Nine years ago, the Gorospe family began serving their unique mix of Filipino-Hawaiian food from their Hula Truck. It quickly expanded to concession stands at SAP Center and Levi’s Stadium, along with a regular gig at the Shoreline Amphitheater. In March, the family opened a restaurant in downtown San Jose. But no matter the location,...
The Biz Beat: A San Jose bakery built on cinnamon bread and love
One year from its 100th anniversary, Greenlee’s Bakery in San Jose is still at its original location and producing its goods the old-fashioned way: hand-shaped, freshly-made dough created from quality ingredients. It’s a laborious process that starts in the early morning hours. “We have two bakers who go in at midnight,” co-owner Janette Geldner-Robertson told...
The Biz Beat: San Jose eatery renowned for its ravioli
If you’re planning to come to Bertucelli’s La Villa Deli in San Jose to grab lunch or dinner, you should arrive early—or be prepared to wait in a long line that can, at peak times, stretch out the door. A large, efficient staff keeps things moving, and the food is worth the wait. The crafted deli...
The Biz Beat: Henry’s Hi-Life–an irreplaceable San Jose gem
At Henry’s World Famous Hi-Life, perhaps San Jose’s most-loved steakhouse, there is a sense that the style and atmosphere have not changed much since Henry Puckett founded the place more than 60 years ago. There is no pretense: the bar area, which also serves as the waiting room, has walls covered with bits of framed...
The Biz Beat: San Jose shop hoists piñatas to an art form
There are few things as joyful as a piñata, and Dulceria Mi Carnaval in San Jose can design them to resemble anything that makes you happy. In a small room adjacent to their shop on East Santa Clara Street, Jose Velasquez and his wife, Cynthia, are surrounded by shelves filled with cardboard templates where the couple has...
The Biz Beat: Mil’s Diner—an all-American classic in Milpitas
Red swivel seats look into the bustling kitchen and cozy red-upholstered booths surround the inside of Mil’s Diner, which is so perfectly timeless that no one has any real idea how long it has actually been in business. Co-owner Teri Lane spent 18 years as a waitress before she and Anthony Camacho bought the establishment...
The Biz Beat: Braise has the wildest PB&J in San Jose
The AJ’s Original PB&J at Braise is the lunch treat you have been looking for all your life. You just never knew it until now. It might be the most decadent and delicious sandwich ever, with fresh baked bread, house made nut butter, jelly and roasted bone marrow. It’s the creation of Braise partner and chef...
The Biz Beat: San Jose restaurant serves up Uyghur cuisine
As befits the culture of Northern Chinese tribes who traveled Asia’s fabled Silk Road trading route, Uyghur cuisine shows a mix of influences that stretch from Damascus through Central Asia to Hong Kong. San Jose’s Kusan Uyghur Cuisine has spent the last four years focused on dishes that bring authenticity and accessibility in a style...
The Biz Beat: Community spirit at San Jose’s The Barbers Inc is a cut above
The owner of The Barbers Inc is portrayed in the mural on the side of his shop cutting Muhammad Ali’s hair—something that never happened, though David Diggs wished it had. “I remember my grandmother telling the story about when she was in his presence at a fight—him walking by her and just how remarkable he was to...
The Biz Beat: Authenticity is the signature dish at San Jose’s Luna
Generations of just-seated children at Mexican restaurants have gotten the same stern warning from their parents: “Don’t fill up on chips! You’ll spoil your dinner.” But at Luna Mexican Kitchen in San Jose, even adults will have a hard time not wolfing down the thick, crisp house-made tortilla chips matched with vibrant red salsa and green...