San Pedro Holiday Market today

There are only a few days left until Christmas, but there are still many opportunities to buy gifts--especially from local entrepreneurs. The San Jose Downtown Association, City of San Jose, and SJMADE are hosting a holiday market at 60 N. San Pedro Street today in the heart of San Pedro Square. There will be over 20 vendors including:

• Ceramics By Jane
• Maco Decor
• Kyla Camille Candles
• Genevieve Inspired
• AJNA California
• Voyager Leather Crafts
• Yours Truly, Mary Anne
• The Hungry Sloth
• Kawaii Glass Co
• Charlotte Truffles
• SoyFeliz
• Love Through Letterpress
• Jale
• Peachisekai
• Thousand Skies
• A Jar of Pickles
• The Herbal Alchemist
• Dandekie

The event will run from noon to 6pm and you also get 90 minutes of free parking at the Market & San Pedro Garage, conveniently located next to the event.

For more info, head over here.

4th Annual Vine to Wine at the San Pedro Square Market

The San Pedro Square Market is hosting the 4th Annual Vine to Wine event, a great opportunity to samples various wines and bites while listening to music. Tickets come with a souvenir glass and six different tastings. There will also be a marketplace with craft vendors and a chance to wine a 3-stop winery tour on the Morgan Hill Wine Trolly.

Below is a list of participating wineries. You can find more info and buy tickets over here.

PARTICIPATING GRAND TASTING WINERIES:

Bella Montagna

Calerrain Wines

Cinnabar Winery

Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards

Cottage Creek Vineyards

DeRose Winery

EmmaLily Vineyards

Fortino Winery

Guglielmo Winery

L&M Vineyard

Lightpost Winery

Lion Ranch Vineyards & Winery

Little Uvas Vineyard

Moose Mountains

Sarah's Vineyard

Satori Cellars

Solis Winery

Verde Vineyards

_________

PARTICIPATING BUBBLY BAR WINERIES:

Cottage Creek Vineyards

Guglielmo Winery

Fortino Winery

Lightpost Winery

Sarah's Vineyard

_________

PARTICIPATING DESSERT WINE BAR WINERIES:

Updated Weekly

Cinnabar Winery

Fortino Winery

Lightpost Winery

San Pedro Square in Downtown San Jose is officially closed to cars... permanently

In a move that will delight pedestrians and Downtown San Jose advocates, San Pedro Square will officially become a pedestrian mall between West Santa Clara Street and St. John Street. It was first closed to traffic for an extended period to provide more room for outdoor diners during COVID and helped dozens of businesses to survive. After the pandemic, few people seemed to miss the ability to drive through the street.

Turning this area into a permanent pedestrian mall will allow even more activation up and down the street. It was already the most thriving district in Downtown San Jose, due in a large part to the San Pedro Square Market. Now the possibilities to add more businesses in the parking garage or even temporary popups down the middle of the street will help take the district to the next level. 

Improvements such as enhanced lighting and more public art are already in discussions with property owners in the area.

Source: SVBJ

The story behind San Jose's oldest building

SJtoday has a great overview of the Peralta Adobe, the oldest structure in San Jose. The inconspicuous building now sits in the middle of the San Pedro Square Market and occasionally public tours are offered of the historic structure. It's over 200 years old and predates even San Jose's existence as a city.

For the quick history of the building that you can use to impress your friends over beers next time you're at the Market, head over here.

San Jose Roots: Celebrating our Heritage at the San Pedro Square Market today

Today there is a special event happening at the San Pedro Square Market today from 1-4pm with rare access to the Gonzales/Peralta Adobe and the Carmela & Thomas Fallon House. San Jose Roots is a celebration of our city's cultural diversity and is hosted by History San Jose, Mosaic, and The San Pedro Square Market.

The event will feature cultural performances, hands-on activities, and community booths from local and cultural organizations. There will also be free tours of the Gonzales/Peralta Adobe and the Carmela & Thomas Fallon House. This does not happen often, so it would be an ideal opportunity to see these two historic buildings.

The Gonzales/Peralta Adobe is situated in the middle of the San Pedro Square Market and is the oldest building in San Jose. The Carmela & Thomas Fallon House is across the street and represents an early Victorian home. Thomas Fallon was mayor of San Jose from 1859-1860.

In order to provide more space for the festivities, St. John Street will be closed in front of The San Pedro Square Market.

The San Pedro Square Market Re-Opens Today!

Bit-by-bit, more of the San Jose economy is opening up. Several vendors at the SoFA Market have continued to stay open for pickup and delivery, such as Habana Cuba, Pizzetta 408, and Umi Hand Roll. Now the San Pedro Square Market is finally opening up again.

Participating eateries include:

• Anchors
• Bread Brothers
• Gameday
• JORA Ceviche Bar
• Pizza Bocca Lupo
• Pasta Fresca
• Phonomenal
• Taco Bar
• Urban Momo
• Voyager Craft Coffee

Initially these will be open only for pickup and delivery. Given the abundance of outdoor seating at the San Pedro Square Market, I think this will be one of the first places in San Jose where you will be able to have a somewhat "normal" dining experience in the coming months since they will be able to easily conform to California guidelines.

It might be a good idea to shut down all of San Pedro Street between Santa Clara and St. John and use this area for socially distanced outdoor dining for all the San Pedro Street restaurants. It is not unprecedented as we did something similar during Super Bowl 50.

I will definitely be visiting sometime this week!

Tom McEnery is reviving Manny's Cellar

Former San Jose mayor Tom McEnery is bringing back a beloved and famous (infamous perhaps?) bar in the basement of the Fallon House called "Manny's Cellar." The bar was often visited by city elites and has quite a bit of history behind it. The Fallon House itself is a historic building across the street from the San Pedro Square Market and the Peralta Adobe--San Jose's oldest building.

The new bar would try to preserve the history and character of the former bar, and would have a period-appropriate aesthetic. I'm picturing a speakeasy similar to Haberdasher in SoFA.

The project would also benefit History San Jose as there would be a new docent program for the historic buildings and they would receive 10% of the net profits from Manny's Cellar 2.0.

Tom McEnery also wants to see if the Fallon House and Peralta Adobe could be opened to the public without charging for admission. Both are some of the most historically significant buildings in California and he wants as many people as possible to see them.

What a great way to re-purpose an area that has been used for storage for the past 25 years and help activate a historic building!

Source: San Jose Spotlight

SPSM Tree Lighting Ceremony

Tomorrow at 4pm, the San Pedro Square Market is having its annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony. The event is free and features music, carolers, and holiday activities.

San Pedro Square Market - 6 Year Anniversary

Tomorrow after Viva Calle 2017, you can swing by the SPSM for live music, games, and food/drink specials! Six bands will play on six rotating stages throughout the day. The San Pedro Square Market in my mind was the true turning point for Downtown San Jose and I'm thrilled to see it continue to thrive.

What will the next six years bring? Expect an expansion of the market across the street to the left of the Fallon House along with 30,000 SQFT of new retail on the ground floor of Silvery Towers (the two new high-rises). The Market will only get more popular going forward.

Easter Extravaganza

We hope you all have a great weekend. If you are looking for a fun Easter event for the kids, the San Pedro Square Market is hosting an Easter egg hunt and craft activities this Sunday from noon to 3pm. For the adults you have live music and three bars =).

San Pedro Squared

At long last it looks like the San Pedro Square parking structure is getting retail along San Pedro Street. New boutique shops will take a small number of parking spaces on the first floor while "curb cafes" will extend the experience along the street itself. This should help make the area even more lively and pedestrian friendly.

In 2015, the SJDA was awarded a Knight Cities Challenge grant towards making this project a reality. Construction is scheduled to begin this July and will hopefully be done by September. For more info, check out the Downtown San Jose Construction Brief.

San Pedro Square Market 5 Year Anniversary

I can't believe it has already been five years since the San Pedro Square Market opened up. It all started with just two vendors and a dream. Now the SPSM is one of the top destinations in Downtown San Jose--and a key contributor to the area's revitalization.

To celebrate, The San Pedro Square Market is holding an event on Thursday, September 8th with games, food & drink specials, live music, and tours of the historic Peralta Adobe. The entire city is invited to this free event, and it's open to all ages. Games will start at 5pm with music running from 7pm-11pm on two outdoor stages. Check out the schedule below for more details.

Event Schedule

• 5:00pm - The Barracuda mascot (Frenzy) opens our night with the inflatable puck challenge. Additional games include: a giant two person high striker game, two regulation corn hole sets, giant open air Photo booth, and a XXL corn hole set available for everyone’s enjoyment. Most tenants will be offering items for $5 or less and to commemorate our largest and longest running event at the Market, the bars will feature an Oktoberfest beer for only $5 while supplies last.
• 6:00pm - Mayor Liccardo's opening speech will be on the Sidewalk Cafe commemorating 5yrs at the Market
• 6:30pm - The Urban Outlaws Band will start the opening music performance on the Sidewalk Cafe and will perform until 9:30pm
• 7:30pm - Treatbot kicks off their Karaoke Night in the Market Hall building of SPSM
• 8:00pm - Our headlining music performance OTR Band (winner of The KFOX Last Band Standing competition) opens on the main stage in the plaza and will play until 11pm

3rd Annual Whiskies of the World - March 24th

The third Annual Whiskies of the World San Jose is returning to the San Pedro Square Market next Thursday. The event will feature a whopping 200 whiskies to taste. There will also be food, whisky seminars, networking with the distillers, and optional classes on cigar pairings. Best of all, you will be drinking for a good cause as proceeds will benefit the Breast Cancer Emergency Fund. To register for the event, head over here.

New Year's Eve 2015 At the Market!

Once again the San Pedro Square Market is hosting a free New Year's Event! This year the theme is Star Wars and costumes are highly encouraged. All ages are welcome.

Music will be provided by Groovy Judy (info below). There will be specialty Star Wars-themed cocktails all night such as Vader-Ade, Yoda Soda, and Qui-Gon Gin & Tonic. At midnight the Market will be doing a balloon drop.

The festivities start at 9pm and the Market will be open until 1am.

More on Groovy Judy | Hendrix inspired Funk Rock: Groovy Judy is one of the “top” female guitarists and entertainers in the The Bay Area. Influenced by great artists such as Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles and Sly and The Family Stone, her style and energy equals some of today’s most-known artists. Her stellar guitar playing, inspirational lyrics, colorful dress, and upbeat personality help people smile and feel good about themselves. She performs all over The Bay Area and beyond. With her band she always puts on an upbeat, positive show that gets people up and dancing.

Centerra Has Two Pending Leases!

That giant high-rise across the street from the San Pedro Square Market already has leases pending for two of its five retail pads on the ground floor. L'epi D'or is a popular Asian Bakery in Cupertino. A bakery has been at the top of people's wishlists for the San Pedro Square Market, so I think this will be a great addition to the area.

Popbar would take the prime corner spot at St. John and Almaden Avenue. It is a dessert shop featuring handcrafted gelato on a stick. It is a small chain with several international destinations but only two locations in the US (New York and Anaheim). The pistachio gelato wrapped in crushed pistachios and dipped in dark chocolate looks amazing. If this opens up, I will definitely be swinging by every time I go to the San Pedro Square Market.

The fact that this retail is already filling up is exciting news and a great sign for the San Pedro area in Downtown San Jose!

Source: Robertee from the San Jose Development Forum

San Pedro Square Market 4th Anniversary Party Tomorrow!

Tomorrow marks a very special occasion for the San Jose community. The San Pedro Square Market is turning four!

I'm not sure if you remember the overall sentiment in 2011, but most people expected this project to be a complete failure. Even those commenting on this blog did not believe it could work. Fast forward to today and the SPSM is the crown jewel of Downtown San Jose. It attracts more people than any other food/retail option Downtown and is driving further development and expansion in the immediate area. Without the SPSM, Centerra and Silvery Towers would never happen. I don't think any other project in a decade has had such a strong impact on Downtown San Jose's brand. Heck, it is so successful that it already has two clones coming online in Downtown San Jose alone.

Given everything the San Pedro Square Market has contributed to the area, we should pay it a little respect during its 4th anniversary tomorrow. They are hosting a special event (free admissions) that starts at 6pm and features $4 dishes from all restaurants and live music. It would also be a good time to try out SPSM's two newest restaurants, Oni Mexicatessen and Lou's Beachshack. Both are excellent!

San Pedro Square Market Outdoor Cinema Series

San Pedro Square Market Special Events: Join SPSM this summer for 3 free movie nights! Bring the family and invite your friends to enjoy the summer weather, market eateries, and some of our favorite movies on the big screen under the SPSM Sign.

• Hook: June 24th
• Pitch Perfect: July 29th
• The Avengers: August 26th

Bring your blankets and lawn chairs, and we'll see you at dusk!

San Pedro Square Market 2nd Annual Wine Pour

The San Pedro Square Market is hosting its 2nd Annual Wine Pour in late June, featuring a both large selection of unique wines and SJ MADE vendors. Pre-sale tickets are available right now! Scroll down for all of the details.

Please Join us for San Pedro Square Market's 2nd Annual Market Wine Pour on June 27th, 2015 featuring Summer Popups by SJMADE!

Sample different wines while strolling through booths filled with unique creations made by San Jose artists. We will be closing down St. John street in order to provide a large selection of unique wines and vendors. Event is free to all ages.

If you are interested in sampling our wines, tasting tickets are $40 pre-sale and include a souvenir glass, $10 gift card to be used at participating San Pedro Square Market restaurants, and 5 drink tickets for 3-oz pours of your favorite wines. Additional drink tickets will be available for purchase at the event. Tickets will be $50 day of event if we don't sellout first, so get your tickets early!

Wine Tasting begins at 1pm, check-in starting at 12pm. Come early and stay late to enjoy the SJMADE Vendor Faire from 12pm-7pm.

We hope to see you there!

BUY TICKETS HERE

Confirmed Wines:

Jaume Serra Cristalino Brut

Condes de Albarei Albarino

Pata Negra Verdejo

Pata Negra Rioja

Conde de Valdemar Riojo

Belle Ambiance Chardonnay

Belle Ambiance Cabernet Sauvignon

Massimo Sauvignon Blanc

Irony Pinot Noir

Handcraft Petite Sirah

Buena Vista Chardonnay

Buena Vista Cabernet

Buena Vista Merlot

Buena Vista Zinfandel

Buena Vista Pinot Noir

Clos Lachance Chardonnay

Clos Lachance Sauvignon Blanc

Clos Lachance Cabernet

Clos Lachance Zinfandel

Clos Lachance Meritage

Free New Year's Eve Party at the San Pedro Square Market!

The San Pedro Square Market is doing another special event this year for New Year's Eve. The theme for 2015 is super heroes and villains, so come dressed up as your favorite. Instead of spending big bucks to go to formal NYE events, you can pay no cover and enjoy all of the reasonably priced food offerings at the Market this New Year.

DJ Danny G will be spinning from 9pm to 1am at the Garage Bar. There is no additional link or registration, just show up and have fun!

Lou's Beach Shack Coming to San Pedro Square Market!

A direct descendant of the famous Lou's Village Restaurant, Lou's Beach Shack will offer fresh seafood in a scaled down venue. The new eatery will be in the "Garage" area of the San Pedro Square Market next to B2 Coffee and will be open from 11am-10pm, 7 days a week.

The menu looks impressive and will give the Market several food options not provided by any of the other vendors today. You'll find everything from Clam Chowder, Calamari, Oysters, Lobster Sliders, Artichoke Hearts, and Cioppino. Check out the full tentative menu below.

For more information, head over to the Lou's Beach Shack website.

REAL FAST FOOD
Served 11am-10pm 7 Days

Our Famous Deep Fried Calamari    8.95
Fish 'n Chips   8.95
Boston Style Clam Chowder 5.95  Quart 13.95
Bay Calamari Steak Sandwich 8.95
Walkaway Shrimpy    7.95
Today's Oysters on the Half 2.00 ea..
Little Lobster Sliders 14.95
Caesar Salad   8.95     With Shrimp 13.95
Top Loaded Grilled Cheese Sandwich   7.95
Oh. My. Cod Fries  7.95
Deep Fried Castroville Artichoke Hearts  7.95
Capitola Fries a la Babe   5.95
Chickie's Cold Slaw  5.95

Chocolate Dipped Frozen Banana  5.95
with nuts add .75

Snow Ball
Raspberry, Blue Berry, Egg Custard
4.95

Orange Freeze  5.95

Iced Tea, Lemonade
16 oz  3.95     32 Oz  5.95

Fridays 5PM-9PM feature oysters of the day on the half @1.75 ea
(until gone)
Sunday is Family Poor Man's Cioppino Day 15.95/person while it lasts
(no nut crackers required)
Remember Tuesday is Red's Shrimp Tamale Day 8.95 ea