San Jose is almost always experiencing rapid development — BART will soon expand to downtown, and Google’s transit village will shuffle plenty of new restaurants + shops into the great 408.
While all of that is new and exciting, we want to shed light on four local establishments that have served the San Jose community for 65+ years — quite impressive with our changing scene, no?
(Psst... We’d love to make this a living list, so if you know of a business to add, send us a tip.)
Look no further for your Italian sandwiches, meats, and other goods at this 115-year-old deli.
Photo via @lunaparksanjose + @sanjosefoos
Chiaramonte’s Deli & Sausage | Est. 1908
Located near Backesto Park is this 115-year-old gem. Salvatore + Alfonsia Chiaramonte immigrated from Sicily and opened up the deli, and it remains as one of the oldest family-owned and operated Italian delis in the US. Stop in for homemade sausages, pasta plates, or made-to-order sandwiches.
Kogura Co. Gifts | Est. 1928
In the heart of Japantown, you’ll find a gift shop that once sold Japanese appliances to the community in the 1930s. Kogura Co. is one of the oldest stores to stay in its original location in any Japantown in the US. Now, you can find products like rice cookers, Japanese dolls, colorful tea sets, and more.
There’s nothing like the sweet smell of Peter’s Bakery.
Photo via @hectorvillablanca
Peter’s Bakery | Est. 1936
This San Jose staple is the oldest family-owned bakery in the Silicon Valley. Founder Tony Peters, born in San Jose in 1907, learned about the bakery business through family members. By 1938, he had two bakeries up and running — one at Delmas + San Carlos streets, and the other on Alum Rock Avenue.
Original Joe’s | Est. 1956
The founders of the original Original Joe’s in San Francisco desired to bring the homestyle Italian American flavors from SF to the South Bay. So much so, for the first few years of operation, they transported SF French bread via Greyhound Bus everyday. It remains an SJ institution in the heart of downtown.
