, cutting through the sweetness with the addition of saffron.
Stephanie Uchida
Stephanie Uchida
The owners hope that Storybook becomes a place for connection as well as good food. They hosted live readings at April’s Hayward Lit Hop, and started Thursday karaoke nights on the back patio. They especially want to collaborate with Books on B and the downtown library.
Everyone at Storybook seems excited to be there, and that energy comes across. “This has been probably the most challenging job that I’ve had as an executive chef,” says Richey. “But it’s also hands down the most enjoyable…I wouldn’t trade my time here to go back to any other space that I’ve worked in.”
Writing, like cooking, like opening a business, is less an act of escape than one of creation—not running from harsh realities but manifesting the world you want to see. Storybook is filling the blank pages of their menu and of the future downtown Hayward with craft and heart.
Storybook
943 B St., Hayward
Open Wednesday – Sunday
