Small businesses are vital to economic engines in our community and state. They have helped make our economy the strongest in the world. During this Quarantine many small local businesses are struggling and have had to revamp and come up with creative solutions to keep their businesses going. Here are some local small businesses that I have worked with on past events that are now offering things to the public during this quarantine.
Sue’s Gallery Cafe - @suesgallerycafe Is a cafe and a gallery in Saratoga Village I am planning to feature when I host a walking event in Saratoga next spring. Sue’s Gallery Cafe is a mom-and-pop dedicated to serving delicious, quality drinks that we love. Sue also makes one of a kind handmade ceramics. All of her pottery is used in the cafe and is available for sale in the gallery. The interactive nature of the cafe allows guests to try out their ceramic pieces for themselves, with every latte, tea, ice cream or pastry that they order.
Currently during this quarantine Sue’s Gallery Cafe is closed. They were offering free bags of coffee (“Alta” hazelnut and cocoa) from Kenz Coffee Roasters daily, which they set outside from 9:00 am - 10:00 am. Unfortunately the last day for this was on Wednesday April 8th. I went to pick up a bag on the last day and there was a cute note attached saying “This is a little something you can enjoy at home. I hope this coffee warms your heart, boosts your immune system, and strengthens you to fight through! Love, JJ”. The good news is they are still offering a cup of fresh brewed Kenz Coffee so just tap on the window and Sue’s husband JJ will pour a warm cup of fresh brewed coffee with a smile along with some friendly conversation. suesgallerycafe.com
Dolce Sicilia - @dolcesicilia is a small piece of Italy in the Bay Area. it was the starting point for my most recent I Love WG Walk in downtown Willow Glen. Dolce Sicilia is a family business established in 2011, owned by the Federico family that moved from Sicily to the Silicon Valley. They started out selling at local farmers markets. In 2018 they opened their first shop in the heart of Willow Glen. They serve high-quality homemade products including pastries, pastas, and more with basic ingredients imported from Italy. Their delights have been handcrafted to perfection with their family recipes to captivate your taste buds.
Currently during this quarantine Dolce Sicilia is offering pick-up and delivery through online orders from their website via Door Dash. I recommend their Feta Spinach Croissant for something savory and their Limoncella Mascarpone cake for dessert. dolcesicilia.info
Fractal Flora @fractalflora is a florist located in downtown San Jose at the Moment Pop-Up Shops. Fractal Flora is where people and plants coexist and they benefit richly from one another. This florist has created a place of exploration for people to come and nurture their curiosity for plant life. They encourage whimsical, mystical, and eternal storytelling through their customizable terrariums allowing customers to escape to places that they have visited. I featured Fractal Flora in two of my scavenger hunt events in downtown San Jose in 2018 and 2019. My guests really enjoyed escaping into another place while creating their own terrariums.
During this quarantine Fractal Flora is offering mini Succulent Propagation Kits. They are also offering bouquets of 10 stems for $15 and you can pickup pre-ordered flower arrangements at Voyager Coffee on Stevens Creek Boulevard. fractalflora.com
Enoteca La Storia @enotecalastoria_downtown in downtown San Jose is an Italian wine bar and restaurant run by Mike Guerra and Joe Cannistraci. Enoteca La Storia means Enoteca (wine library) and La Storia (Story). They provide thoughtfully crafted menus and a wide selection of offerings. The downtown San Jose location is their second, which helped to revamp San Jose’s Little Italy. I hosted a wine gathering at the Little Italy location for my Historic San Jose Scavenger Hunt event in August 2018.
Enoteca La Storia grows their own tomatoes and Cannistraci is now on the World Tomato Society. Their home grown tomatoes are amazing served with the fresh Mozzarella and is easily my favorite appetizer there.
Guerra is a professional sommelier. He hosts a wine club with high quality selections with rotating regionals and varietals. Everything they serve is either local or Italian.
Enoteca La Storia was featured in the 10.1 Issue of Content Magazine for March/April 2018 with a great article about the restaurant’s history and their amazing food. Check it out.
During this quarantine Enoteca La Storia is offering growler refills, dinner menu items, and Italian family meals such as pasta and Sicilian pizza, along with batched wine and cocktails to go. enotecalastoria.com/sanjose
Braise Willow Glen @braisewillowglen opened in 2017. The owners Josh Hanoka and Anthony Jimenez wanted to bring a new kind of restaurant to San Jose. Braise was built upon their shared desire to create a community by serving new dishes with fresh local ingredients. Nine months after Braise opened they had a electrical fire in back of their building and they were closed for three months. They had to start again from scratch. Fortunately Braise has survived two openings. Now they have had a new challenge with the COVID-19 Virus with everyone now in quarantine.
Braise Willow Glen was featured in the 11.5 Issue of Content Magazine for November/December 2019 with a great article about the restaurant’s story and their awesome food. Check it out.
During this quarantine Braise is offering a To Go Market which is first come first served pick up items, with time slots to choose from to take home and enjoy. The menu includes mains, soups, assorted starters, small bites, desserts, home cooking supplies, cocktails, wines, beers to go and cordials, along with a bone for your dog. For small bites I recommend starting with their Cheddar Beignets paired with a Sauvignon Blanc. We had Braise Willow Glen for brunch during my I Love WG Walk event in February and I had their Little Gem Salad with fried chicken added. The salad was delicious! One of the mains on the To Go Market Menu is Buttermilk fried chicken. Last night we picked some up for a special Friday dinner. The Buttermilk Fried Chicken was truly unforgettable! To end your meal I recommend for dessert the Pot de Créme w/Sea Salt. It’s great paired with a Pinot Noir. braisetogo.square.site
Once things are somewhat back to normal my husband and I are going to reschedule the date night we had to cancel in March and enjoy a special dinner to celebrate!
If you are tired of eating at home and want to try one of these amazing local small businesses for take-out or some added home décor please help support them during this tough time.
Stay tuned for my Los Gatos Coffee & Chocolate Walk event in downtown Los Gatos on October 10, 2020. Everyone will be ready to get out and be with friends while supporting local small businesses. Save the date! @eventshopdesign
