Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Kids Concert: Local singer/ songwriter Lisa Atkinson and her husband, George Kincheloe, performed a children's concert for approximately 150 parents and children as part of the Campbell Summer Concert series.
Best of Campbell 2002: Dining & Entertainment
Campbellites love to eat and they have plenty of choices in a city that enjoys a variety of restaurants, from quaint eateries to fancy establishments serving gourmet fare. The exciting opening of Stoddard's earlier this year showed that Campbellites are always open to new eating establishments, as well as enjoying their old favorites. The continued popularity of the year-round Farmer's Market also reveals our readers' passion for food, and their continued support of festivities like Oktoberfest and the summer concerts shows they're always ready for a good time and good bite to eat.
Best Breakfast
Best All-American Restaurant
Stacks
Campbell's best bet for breakfast bites has a name that describes the servings of its signature pancakes, but the name "Stacks" could also describe almost any other breakfast item on the menu, as the place is famous for its quantity--not to mention its quality.
Stacks steps up to the plate with eight different homemade pancake batters, including blueberry, raisin-walnut and banana-macadamia-coconut. Then there's the "Lumberjack" flapjacks, which combine blueberries, bananas, raisins, walnuts and wheat germ. Belgian waffles are another popular stackable. Not to be outdone by the pancakes, they come in seven varieties, complemented by everything from apples to bacon to chocolate chips.
Patrons looking for more protein on their plates will find it with Stacks' Super Omelets, House Specials and Daily Features. The omelets are self-explanatory. The latter two categories include huevos rancheros, steak and eggs, Stacks' breakfast sandwich, lox and bagels and biscuits and gravy. Sides and other items include fruit and yogurt smoothies, granola and cold cereal. One item not to be missed is Stacks' home-style potatoes--delicious comfort food!
With a menu so chock-full of all-American breakfasts--not to mention great lunches--it's small wonder that the eatery was also voted Best All-American Restaurant. Hours are 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.
Stacks, 139 E. Campbell Ave. 408.376.3516
Best Fine Dining
Buca Restaurant & Catering
The term buca refers to a hole in the wall, but that's a far cry from Buca, the gourmet Italian bistro Campbellites call the best place for fine dining. And why not, when its crisp white tablecloths, fresh flowers, romantic candles and delicious aromas make it impossible to resist?
Buca is a team effort by three co-owners, combining the catering sales skills of Lynne Holland, the marketing savvy of Susan Ardizzone and the culinary wizardry of Justin Perez. An honors graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, Executive Chef Perez is also an expert at pairing food and wine--evident from his special "tastings" menu, available in addition to the restaurant's regular menu of appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, pastas and desserts with an Italian flair.
"While most restaurants do a little catering on the side, Buca is primarily a catering company," the trio explain on their website, www.bucafinecatering.com. This means that every week, many more people get to enjoy Buca food.
This spring and summer, for example, Mirassou Wine Cellars in nearby Los Gatos hosts two Buca-catered lunches and dinners--including one on Mother's Day. From salads such as scallion-tied butter and red-leaf lettuces with pancetta, dried cherries, focaccia croutons and Roquefort vinaigrette, to desserts like caramelized peach shortcake with Tahitian vanilla bean crême anglaise, every Buca recipe is a work of art.
Buca Restaurant & Catering, 2081 S. Winchester Blvd., 408.871.3135 (restaurant) or 408.871.3131 (catering)
Best Take-out Meals
Baja Fresh Mexican Grill
Among the claims to fame of Baja Fresh is the fact that its kitchen contains no freezers, no microwaves and no can openers. That ensures that all the food--from salsa to tortillas to shrimp--is prepared as fresh as possible.
After it's prepared, however, the food is sometimes eaten in places that do contain the aforementioned taboo pieces of machinery--but Baja Fresh doesn't mind. In fact, the restaurant has reason to celebrate, as it's just been named Campbell's best place for getting food to go!
No matter what type of Mexican food folks are craving, they can find it at Baja Fresh. The menu, as big as the portions, includes many kinds of burritos, tacos, taquitos, quesadillas, nachos, tostadas, ensaladas (salads) and tortas (sandwiches).
If all that isn't enough, there are also side orders of rice, beans, cebollitas (fire-roasted seasoned green onions) and, of course, chips and salsa--made with fresh "Salsa Baja." Carry-out party platters with several entree and side dish choices are also available (with advance notice) for special occasions or simply for large, hungry families.
Baja Fresh Mexican Grill, 1976 S. Bascom Ave., 408.377.2600
Best $5 Lunch
Alie's Corner Cafe
The phone book is full of places called Allie's, but anyone searching for this lunch-bunch favorite there won't find it. That's because the name of this friendly little eatery in downtown Campbell has only one "l."
That's not the only thing that sets it apart, at least according to all the readers who voted it the best place to grab a $5 lunch--definitely an uncommon commodity in this valley! Served Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., lunch at Alie's is simple yet filling, with something for everyone.
There's an amazing array of salads, including tri-colored pasta salad with fresh veggies and feta cheese; Thai chicken salad with angel hair pasta, zucchini, carrots and sesame oil; warm spinach salad with bacon bits, mushrooms, egg and vinaigrette dressing; and tuna salad on mixed greens with cucumbers, mushrooms and tomatoes. Menu offerings also include hot homemade soups, fresh deli sandwiches and tasty french fries.
Alie's Corner Cafe, 360 E. Campbell Ave., 408.871.0533
Best Place to See and Be Seen
Tie: Orchard Valley Coffee - Katie Blooms Irish Pub and Restaurant
Some people like to safely observe what's going on in an establishment from the sidelines, while others like to enter with élan and have all eyes upon them. Campbellites of either persuasion--or a little of both--find their fixes at Orchard Valley Coffee and Katie Blooms Irish Pub and Restaurant.
Orchard Valley, a local fixture since 1993, is a great people-watching spot for many reasons, not the least of which is its large size. For more on this popular gathering spot, see Best Coffeehouse listing in this section.
It's sure no blarney why Katie Bloom's is an equally good place to see and be seen. With its traditional Irish pub interior and charming outdoor patio, the place exudes old-country warmth. Whether gathering with friends in a booth for pub grub washed down by Irish ales and beers on tap, or simply mulling over life on a barstool, this is the place to be. And don't miss Wednesday nights at 8 p.m., when the stage is set for Brainstormer Pub Quiz, a live trivia game played with teams. See Katie Blooms under Best Cocktail listing in this section, as well.
Orchard Valley Coffee, 349 E. Campbell Ave., 408.374.2115
Katie Blooms, 369 E. Campbell Ave., 408.379.9687
Best Pizza
Papa John's Pizza
It's actually just outside the Campbell city limits, but the Saratoga Avenue Papa John's is the closest franchise to Campbell, so we're assuming that's the one whose praises readers sang about. Not that it really matters, since all Papa John's have the same delicious menu.
The foremost feature of that menu is the pizza, which comes in three sizes--small, large and Big Papa, and two crusts--thin or original. The menu offers three combinations: The Works, Garden Special and All the Meats. However, customers are welcome to customize their pies by choosing among 15 different meat, veggie and cheese toppings. It's enough to make one's head spin faster than a freshly tossed pizza!
As if that weren't enough, Papa John's--whose slogan is "Better Ingredients. Better Pizza"--complements its namesake food with breadsticks, cheesesticks and zesty dipping sauces.
Papa John's Pizza, 1824 Saratoga Ave., Saratoga, 408.370.7272
Best Sandwich
Tie: Subway - Grain D'Or
One is a large 36-year-old franchise that boasts more than 16,000 stores in 75 countries. The other is a younger, quieter franchise that boasts nothing--well, except for the fact that it's as good as gold! Subway--the world's largest submarine sandwich chain, and Grain D'Or--the rustic bakeries whose name translates to "grain of gold," share something important in common: they've tied as the best local sandwich venues.
Six-incher, footlong or wrap; white, wheat or onion bread; mayonnaise, mustard or both; cheese, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, pickles, green peppers, olives, hot peppers--or all of the above! These are just some of the choices available to hungry Subway patrons.
And then, of course, there's the meat. Is it a roast beef type of day? How about ham, or Subway's own Cold Cut Trio? Perhaps lighter choices are in order, like turkey or chicken breast. Or maybe hearty meals like meatball or steak and cheese and ocean specialties like tuna and seafood and crab.
Any way you slice it, Grain D'Or knows that the best sandwiches start with the best breads, and they have 11 freshly baked ones from which to choose for any sandwich. These include traditional chewy baguettes, thin and airy pain d'campagne, rustic country whole wheat, cheesy asiago focaccia, buttery croissants and healthy nine-grain.
Now the real fun begins--selecting a sandwich itself! Even the names sound delicious, such as Farmers' Chicken Salad, Roast Beef Eater's Dream, Ham and Cambozola Brie, Vegetarian Feast, Fresh Mozzarella with Eggplant, Grilled Ham and Swiss and the classic BLT. Grain D'Or's fresh soups and salads are the perfect complement.
Subway, 3481 Bascom Ave., 408.377.9227; 2005 Winchester Blvd., 408. 370.9003; 882 Hamilton Ave., 408.370.2133
Grain D'Or, 1700 S. Bascom Ave., 408.559.3901
Best Free Entertainment
Music in the Park
Located on Civic Center Drive between city hall and the Campbell Public Library is the Orchard City Green, the venue for the city's best bet for an evening of inexpensive entertainment. Music in the Park brings people of all ages and bands and singers of all genres to downtown Campbell for a series of concerts throughout the summer on Thursday nights from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Rock-and-rollers, country boot-scooters, jazz crooners and everyone in between can be seen visiting with new and old friends, relaxing on the grass and taking in the tunes.
While the music and ambiance are free for the taking, food and drinks are not. Hungry concert-goers have the option of bringing their own refreshments from home--along with their lawn chairs and blankets--or purchasing snacks from Campbell Museum Foundation members. Food includes barbecued hot dogs and Polish sausages, cookies, chips, sodas, beer and wine. Proceeds benefit the Campbell Historical Museum and the Ainsley House.
Music in the Park, Orchard City Green, 408.866.2108 for information
Best Hamburger
Kirk's Steakburgers
While a certain steak sauce is famous for the claim that it "makes hamburgers taste like steakburgers," there's a place in Campbell whose claim to fame is steakburgers to begin with--Kirk's! A fast-food icon for years and years, the joint must be doing something right, because people keep coming back.
It's not the ambiance, which is a simple, square building with big windows and timeworn vinyl booths. The temptation comes from the big, juicy hamburgers and hot dogs grilled over charcoal in a pit that patrons can actually see, hear and smell. Fresh-off-the-barbecue taste doesn't get better than this. There's also an amazing number of burgers from which to choose, including single burgers, double burgers, cheeseburgers, chili burgers and even Kirk's famous pineapple burgers.
While the menu at Kirk's also offers french fries, sodas, ice cream and a children's menu, it's the meaty burgers for which it will always be best known.
Kirk's Steakburgers, 2388 S. Bascom Ave., 408.371.3565
Best Italian Food
Tie: Mama Mia - Mio Vicino
Italian cuisine is of such high quality in Campbell that it's understandable that residents would have a hard time choosing just one. So they chose both Mama Mia and Mio Vicino. This is fitting because each restaurant offers a different style of Italian food.
Located in the city for five years, Mama Mia prides itself on being part of the Campbell community. Owner Frank Leamy says his restaurant hosts "suits" during the lunch rush and families during dinnertime. Leamy says the family establishment specializes in seafood dishes and "red check" atmosphere. He adds that there are even three or four dishes on the menu because a family member of a customer served it to him or her growing up. (Mama Mia is also kid-friendly; see listing under Kidstuff.)
Meanwhile, Mio Vicino offers "California-styled" Italian cuisine, meaning that the meals are prepared with fresh vegetables and herbs from the state. Its chicken canneloni, a frequent favorite, offers a blend of Italian-style cooking and fresh California ingredients.
Marsha Smith, manager of Mio Vicino, says the restaurant also offers a fun and lively ambience, complete with open-air patio. On a Friday, they've been known to accommodate 200 to 300 diners.
Mama Mia, 200 E. Hamilton Ave., 408.379.3333
Mio Vicino, 384 E. Campbell Ave., 408.378.0778
Best Asian Food
Tie: Tsing Tao - Blue Sky - Kyoto Palace
Campbell voters must really love Asian food, because they simply could not agree on a winner! Hence, a three-way tie among two Chinese restaurants and one Japanese restaurant.
Tsing Tao is the authority when it comes to prix fixe family dinners. Most Chinese restaurants stop bringing new entrees to the table after the fourth person, choosing instead to simply increase portion size. At Tsing Tao, however, up to six people can enjoy the family dinners and sample six different, delicious entrees.
This isn't the first time Blue Sky has won a Best of Campbell award, and it probably won't be the last. Known for serving a wide variety of traditional dishes as well as chef's specialties not often seen at other Chinese restaurants, Blue Sky is also known for its very reasonable prices. The take-out trade is brisk, too.
For something a little different, try Kyoto Palace. It's a delight for connoisseurs of sushi and sashimi and carries all the favorites, including sweet shrimp, squid, salmon roe, tuna, crab, octopus and eel. Less adventuresome diners will appreciate options like miso soup, teriyaki steak, and teppan chicken, shrimp and lobster tail.
Tsing Tao, 104 San Tomas Aquino Road, 408.379.5169
Blue Sky, 2028 S. Winchester Blvd., 408.378.0424
Kyoto Palace, 1875 Bascom Ave. (in the Pruneyard), 408.377.6456
Best Mexican Food
El Burro
The city of Campbell is celebrating 50 years of incorporation. It's amazing to think that during a great portion of the city's existence, El Burro restaurant has been a fixture in the community. Established in 1971, the owner of the restaurant has always stressed good food and good service. What has also remained the same for more than 30 years is the menu.
According to manager Laurie Jalali, there have been some minor changes, but essentially El Burro, which in English means "The Donkey," has been serving up the same quality dishes for more than three decades. Countless regulars still flock to El Burro for its signature Chile Verde, Enchiladas Suizas and fajitas. Some of the regular patrons have been patronizing the restaurant since their childhood. Hey, if it ain't broke ... .
El Burro, 1875 S. Bascom Ave. No. 570, 408.371.5800
Best Seafood Restaurant
Hawg's Seafood Bar
Hawg's co-owner Matthew Hardin says he likes simplicity to be the norm at his seafood restaurant. Nothing "exotic" (translation: nothing overpriced) on the menu; familiarity is the key. Hardin says the "familiarity" niche that many other restaurants ignore, is one the restaurant fills, and it's what keeps it in business.
Hence, it makes sense that the Hawg's menu has stayed the same in its more than five years of existence. The restaurant uses the same distributors for its fresh ingredients. And the customers must be happy with the state of affairs, because they keep coming back; Hardin estimates that 85 percent of the customers are regulars. And with dishes like garlic prawns and paella, who can blame them?
Hawg's Seafood Bar, 1700 W. Campbell Ave., 408.379.9555
Best Coffeehouse
Orchard Valley Coffee
One thing a visitor to Orchard Valley Coffee notices right away is that there's one thing that's almost as abundant as caffeinated drinks--laptops, lots of 'em. On any given afternoon, there will be eight or nine customers lounging in the coffeehouse's comfortable and relaxing atmosphere, taking advantage of the location's wireless Internet access. According to co-owner Keith Cova, the shop is the most popular access point for their network in the Bay Area. That's impressive, considering that the Starbucks of Silicon Valley are hooked up to the same network. Things stay casual and mellow at Orchard, which also boasts a fireplace.
Oh yeah, they've also got coffee. About 30 different drinks are available. Some of the popular favorites are the frosted mochas and frosted cappuccinos (great for hot South Bay days), two kinds of chai, and the Downtown Blend. The latter is a secret six-bean blend, which Cova says Orchard sells in quantities four times that of any other blend. And the ambience is primo as well.
Orchard Valley Coffee, 349 E. Campbell Ave., 408.374.2115
Best Outdoor Patio
Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery
With its expansive open-air patio, the Rock Bottom Brewery is the best place to enjoy a handcrafted beer on a summer night, according to our readers. Boasting what it proclaims as "the largest open air dining area in Campbell," the patio at Rock Bottom can hold approximately 120 people, and you best believe it's filled to capacity every day and every night all summer long.
The patio provides a great place to enjoy the brewery's full menu of crafted beers-- six regular and two specialty brews. Some of the current favorite drinks are the Pale Ale and the Raccoon Red, which is called such because, well, it's cute.
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, 1875 S. Bascom Ave., 408.377.0707
Best Bar
King's Head Pub
King's Head Pub is the quintessential "everyone knows your name" bar in Campbell. Which is impressive, since the bartenders and managers have lost count of all the regulars.
Unlike other stodgy bars that hold their customers at arm's length, King's Head prides itself on being a "family pub." Bartenders are on a first-name basis with much of their clientele.
The pub, which has been part of the community for the past four years, features 18 beers on tap, a full bar, as well as some killer fish and chips and bangers and mash. A friendly pub in every sense.
The King's Head Pub, 1461 Campbell Ave., 408.871.2499
Best Beer/Wine Selection
Stoddard's
Stoddard's may have only set up shop in Campbell two months ago, but it's already won a place in the hearts of many local residents. Maybe they're attracted to the plethora of beer and wine options available when they walk through the door.
According to General Manager Gustavo Arambula, on any given night, Stoddard's has six different beers on tap to go along with its 35 different wines and three champagnes, all available by the glass or the bottle. Arambula says generally the most popular beers are Kolsch, a light German ale with a maltier taste, and their Pale Ale, a medium copper brew made with cascade hops.
And the customers keep coming for them. On an average Friday night, Stoddard's welcomes 400 to 500 people through its doors. Must be the hops.
Stoddard's, 200 E. Campbell Ave., 408.370.2033
Best Cocktails
Tie: Giuseppe Italian Restaurant - Elephant Bar Restaurant - Katie Blooms Irish Pub and Restaurant
Whether shaken or stirred, a great cocktail makes the bar-hopping experience worthwhile. With so many high quality cocktails out there, choosing just one establishment is hard to do. So readers served up three locations for their favorite cocktails.
Besides being a first-class Italian restaurant, Giuseppe, which has resided in Campbell for nearly a decade, is known for churning out some first-class cocktails. According to Giuseppe himself, the restaurant hosts DJs on Wednesdays and Thursdays, which brings out South Bay denizens to enjoy Cosmopolitans and other mixed and blended delights.
The Elephant Bar offers much more than just a stuffed elephant on the wall. For the past four years, it's been serving its customers top-of-the-line cocktails in its unique atmosphere. Jungle Coladas are frequently the drink of choice, while the apple and jungle martini is the ideal safari choice.
While Katie Blooms may be known as an Irish pub, the barkeeps have mixed it up with the best of them for 3 1/2 years. In keeping with the bar's solid, down-to-to-earth decor, the full bar serves up solid, down-to-earth drinks. Cocktail-wise, perennial favorites like gin and tonics, rum and Coke and the kamikaze reign supreme.
Giuseppe Italian Restaurant , 33 S. Campbell Ave., 408.370.7705
Elephant Bar Restaurant, 499 E. Hamilton Ave., 408.871.8401
Katie Blooms Irish Pub and Restaurant, 369 E. Campbell Ave., 408.379.9687
The Best of Campbell 2002
Sense of Community
People & Professions
Goods & Services
Kids Stuff
Places & Spaces
Campbell, California
