The Willow Glen Resident

Photograph by Skye Dunlap

Gateway to Innovation: Cafe Primavera manager Rick McDaniel (left), owner Joanna Biondi and executive chef Greg Russi are set to open a third restaurant in the new Tech Museum.

Cafe Primavera set to open in the new Tech Museum

Willow Glen favorite plans to serve more than 650,000 yearly

By Mary Spicuzza

Just one glimpse of the mango-colored construction site of the Tech Museum of Innovation reveals its new location, opening Oct. 31, will clearly be out of the ordinary. Already complete with more than 300 interactive exhibits, four major theme galleries and Hackworth IMAX Dome Theater, the museum has announced an unexpected new attraction--the food. The Tech is teaming up with Willow Glen's Cafe Primavera to open a bistro in its new home, on the corner of Park Avenue and Market Street.

"The museum didn't want industrial food. They want to draw people for the dining as well as the tech experience," Cafe Primavera owner Joanna Biondi says.

Biondi promises to offer museum visitors a wide range of her famously fresh California-style Italian and Mediterranean specialties. Anticipating more than 650,000 techie guests a year, Biondi, executive chef Greg Russi and their team are preparing a menu featuring homemade soups, gourmet sandwiches, salads, pastas, pizza, kid-friendly offerings and decadent desserts. The new bistro will also feature an outdoor patio, an espresso bar and, in keeping with Mediterranean tradition, a hefty beer and wine list.

"We're very excited. It's been a lot of work, and there's more work ahead of us," Biondi says. "But we're thrilled that they've asked us to be a part of The Tech."

Cafe Primavera, whose Willow Glen location on Lincoln Street originally opened as a front store for Biondi's catering business, has earned a broad base of fans during its six years in existence. Primavera has another location, at 303 Almaden, and serves treats from several coffee carts around town.

Among devoted fans of Primavera's downtown restaurant are numerous staff members of The Tech, including Peter Giles, president and CEO, and Chief Financial Officer Maureen Kennedy.

"We went through a bid process and chose [Primavera] for its great food and customer service," says museum spokesman Miguel Salinas. "Plus, they are great supporters of downtown San Jose, and locally owned. Many of us frequent Primavera on our lunch breaks."

Among the new features at the Tech Museum of Innovation are a 299-seat IMAX theater--the only dome screen of its kind in Northern California--and the Robert N. Noyce Center for Learning, an educational resource center for teachers and students.

And of course, one of its newest attractions is the bistro. Cafe Primavera will be the preferred caterer for the museum. The restaurant will also be open to the public--admittance to the museum is not required.

Biondi, a 22-year veteran of the catering business, counts the San Jose Symphony, 3com Corp., the San José Repertory Theatre, Applied Materials and San Jose Ballet among her satisfied customers.

The Tech is expecting 20,000 visitors for its opening-day Halloween festivities, and Biondi and crew are already planning a menu for the enormous crowds on the big day.

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