It’s here, San Jose. After years of anticipation, Eataly Silicon Valley finally opened its doors at Westfield Valley Fair on Thurs., June 16. This is the first NorCal location of the global brand + is one of the fruits of Valley Fair’s recent $1 billion expansion. 🏗️
On opening day, we were honored to attend the private pasta “ribbon” cutting ceremony and get a personal tour with Eataly’s Global VP, Dino Borri + one of Eataly USA’s business partners, Adam Saper. We tried tons of delicious local + in-house products, met with Bay Area retail partners, and had a delicious dinner at one of their in-demand restaurants — La Pizza e La Pasta. 👌
We couldn’t keep a visit like this to ourselves — read on for our inside look + food highlights.
Take a tour with us. | Photos by SJtoday team
👀 So much to see + do
For the uninitiated, Eataly is so muchmore than a store — the three-story, 45,000-sqft emporium includes:
Grab-and-go pizza, coffee + gelato
Space for cooking classes
A store with over 1,000 Italian wines + spirits
A full market with a bakery, fishmonger, and butcher
Two sit-down restaurants
🇮🇹 Italy — by way of the Bay Area
So wait, where are the products coming from? Adam assured us that Eataly is less about importing Italian food + more about importing “Italian know-how.”
In fact, less than 30% of Eataly Silicon Valley’s products are exported from Italy — the majority are sourced locally including:
In-house mozzarella, stracciatella, and burrata cheese made from Bay Area-based Straus Family Creamery milk
If you’re excited for your trip to Eataly (and maybe drooling a little) — here’s a few essentials to know:
A few areas are not operating at 100% quite yet. But, in the next few weeks, we’ll see more than twice the flavors of gelato and a new meat + cheese counter.
Cooking classes, including Sip & Learn events, will start later this summer.
Terra — Eataly’s rooftop restaurant + bar is in high demand. The earliest reservation available (as of last week) was in August, so book sooner than later.
Classic Italian dishes at La Pizza e La Pasta. | Photos by SJtoday team
🍝 Buon appetitio
It wouldn’t be right to talk about Eataly without talking about the flavors. During our tour we tried so much food, but we want to highlight La Pizza e La Pasta — one of Eataly’s two sit-down restaurants.
Click below for our personal recs — your taste buds will thank us.
Viva Parks Neighborhood Event | Mon., June 20 | 6-8 p.m. | Edenvale Gardens Regional Park, 200 Edenvale Ave. | Free | Enjoy programming around health resources, physical activity, and community-building. 🌳
Karaoke Night | Every Monday | 9 p.m. | O’Flaherty’s Irish Pub, 25 N. San Pedro St. | Free | Sing your favorite tunes with friends. 🎤
Tuesday
Movie Night Series: Encanto | Tues., June 21 | 6 p.m. | PayPal Park, 1123 Coleman Ave. | Free | RSVP to see Mirabel’s magic journey in this award-winning film, hosted by the Quakes Foundation. 📽️
Veggielution Farm Box Packing | Every Tuesday + Thursday | 8-11:30 a.m. | 20 Barack Obama Blvd. | Free | Volunteer to aid San Jose’s Food Relief Program and help provide the highest quality of groceries to those in need. 🥬
2nd Harvest Food Bank Distribution | Every Tuesday | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Mission College, 3000 Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara | Free | Put together food baskets for local food banks. 🥫
Wednesday
Comedy Night | Wed., June 22 | 5:30-8:30 p.m. | Plaza de Cesar Chavez | Free | Kick back with local comedian Pete Munoz.
Thursday
Senior Safari | Thurs., June 23 | 9-10 a.m. | Happy Hollow Park & Zoo, 1300 Senter Rd. | Free | Adults ages 50+ are invited to feel like a kid again with animal meet-and-greets, zookeeper chats, and a 10,000 step challenge. 🦓
Frozen | Thurs., June 23-Sat., June 25 | Times vary | Center for the Performing Arts, 255 Almaden Blvd. | $30+ | The West Valley Dance Company returns with their theatrical stage production of the beloved Disney film, transformed into the medium of dance. ❄️
We have amonthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
Meet laundry’s new power couple. | Photo provided by Dirty Labs
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Non-toxic and free from carcinogens and hormone-disrupting chemicals
Biodegradable, and comes in eco-friendly packaging
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Today, we’re all in the Dub Nation. City Editor Alyson will be celebrating the Golden State Warriors’ triumph in the NBA championship at today’s parade in SF. The parade begins at 11:20 a.m. at Market + Main St., and will end by 2 p.m. Caltrainwill offer special high-capacity service. If you can’t attend, today’s a good day to sport some new blue + gold swag. 🏀 (KRON 4)
Health
On Friday, the FDA authorizedModerna + Pfizer shots for children as young as 6 months old, with plans to begin vaccinations as soon as tomorrow. Santa Clara County will have three vaccination clinics for parents to take their children — including the Santa Clara County fairgrounds, the San Martin vaccination site, and a new Mountain View site. 💉 (San José Spotlight)
Civic
Last week, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an $11.5 billion budget for 2022-23, set to take effect Fri., July 1. The majority of funding will go to healthcare + government operations, like an assisted outpatient treatment center to run through the new Vietnamese American Services Center. 💰 (San José Spotlight)
Last week, Downtownproperty ownersvoted to renew a tax that will collect $5.28 million per year — the majority of which will fund beautification +security. This unique tax is most associated with the Groundwerx program which hires unhoused and low-income residents to clean up trash and graffiti around the city. (San José Spotlight)
Traffic
Sticker shock, much? A new report on California’s high-speed rail project shows a $5.3 billion cost estimate for the San Francisco to San Jose segment — almost triple the amount from the previous estimate. With inflation, real estate costs, and supply chain issues, the train will likely not begin operation until the next decade. 🚄 (The Mercury News)
Community
Make Music San Joséwill take place on Tues., June 21 as part of the annual Make Music Day 2022, celebrated by over one thousand cities worldwide. From noon to 6 p.m., several locations around the city will host musical performances + play-along events. There will also be a virtual livestream from stages at Parque de Los Pobladores + the Mexican Heritage Plaza. 🎶
Development
A 2.1-acre, two-tower project is being proposed for a Downtown San Jose site at the corner of E. Santa Clara + Fourth St. — with plans to demolish the current gas station, church, parking lot, and three commercial buildings that sit there. Plans include one 27-story office tower + one 21-story residential tower. Public comments may be submitted up to Mon., Aug.1. 🏗️
Opening
Hell yeah. Devil & Angel Desserts will soon be bringingheavenly desserts like handcrafted soft serve, taiyaki, boba tea, mochi donuts + more to the Great Mall. This trendy dessert spot has not announced an opening date as of yet. 🍩 (What Now SF)
Outdoors
Got an exceptionally green thumb? The UC Master Gardeners are actively recruitingSanta Clara County residents who want to learn more about sustainable gardening practices, and are passionate about sharing that knowledge. Get more details about how to get involved. 🌱
Ranked
A Monday mental message: San Jose’s Natural Medicine & Ayurveda center was ranked No. 14 in a list of the top 20 wellness retreats in California. The ranking was analyzed based off of Google reviews and ratings for 240 wellness destinations. 🙏 (Trips to Discover)
Biz
Small business owners — you may be eligible for a $15,000 grant to support back rent + utility debts due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Only 125 applications have been completed out of a potential 300 possible grants — so review application requirements, and apply by 5 p.m., Thurs., June 30. 💸 (San José Spotlight)
Number
$1,000. That’s how much you could win when you take our brief survey. Tell us what you think about the SJtoday newsletter + be entered to win $1,000 cash. Take the survey.
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San Jose’s Fairmont Hotelopened on Oct. 5, 1987 and quickly became the gem of Downtown + a 5-star destination for travelers — as seen in this video clip (complete with vintage special effects). ⭐
The $140 million project played a major role in Downtown’s redevelopment in the 1980’s. The Fairmont was the place to be and servedPresidents Clinton + Obama, as well as countless other VIPs and celebrities. 🛎️
However, the COVID-19 pandemic signaled the end of an era as the Fairmont filed for bankruptcy. After months of renovations, it was recently resurrected as the first everSignia by Hilton hotel in California — now taking reservations + hosting fine dining.
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Editor’s pick: I had such a blast at Eataly’s grand opening last week, and was even more excited that I got to share the experience with you, dear reader. I had a few more favorite bites that I had to share: the custard egg gelato, the tiramisu cake, the roast beef, and the rosemary focaccia. All winners in my book. Looking forward, are there any other restaurant openings that you’d love us to cover? Let us know.
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