TALK OF THE TOWN
May 18, 2022 07:50PM ● By Harper KleinIn the brick ‘castle’ on the corner of N. California
Blvd. and Bonanza Street, that dished frozen yogurt to locals over a decade ago, Livermore’s Panama Bay Coffee Co. opened last week. The walk-up open air design makes it easy to grab a drink or pastry to go.
Just across the street, Relax the Back and The King's Jewelers are moving to new locations downtown in order to make way for construction of a four-story, 27-unit, mixed-use condominium project at 1501 N. California Boulevard.
You won't need a special occasion to pop a bottle when Fizz Champagne & Bubbles Bar joins the hip tenant mix at The Lyric with over 150 different champagnes and sparkling wines on the list. Set in a fresh contemporary space, San Jose's Limon Salon expanded to Walnut Creek at 1511 Locust Street.
Walnut Creek's public art collection keeps blooming urban beauty. This 28-foot high, botantical mural was painted by artist Mona Caron in the courtyard at The Lesher Center.
One of California’s sweetest brands will soon debut downtown. A major player in the healthy fast-casual space, sweetgreen is opening mid-June on the corner of Mt. Diablo and Locust Street in a shiny new space with a seasonal menu of salads, warm bowls, and plates.
Align Real Estate plans to build a 42-unit condominium complex at 1532 and 1556 Mt. Diablo Boulevard—on the parking lot adjacent to Slice House. A rooftop bar, restaurant, and public garden, plus ground floor retail are including in the multi-use development mix along with underground parking and 24/7 valet-only service. Align is currently constructing the six-story apartment/hotel at 1380 N. California Boulevard.
The building that once housed Chili's has been completely gutted, making way for a new Mediterranean restaurant, Ostro, from the owners of Manakish Oven.
Did you hear about City Square? Bierhaus owner Mike Finley perfected Sicilian pizza recipes during the pandemic, reimagining his spacious Locust Street restaurant into a family-style pizza hall. Seven different pies, sandwiches and salads round out the menu for now. Just next door, the "coming soon" sign remains on the windows of Five Tacos & Beers.
Before we had a chance to check it out Onigilly, went dark. A note suggests they’ll be back soon.
Look for Italian comfort food focused on Roman specialties when 54 Mint reopens in June as Montescaro.