Keeping you informed of Northern Nevada’s local food-and-drink news.
Spring kicked off a busy season of restaurant openings throughout the region, and summer is proving to be just as busy a time for new food ventures. Get out and support the burgeoning food scene by trying some of the area’s newest eateries.
Openings and More
Big city tastes have hit The Biggest Little City with the opening of Rice Box Kitchen, an Asian comfort food concept headed by San Francisco restaurant owner Perapol Damnernpholkul.
With a dedication to fresh food and organic ingredients, chef Perapol already is receiving rave reviews at his Midtown space (Jus’ former location, next to Batch Cupcakery) that opened on April 14.
Reno also is getting a taste of Sacramento as The Coconut Downtown makes its way over state lines.
The restaurant, which opened in April in Wild Garlic’s former spot, offers delivery and takeout of its classic Thai dishes made with super fresh ingredients. This is The Coconut’s first location to debut outside of the California state capital (where there are three restaurants, including sister eatery, Drunken Noodle).
Speaking of Thai cuisine, Yu De Thai is the newest Thai restaurant to open in Sparks on El Rancho Drive. Opened May 2, its focus is on good quality, authentic dishes, and easy online ordering.
Hidden Bistro gets its name from the somewhat-secret space it occupies, on the second floor of European Fitness Center in Reno. Having celebrated the opening on Jan. 11, chef Oscar Ayala serves a selection of post-workout smoothies as well as elevated lunch fare with weekly specials that only a true professional could dream up.
Big upgrades are happening for some of Reno’s small businesses. EmPIEnada opened its first physical location on April 21 in the King’s Row building, where it sells its unique empanada concoctions, pot pies, and desserts. While the food truck still stands, the brick-and-mortar spot offers a second option for hungry diners craving gourmet comfort food. Royce in Reno, offering cozy fireplace-side chairs and tables and an extensive outdoor patio, also got an upgrade. After cooking its burgers next door at Old Granite Street Eatery, now the bar has its own kitchen. The venture comes from some of Reno’s food-scene pioneers — Ryan Gold, Justin Owen, and Ravi Anne — with ties to Old Granite Street Eatery, Redwood Rotisserie, and defunct Imperial Bar & Lounge and Lincoln Lounge.
The Steamboat shopping center unveiled a new grocery store. Safeway opened on May 9 next to Home Depot and RC Willey in South Reno.
In a twist of events, the previously reported permanently closed Press Start is getting a fresh start. The owners recently signed a 10-year lease on a building on South Center Street in Reno. The new space will allow for a separate bar and arcade area, family hours until 7 p.m., an outdoor patio, and a small-bites menu.
“This will be different, but similar,” says owner John Simpson.
In June, The Kitchen Table opened. The neighborhood restaurant (in the Plumgate Shopping Center in Reno, near Butcher Boy) focuses on high-quality, country-style Italian cuisine that is approachable for the whole family. You’ll find fresh homemade pasta and dishes such as grilled seabass with black rice and an asparagus salad with lemon vinaigrette.
South Reno residents have been holding their breath waiting for Schussboom Brewing to finally open its doors, transforming the former Shop-n-Go that occupied the space for 57 years.
The owners purchased the property for $1.6 million in September 2019 to create a brewery, taproom, and restaurant. On June 2, the wait finally ended, and now neighbors can gather at the space for craft beer, good food, and indoor and outdoor dining.
Businesses at the long-anticipated development, The Village at Rancharrah, are starting to open. The lineup of restaurants and other food-and-drink shops will include Centro, Hinoki Sushi, Perenn Bakery, Dorinda’s Chocolates, Rolled Mountain ice cream, Mari Chuy’s Tequileria y Botanas, Grafted Whiskey & Wine Bar, and Base Camp Pizza. Some retailers at The Village have moved from previous locations to the new space while others are opening additional locations in the shopping center. Restaurants join boutiques opening at the property such as Art Obsessions and Chez Vous Boutique as well as Dolce Vita spa, Village Dental, Bone-ito, Village Well, Desert Strands Salon, Boxwood Ave., and Waste Less Shop.
Closures
It’s with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to some of our favorite Northern Nevada eateries.
Angela Bullentini Wolf announced the closure of her restaurant Gather in Carson City on March 31 after nearly three years in business.
After 15 years, Sardina’s Italian Bistro closed on May 15. The announcement was made via Facebook by Susan Marie Sardina, the bistro’s chef and owner.
Wasabi quietly turned out the lights at its Summit restaurant in March.
The Grove at SouthCreek, an event venue that hosted weddings, corporate events, galas, fundraisers, and more at the SouthCreek Shopping Center closed for good earlier this year.
Bab Café closed its location at The Summit in Reno after nearly two years in business. In a quick turnaround and under new ownership, Miyabi Japanese Cuisine took over the space, bringing a sushi-centric restaurant back to the outdoor mall.
In early April, the downtown Noble Pie Parlor on West Second Street closed. Owner Ryan Goldhammer announced that he is looking to open a third restaurant again in a new location within the Reno-Sparks metro, but a building hasn’t been secured yet. For now, Noble Pie will still offer its custom pizza and infamous chicken wings at its Midtown and Summit mall restaurants.
On the Horizon
Some of Reno’s next food ventures are just getting started, but that means we have a lot to look forward to in the months to come.
Sprouts Natural Foods Café — the South Lake Tahoe eatery and juice bar open since 1990, not the grocery store — recently broke ground on a Reno outpost in the Double Diamond neighborhood.
Several cult favorites from Incline Village are moving to Reno. Inclined Burgers is bringing its Tahoe-based fare to Reno, with a second location at McQueen Crossing Shopping Center (the same shopping center welcoming a third store from Truckee Bagel Co.). And,
Mofo’s, another Incline Village-based eatery, is opening an old-fashioned pizza parlor in the Galena Junction Shopping Center in Reno. An exact opening date is not available, but the lease has been signed.
The owners of Cantina Los Tres Hombres at 918 Victorian Ave. in Sparks are pulling a little switcheroo. They are building a new restaurant in the vacant lot next door, which they own, with plans to move the current operation to that spot. This will allow owners to no longer pay rent.
The masterminds behind Nature’s Bakery in Carson City (who sold that venture) are at it again. David Marson purchased a 31-acre parcel in Minden along Heybourne Road with plans to create a two-phase, 480,000-square-foot commercial bakery and distribution center specializing in waffles called Marson Foods. All in, the land cost Marson $4.5 million.
Big Celebrations
Sierra Tap House in Reno celebrated its 15-year anniversary on May 6, with a day of throwbacks that included opening day pricing on everything at the bar as a way to thank customers for their continued support.
Frey Ranch Distillery in Fallon came home a big winner from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, with eight gold medals awarded for its collection of whiskeys.
Among the honors were double gold medals for the Frey Ranch Single Barrel Bourbon and Bottled-in-Bond Rye Whiskey, another gold honor, and five silver medals.
Until next time, remember to eat, drink, and support local!
Nora Heston Tarte is a longtime Reno resident. You can follow her local exploits and travel adventures on her Instagram @Wanderlust_n_wine.
