The Loft Bar & Bistro, 90 S. Second St., San
Jose. 408/291-0677. Contemporary and casual
restaurant in a historic downtown building, featuring
great appetizers, tapas style. $
Los Altos Grill, 233 Third St., Los Altos.
650/948-3524. Dinner spot features tasty dishes,
including rotisserie pork chops and a spicy tuna
burger. $$
Madera, 2825 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park. 650/
561-1540. Signature restaurant of Rosewood Sand
Hill Hotel features wood-burning grill to produce
artful seafood and meats. $$$
88 South Bay Accent
Menlo Grill Bistro & Bar (Stanford
Park Hotel), 100 El Camino Real,
Menlo Park. 650/330-2790. Innovative
take on classic American dishes that are made with
fresh, sustainable ingredients. $$–$$$
Moss Beach Distillery, 140 Beach Way, Moss
Beach. 650/728-5595. Historic tavern offers
breathtaking Pacific Ocean views and a menu of
all-natural meats, wild-caught seafood and organic
produce, along with select wines and cocktails. $$
Orchard City Kitchen (The Pruneyard) 1875 S.
Bascom Ave., Suite 190, Campbell. 408/340-5285.
Led by Michelin-recognized Executive Chef Jeffrey
Stout, OCK offers inventive, seasonal dishes. $$
Parcel 104 (Santa Clara Marriot) 2700 Mission
College Blvd., Santa Clara. 408/ 970-6104. Seasonal
menu from acclaimed chefs Bradley Ogden
and Jonathan Hall combines freshness and sophistication.
$$$
Park Station Hashery, 1701 Park Ave, San Jose.
408/320-1711. Thanks to deep roots in the San
Jose culinary scene, this homey spot elevates the
neighborhood restaurant concept. $–$$
Paul Martin’s, Mountain View, 650/917-9941;
San Mateo, 650/212-7400. Wide-ranging selection
of tasty seafood, beef and poultry dishes served in a
relaxed, contemporary setting. $$
Prime 109 & Libation House, 43968 Pacific
Commons Blvd, Fremont, 510/544-0034; 1219,
4150 Great America Pkwy, Santa Clara, 408/519-
3119. With craft cocktails and superlative steaks,
this eatery oozes old school elegance. $$$
Roots + Rye, 3055 Olin Ave., San Jose. 408/429-
2909. Buzzing with energy, this lively “new American”
restaurant specializes in handcrafted signature
cocktails and contemporary comfort cuisine. $$
Scratch, 401 Castro St., Mountain View. 650/237-
3132. This sleek eatery combines upscale American
comfort food with an impressive drinks menu. $$$
Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops (Doubletree
Hotel), 2050 Gateway Place, San Jose. 408/437-
2170. Spencer’s delivers exquisite prime beef
dishes. $$$
Sundance The Steakhouse, 1921 El Camino
Real, Palo Alto. 650/321-6798. Since opening
its doors in 1974, this upscale, family-owned and
operated steakhouse has earned critical acclaim
as one of Palo Alto’s top dining destinations. Pair
selections from the nationally recognized wine
list with exclusively aged, prime graded steaks or
indulge in house specialty, slow-roasted prime rib,
in the candlelit mahogany dining room. In addition
to the award-winning beef, Sundance prides
itself on fresh, succulent seafood, jumbo cold-water
lobster tail, savory side dishes and decadent desserts.
You’ll also enjoy the vintage sports lounge,
featuring an inviting fireplace and offering a full
dinner menu, handcrafted cocktails, local micro
beers and premium wines by the glass. $$
The Table, 1110 Willow St., San
Jose. 408/638-7911. Hot spot from
Jim Stump, serving contemporary
American cuisine complemented
by hand-crafted cocktails
and progressive wines. $$
Tender Greens, (Stanford
Shopping Center),
180 El Camino Real #1050.
650/285-6702. With locations
throughout the Bay Area, this
fast-casual farm-to-table eatery
serves up healthy cuisine in a bustling
buffet setting. $
Umami Burger, 452 University Ave., Palo Alto.
650/321-8626. Specialty and classic burgers with
carefully crafted combinations of toppings. $$
Vault 164, 164 S. B St., San Mateo. 650/348-8164.
An eclectic selection of American-style cuisine, with
a wide variety of aged steaks, chicken, pasta, sustainable
seafood and organic produce. $–$$
Village California Bistro & Wine Bar, 378
Santana Row, Suite 1035, San Jose. 408/248-9091.
THE GRAPEVINE
Early spring is the perfect time to get out and explore nearby
vineyards and wineries and taste all the delicious wines they have to offer.
Four times a year since 1993, the wineries of the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers
Association open up their doors for special Passport Days. The spring
Passport Day is noon-5 p.m., Saturday, April 21. Wine lovers can purchase a $65
passport in advance (scmwa.com) or at one of more than 50 participating wineries
in Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. Some of the wineries are
only open to the public on these special days.
The Morgan Hill Downtown Wine Stroll is growing in popularity,
attracting people from all over the region to taste
the bevy of wines that grow nearby throughout the Santa
Clara Valley. This year the kid- and dog-friendly event is 1-5
p.m., Saturday, April 28. Order tickets in advance, since the
Morgan Hill Downtown Association sells a limited number.
More than two dozen wineries from Santa Clara Valley
participate. Visit morganhilldowntown.org for tickets.
Take a deep breath and go with the flow at Solis Winery’s Yoga
in the Vineyard, 10:30 a.m. – noon on Sunday, May 6. The Vinyasa Flow
Yoga class overlooks the beautiful Solis Vineyard (3920 Hecker Pass Rd., Gilroy).
A wine tasting after class is included. Tickets are $25; visit soliswinery.
com/events. BYOM: Bring your own mat.
Forget brunch: Take Mom winetasting at the Santa Cruz Downtown Spring
Wine Walk Mother’s Day Edition, 3-6 p.m., Sunday, May 13. Stroll historic
downtown and sample all the best wines the Santa Cruz Mountains and Central
Coast have to offer. Advance tickets are $35 each. Check-in closes at 4:30 p.m.
For more information and tickets, visit downtownsantacruz.com.
In just four short years the Silicon Valley Wine Auction has turned into one
of the premiere wine events of the year, as well as one of the biggest fundraisers:
So far it has raised $2.5 million for regional educational initiatives.
The Grand Wine Tasting from noon-4 p.m., Sunday, May 20, is
not to be missed. More than 150 wines will be poured that afternoon,
accompanied by a delicious personal picnic lunch. A silent auction
features more than 200 wines. For more information, visit siliconvalleywineacution.
org. —Pam Marino
BEST BITES
Cafe Pro
Bono
The Basin
