BitterBuck Soft-Opens Today in Fountain Alley!

Cache Bouren and Tomoyo Yoshinaga will crack BitterBuck this Friday, September 4, on Fountain Alley between First and Second, next to Goodtime Bar. First Street is a construction mess, so the working entrance is on the Second Street side. The pair already run the exceptional Haberdasher and Cash Only. This room splits the day in two: pour-over coffee until 4 p.m., then amaro and spritz until 10.

There is no espresso machine. Five pour-overs and two Chromatic cold brews, beans roasted locally, can land as a boilermaker with a side of amaro. Andytown Shore Leave Hook with Sfumato Rabarbaro. Tico Huila with Cynar. Boast Mexico with Vecchio del Capo. Kenz Ethiopia with Pasubio. Chromatic decaf with Brucato Woodlands. Nitro cold brew with Tuve Fernet. Pastries come from The Midwife and the Baker. Sweet and savory pies come from Sweetdragon Baking Co.

After 4 the menu flips. The house Garibaldi is a shaken, foamy mix of orange, grapefruit, Select, and Campari. Three things sit on tap: a cold-brew martini, Chromatic nitro, and Guinness. Citrus juice stays off almost every other drink; acidity comes from verjus, the juice of unripe grapes. Small plates come out of their own kitchen. Notch Gonzalez, who did Dr. Funk, designed the interior.

Fountain Alley already holds Goodtime, Scratch Cookery, and Fox Tale. Another 7 a.m. room on that brick strip is useful if the day starts before the rest of Downtown San Jose wakes up, and useful again if the night wants bitter rather than sweet. Soft openings fill fast in a space this small. Walk in from Second, order the Garibaldi or a pour-over with Cynar, and decide which half of the day belongs there.

Instagram: @bitterbucksj

Source: Scott Firestone from San José: Downtown Dwellers ESTD. 2009

Campbell’s Restaurant Shuffle Adds New Cocktails, Sushi, and Dumplings

Campbell’s downtown has spent the past year swapping nameplates faster than a Friday night reservation list. Lira, the contemporary dining room that opened in January 2025 at 368 East Campbell Avenue with San Jose native and “Next Level Chef” winner Tucker Ricchio in the kitchen, shut after New Year’s Eve. Ricchio had already left in June 2025. The owners later said the fine-dining math no longer worked. Into that 110-seat room, including the patio, Jason Seele of Los Gatos Soda Works is building Trial | Error, a modern cocktail bar with small plates, aiming for an October opening and evening hours around 4 to 11 p.m.

A few blocks over, A Bellagio closed after more than two decades of Italian dinners at 33 South Central Avenue. Honō Izakaya & Sushi has already taken the address, with a bar in the middle of the room and a Japanese fusion menu that started drawing first-time reviews in July. Opa! left 276 East Campbell Avenue after a chain-wide collapse and Chapter 7 filing. Elia, the Pleasanton-born Greek and Mediterranean group, moved in with mezethes, weekend brunch, and late hours that stretch toward midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Mexican spot Distrito Federal at 379 East Campbell Avenue has been reported as temporarily closed under a court-appointed receivership, another reminder that even busy storefronts can stall.

The Pruneyard told a cleaner story. Bellevue-based Dough Zone Dumpling House opened June 5 at 1875 South Bascom Avenue, Suite 405, in the old Patxi’s Pizza space between Trader Joe’s and Humphry Slocombe. The 3,167-square-foot shop is the chain’s sixth Bay Area location and sits alongside existing Dough Zone rooms on Lundy in North San Jose and on Cherry in South San Jose. Xiao long bao, Q-Bao, and dan dan noodles now have a Campbell address for anyone who already makes that Bascom drive.

Hamilton Avenue is lining up the next wave. Dutch Bros and Chipotle have floated drive-thru plans. Earlier reporting also pointed to an Apni Mandi Indian supermarket and a Da Vien Vietnamese coffee shop along the same corridor. Downtown still waits on Ainsley’s Spout House, the Scottish-Californian beer garden Alan Hicks has been building into the old Ainsley Corporation offices on Harrison Avenue. City staff have framed the turnover as concept replacement rather than a hollowed-out district, which is the generous reading. The honest one is simpler: some rooms could not carry white-tablecloth rent, and operators with cocktails, sushi, dumplings, and mezze moved faster than the vacancies.

Source: Silicon Valley Business Journal

New Indian Restaurant Planned for Historic Hotel De Anza

A new dining concept from the team behind several acclaimed Bay Area Indian restaurants is taking shape inside the Hotel De Anza. Restaurant entrepreneur Ayesha Thapar and chef Srijith “Sri” Gopinathan have secured a state liquor license for a full-service restaurant and bar at 233 West Santa Clara Street.

The pair operate through the Cal-India Collective and already run Eylan in Menlo Park, Ettan in Palo Alto, Little Blue Door in Los Altos, and Copra in San Francisco. Gopinathan previously earned two Michelin stars at Campton Place. Their approach blends authentic Indian techniques with California seasonality and local ingredients.

Construction is underway in the space just left of the hotel’s West Santa Clara Street entrance. The name of the forthcoming restaurant has not yet been announced. The project arrives as the Art Deco landmark continues a broader renovation that includes refreshed interiors, the Palm Terrace, the Hedley Club, and exterior painting that returns the tower to its 1990s color scheme.

Hotel co-owners Dhaval Panchal and Sean Curtis purchased the 100-room property in 2024 and have steadily reinvested in the building. The addition of a high-caliber restaurant strengthens the hotel’s role as both a lodging and gathering place in Downtown San Jose.

Source: SiliconValley.com

Hijau Coffee Opens Permanent Spot with Indonesian Flavors on West San Carlos

After two years as a farmers market pop-up, Hijau has opened its first brick-and-mortar café at 1432 West San Carlos Street, Suite 70. Owners Lisa Maria and Ryan Prawiradjaja held a soft opening on August 13 and now serve customers Tuesdays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and weekends until 4 p.m.

Maria, whose parents roasted coffee in West Java, wanted to bring more Indonesian flavors to the Bay Area. The menu features three signature lattes: pandan with notes of coconut and vanilla, nastar inspired by pineapple tarts, and klepon drawing from the green coconut-rice dessert. Coffee is sourced from Indonesia, and the space includes batik textiles and teak furniture that reflect the couple’s heritage.

The path from pop-up tables at the Rose Garden and De Anza farmers markets to a permanent counter involved significant permitting and inspection costs that totaled around $27,000. The pair paused market appearances in late spring to focus on the build-out.

Hijau adds a distinctive coffee option to the midtown corridor and expands the city’s range of Southeast Asian culinary voices. Regular hours are now in effect for anyone ready to try the tropical-inspired drinks.

Source: The Mercury News

Mixue Ice Cream and Tea Debuts First Bay Area Outpost in Sunnyvale

Mixue Ice Cream and Tea just opened its first Bay Area location in Sunnyvale. The Chinese chain, which operates more than 53,000 stores worldwide and ranks as the planet’s largest fast food operation by unit count, chose a compact space inside the Shoppes at Homestead shopping center. Service began in late June, with grand opening celebrations running through this weekend.

The brand traces its roots to a single shaved ice stand founded in Zhengzhou in 1997. It grew through company-owned factories that control ingredient costs and a small-store format that keeps overhead low. Every item on the menu stays under five dollars, a notable contrast to typical Bay Area pricing for similar drinks and desserts.

Inside the Sunnyvale shop, a life-size Snow King statue anchors the space while walls display branded merchandise. Three touchscreen kiosks handle orders, and the chain’s signature jingle loops in the background. Staff focus on rapid preparation behind the counter, keeping lines moving even during peak times.

Soft serve options include vanilla at $1.59 and matcha at $1.99. Pearl milk tea and other drinks run around four dollars, with full control over sweetness and ice levels. Toppings such as boba pearls, taro balls, coconut jelly, or pudding cost just 49 cents each. The vanilla soft serve leans lighter and less sweet than many American versions, while the matcha delivers a clear grassy note.

You can visit Mixue at 1641 Hollenbeck Ave in Sunnyvale between the hours of 11am and 7pm, seven days a week. The shop is already very popular and has a four star rating on Yelp.

Source: SFGATE

Strata is the New Fine Dining Benchmark in Downtown San Jose

Rollati was one of my favorite restaurants in Downtown San Jose. It's flagship corner spot anchored the neighborhood, sitting under the MIRO towers across from the iconic San Jose City Hall (which our logo is based on). While I was sad to see it go, I immediately lit up when I found out the proprietors behind it's replacement are the geniuses behind Eos & Nyx, Alter Ego, Still OG, Paper Plane, and Miniboss. Needless to say expectations were very high for Strata, especially since they are taking a huge risk on the menu.

It's the first restaurant in San Jose to open with a Michelin-style fixed price tasting menu. Some like ADEGA have evolved into this type of experience, but Strata is all-in from day one. In the elegant dining room, that is the only option. Fortunately, it's one of the most affordable ones out there at $75 for 5 courses (with some optional supplements). You can also sit at the bar or lounge and order a-la-carte off a more casual menu. In the dining room you can add extra courses from the a-la-carte menu as well (which we did because we were really hungry).

The first course was a tuna tostada with salsa macha chorizo, avocado, and cilantro and an al pastor torta with pineapple salsa. They were both delicious and felt like an upscale nod to San Jose's street food scene.

Second was our favorite dish of the night. A rockfish crudo in one of the most unique plates I have ever seen. It featured white soy aquachile, serranos, cilantro, and crispy rice. You can also add caviar for an extra $25. I was told it was 1oz, but this is perhaps the one mistake they made on opening day because it was maybe 1/5 that at best. That sauce was so good that we spooned up ever last bit.

Third up was a ricotta stuffed tortellini (optional shaved truffle for $15) and chicken friend morrels (extra $15). The morrels which we somehow didn't get a picture of were amazing. One of the best mushrooms I have ever had. I should also mention that this restaurant group is know for amazing craft cocktails. I got a Bollywood Old Fashioned with chikoo, popcorn (?), and aromatic bitters. It did not disappoint.

The 4th course was the main. We had the rockfish and the chicken roulade. Both were amazing, I'd get either again. The meat and veggies were perfectly seasoned and every sauce really stood out. There was a 3rd option we didn't try which was a Prime NY steak with garlic chive for an extra $25. We also added the burger from the lounge which we gobbled up too fast to get a photo of--it was super tasty and guaranteed we'd leave stuffed since we skipped lunch.

Last but definitely not least were the desserts. There was a choice of a soft serve passionfruit ice cream with toasted coconut and brown butter crumble or a chocolate hazelnut semifreddo with candied hazelnut and cherries. We got once of each and enjoyed both but the chocolate hazelnut was the standout option. I couldn't leave without trying one more cocktail so I also got a "Tan Lines & Deadlines" for dessert. This was their take on an espresso martini with vodka, cold brew, coconut, turbinado, mole bitters, cinnamon, and salt. Easily one of the best dessert drinks I've had anywhere.

To wrap up, this is the new king of date night in San Jose and the benchmark for Downtown San Jose fine dining. Their menu will change every 6-8 weeks, focusing on fresh local ingredients that are in season. It's pricey but overall a good value for the quality of food, service, and ambiance you get. My tip would be to avoid the upcharges and instead add a 6th or 7th course from the bar/lounge menu to try as many different dishes as possible. I hope I'll get try out a few of the different menus this year. I'm very happy to see Strata Downtown and wish them much success.

Pretty Good Advice Opens in Downtown San Jose: Elevating Vegetarian Eats with Local Roots

9am UPDATE: Ribbon Cutting has been postponed, new date will be shared soon.

Pretty Good Advice is celebrating its grand opening at 125 Paseo de San Antonio in Downtown San Jose today. The event kicks off at 12:15 p.m., with remarks and a ribbon cutting starting at 12:20 p.m. Speakers include Mayor Mahan, Councilmember Tordillos, representatives from the San Jose Downtown Association, and owner Matt McNamara. This marks the restaurant's third location and its first in San Jose, following outposts in Santa Cruz and Soquel, taking over the space once occupied by a Togo's that closed in 2024.

Owner Matt McNamara, a South Bay native who attended Bellarmine College Prep, brings a wealth of experience from Michelin-starred kitchens across Europe and the United States. His journey led to founding Sons & Daughters in San Francisco, which earned a Michelin star shortly after opening. In 2013, McNamara acquired an 83-acre farm in the Santa Cruz Mountains to grow fruits, herbs, mushrooms, and perennials, shifting his focus toward making high-quality, seasonal food accessible beyond fine dining settings. Pretty Good Advice emerged from this vision, offering a 100% vegetarian menu with vegan options, crafted with technique and care from local farms at approachable prices.

This addition enriches San Jose's diverse dining landscape, where McNamara sees the city as the top food destination in the United States right now. The restaurant's unique concept aligns with the area's blend of flavors and innovation, inviting locals and visitors to explore new vegetarian dishes amid a scene already packed with global cuisines.

For more information, visit https://www.prettygoodadvicerestaurant.com/

 

Entre Comales Opens Its Doors in Downtown San Jose

A new addition to the food scene has arrived in Downtown San Jose with the soft opening of Entre Comales at 330 S. Third St. This taqueria and pupuseria steps into the space once occupied by the well-known Iguanas Burritozilla, bringing a wave of Latin flavors to the neighborhood. Residents and visitors now have a new spot to explore authentic Salvadoran dishes right in the heart of the city.

The menu focuses on handcrafted pupusas made the traditional Salvadoran way. These thick cornmeal griddle cakes come stuffed with a variety of fillings, offering something for everyone. Choices include revuelta with pork, beans and cheese, as well as options like chicken, potatoes, chicharron, beans and jalapeño. Vegetarian selections such as spinach, garlic and calabaza provide flavorful alternatives without meat.

During the soft opening phase, orders are available in person or through Instagram direct messages from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. This flexible approach makes it easy for people to try the new offerings. As Downtown San Jose continues to grow its diverse culinary landscape, Entre Comales adds to the mix of international eats that draw crowds to the area.

Details on a grand opening remain under wraps for now, but the early buzz suggests this could become a go-to destination for casual meals. Silicon Valley's food enthusiasts have another reason to venture the Downtown San Jose and discover what makes the city's dining options stand out.

Source: SVBJ