Redwood City gastropub closes
For a decade, Martins West Gastropub has been serving elevated Scottish pub fare in an old saloon building in downtown Redwood City.
But last weekend was the last of the kitchen’s ale-battered cod, lamb sliders with mince mayonnaise and fennel pickles, housemade charcuterie and bone marrow with oxtail marmalade.
The restaurant is now shut down, with general manager Jacob Carlos telling the San Mateo Daily Journal that a combination of forces led to the decision. He cited staffing shortages because of high Peninsula rents, the increasing minimum wage and what the paper termed “almostconstant construction on nearby streets.”
A note on the restaurant’s Facebook page said: “Thank you for supporting our business for the past 10 years. It is time for something new to come into the space. … But for this last week, we’d love to see you all swing by for a final bite of Scotch eggs, a final drink, or perhaps both.”
Soon after Martins West opened, Bay Area News Group reviewer Jennifer Graue praised those pub snacks, among other dishes on the menu, in a 3.5star review. “The Scottish eggs are not to be missed,” she wrote. “Three nearly hard-cooked quail eggs are encased in fennel-laced sausage, breaded and fried. The egg yolk, not completely set, oozes like honey when you bite into it.”
The Daily Journal reported that the “something new” coming to this historic brick-walled building will be the Alhambra Irish House, a new venture by the owner of St. Stephen’s Green in Mountain View.
DETAILS >> 831 Main St., Redwood City; www.martinswestgp.com.
Verve Coffee Roasters opens cafe in Palo Alto
Verve Coffee Roasters has been caffeinating Silicon Valley and San Francisco for over
a decade. On June 21, the company opened its first cafe between San Francisco and its Santa Cruz headquarters.
The new Verve Cafe is at 162 University Ave. in Palo Alto, in a neighborhood already brimming with coffee options. But Verve brings unmistakable local flair, with signature espresso drinks made from directly sourced single-origin coffee roasted in small batches at its Santa Cruz roastery, as well as nitro Flash Brew on draft and artisanal pastries from James Beard Award-nominated Manresa Bread.
Look for avocado toast, housemade coconut chia pudding and breakfast sandwiches on Manresa brioche. This opening marks Verve Coffee Roasters’ sixth cafe in the Bay Area and 12th overall, including locations in Los Angeles and Tokyo. Young America Creative helped design the bright, modern space, which features custom art by Windy Chien and a large redesigned patio.
DETAILS » www.vervecoffee.com.
After 22 years, Mary’s Pizza Shack closes in Walnut Creek
Mary’s Pizza Shack — a family-run enterprise for 60 years in Northern California — has lost its lease in Walnut Creek and closed this location.
According to a notice posted at the Citrus Marketplace on Oak Grove Road, Mary’s had served the Contra Costa community for 22 years. This was the chain’s only East Bay restaurant.
“Our crew members are like our family and discontinuing our working relationship with them is so unfortunate, but we must do so because our lease was not renewed,” the note reads. “We want to thank our Walnut Creek team, our guests and the community for being part of our family for 22 years.
“All remaining Mary’s locations will continue to serve our brand of Italian comfort food as we have for 60 years.”
The restaurant family had its beginnings in 1959 in Sonoma County, when Mary Fazio opened her first “shack” in Boyes Hot Springs. She cooked family recipes from scratch using pots and pans from her home kitchen, the website history says. That first restaurant moved to a new location in 1977, and then the expansion began.
There are currently 17 Mary’s Pizza Shacks in Northern California, primarily in Sonoma, Napa and Solano counties.
The third generation is now carrying on Fazio’s legacy. Grandson Vince Albano is the company’s CEO.
DETAILS, LOCATIONS » www. maryspizzashack.com.