BEST BITES
DEALS ON MEALS
crowds with locally sourced ingredients, wood-fired
pizza, small plates, beer and wine. $$
Vin Santo, 1346 Lincoln Ave., San Jose, 408/920-
2508. Authentic Italian pastas, meats and seafood
dishes uniquely crafted and prepared to mouthwatering
perfection. $$$
Vivace Ristorante, 1910 Ralston Ave., Belmont.
650/637-0611. “Vivace” means lively, and Executive
Chef Scott Cinfio’s Northern Italian creations
110 South Bay Accent
live up to the restaurant’s name. $$
Willow Street Wood-Fired Pizza, San Jose
(Willow Glen), 408/971-7080; San Jose (Westgate),
408/871-0400; Los Gatos, 408/354-5566.
Outstanding pizzas, a full bar and a large menu
with fun appetizers. $
JAPANESE
Akane, 250 Third St., Los Altos. 650/941-8150.
Authentic Japanese cuisine featuring an extensive
selection of sushi, sashimi and tasty beef, chicken
and seafood dinner entrees. $$
Azuma Japanese Cuisine, 19645 Stevens Creek
Blvd., Cupertino. 408/257-4057. A Cupertino
institution, this family-friendly restaurant has a
menu with dishes that offers that everyone will be
able to enjoy. $$
Bushido, 156 Castro St., Mountain
View. 650/ 386-6821.
Offering Japanese izakaya dining,
where people gather in a
casual atmosphere to drink
and enjoy small, unique
plates. $$
Fuki-Sushi, 4119 El
Camino Real, Palo Alto.
650/494-9383. Fresh seafood,
vegetable and rice delectables,
teriyaki and light, crispy tempura
are the mainstays at this long-time
local favorite gathering place. $$
Kaizen Japanese Bar & Grill, 330 E Hamilton
Ave #7, Campbell. 408/370-1600. This modern
spot features a wrap-around sushi bar and Japanese
mains such as teriyaki and bento. $–$$
Kappo Nami Nami, 240 Castro St., Mountain
View. 650/964-6990. Cutting-edge, kappo-style
Japanese cuisine with fresh, seasonal ingredients. $$
Kubota, 593 N. Fifth St., San Jose. 408/279-8440.
An excellent upscale pan-Pacific menu featuring
seasonal specials and year-round favorites. $–$$
Kumino, Mountain View, 650/964-3300. Highend
gourmet meets casual cuisine at this innovative
pan-Asian eatery. With dim-sum-inspired specialties
like crawfish buns and yucca fries, the categorydefying
eatery has earned a reputation as a favored
foodie destination. $
Kyoto Palace, 1875 S. Bascom Ave. #2500 (The
Pruneyard), Campbell. 408/389-0991. Authentic
Japanese cuisine with teppanyaki method of preparing
dishes tableside. $$–$$$
Leichi, 246 Saratoga Ave., Santa Clara. 408/824-
9052. Specializing in izakaya, Japanese small
plates, this casual eatery is a popular lunch
destination. $–$$
Masa’s Sushi, 400 San Antonio Road, Mountain
View. 650/941-2117. In addition to sushi, you’ll
find tempura and chicken and beef teriyaki. $–$$
Mizu, 1035 S. Winchester Blvd., San Jose. 408/
260-7200. Sushi bar and grill features fusion menu
including Korean barbecue. $$
Ozumo, 355 Santana Row #1010, San Jose.
408/886-3090. This South Bay incarnation of Jeremy
Umland’s hit San Francisco restaurant attracts
a hip crowd with sushi, small plates, a Japanese
beer garden and a late-night lounge. $$
Rokko, 190 S. Frances St., Sunnyvale. 408/773-
8225 (also located in San Jose). Full range of tasty
fare, from fresh sushi to hot udon and more. $
Sawa, 1042 E. El Camino Real, Sunnyvale. 408/
241-7292. Fresh fish and seafood, including
delightful prix fixe sushi-focused entrees. $$$
LATIN
La Viga, 1772 Broadway St., Redwood City.
650/679-8141. This sister restaurant of LV Mar
showcases Chef Manuel Martinez’s uniquely flavorful
preparations of fresh seafood, ceviche and
tapas. Vibrant dishes such as mini Dungeness crab
cakes, coconut-crusted prawns with mango haba-
Take a walk through New York City each morning and it’s hard
to miss the carts on nearly every corner selling egg and cheese sandwiches
alongside steaming cups of coffee. Here in the South Bay delis and other eateries
carry on the tradition for way less than a plane ticket.
This South Bay institution, Gus’ Meat and Deli (2523 Winchester Blvd.,
#B, Campbell), is famous for the Gus’ Breakfast Sandwich, a hearty
rib-sticking meal of one fried egg, cheese, hash browns, a choice of
bacon, ham or sausages, and a dressing of hot sauce, mayo, lettuce
and tomato, served on toasted sourdough. The hash browns inside the
sandwich are a favorite of loyal Gus’ fans, a little crisp and a little soft,
the perfect complement to the egg, cheese and meat.
There are a lot of egg sandwiches to choose from at Roger’s Deli & Donuts
(295 E. Middlefield Rd., Mountain View), but the one that gets customers really
talking is the Ultimate Combo Breakfast Sandwich. It comes with egg, avocado,
cheese and choice of meat on a croissant perfectly crispy on the outside, warm
and soft on the inside. You’ll find it hard to walk out of Roger’s without one of
the delicious donuts and other morning pastries, including the popular (and
huge) apple fritters.
The Driftwood Deli & Market (3450 El Camino Real, Palo Alto), serves up simple
egg sandwiches on English muffins, and offers a full espresso bar with everyone’s
favorite coffee drinks made with a European espresso machine. Save
some time by ordering a sandwich for later from Driftwood’s diverse
and impressive sandwich menu.
Bagel Place Café (546-1 Lawrence Expressway, Sunnyvale)
touts its New York style bagels, made fresh onsite every
morning. The specialty of the house is a bagel with lox
and homemade cream cheese, but it also serves up eggs
and cheese on split buttered bagels of your choice. Addons
include bacon, sausage, turkey, ham and veggies.
We couldn’t pass up breakfast burritos on this list of egg
and cheese offerings—this is California after all. Angelou’s
Mexican Grill (21 N. 2nd St., San Jose) has a classic one with
eggs, cheese, salsa and your choice of meat. Angelou’s also offers
other breakfast dishes like huevos rancheros and green chilaquiles,
along with three value meals, including the “Crazy potatoes” topped with egg,
cheese, salsa, sour cream, bacon or sausage and toast. —P.M.
LV Mar
Dio Deka