Eat Drink Local: Downtown San Jose

Many pockets of Silicon Valley are hubs of energy, always bustling with business and leisure. But there are other zones that come alive during very specific times of day or night, month or season. Downtown San Jose is one such spot. It’s no secret that there are countless well-established places here to enjoy a night out, as well as significant destinations for daytime museum and park enrichment. The winter holidays are lively, at every hour for every age. Here are a few of our favorite places to savor the season:

The pulse point for the holidays in Downtown San Jose is at Plaza de Cesar Chavez. The annual (and free) Christmas in the Park is dazzling, with over 40 stalls and exhibits, many of which are musical or animated, hundreds of decorated Christmas trees, a drive-thru light show, plus thematic treats to sample and nightly entertainment on the Jingle Bell Stage. Santa pretty much resides here at all times, so photo opps are no problem. Across the way is Downtown Ice, the outdoor ice skating rink that takes over the Circle of Palms. And there’s also Winter Wonderland, an exciting extension to the festivities in ride form, with almost a dozen to jump on, from a carousel to a 60-foot-high Ferris wheel.

To fully immerse yourself in the spirit of things, a staycation is not a bad idea. The Signia by Hilton (formerly The Fairmont) is central to the festivities, with major holiday happenings on three sides of the hotel tower building. And inside too. The beautiful lobby was completely renovated in 2019, but then the pandemic shut everything down so it feels even more untouched. “A signature of the Signia brand is to have a bustling bar and expansive lobby space,” says Diana Haven, director of marketing. It is a buzzy, sophisticated, lush kind of space, with a sunken circular Aji Bar and Robata restaurant and lounge area in the center with the lobby surrounding it. Velvet couches, lots of pillows and nooks to tuck away into will make this your coziest winter hideout pre or post ice skating (it’s right next door) or Christmas in the Park outing (across the street). Executive Chef Joe Derla oversees the menu of Japanese Peruvian food, inspired by the Japanese grilling technique over Binchotan charcoal and the spicy vibrancy of Peru’s culinary landscape. Items like the yuzu kosho and honey-glazed chicken wings or the crispy salmon tartare gyoza skin tacos are excellent while sipping on the interesting cocktail program. Try the lavender-kissed Murasaki Empress or the Nikkei-inspired Rising Sun with Toki Japanese whiskey and a red wine float. Special programming for the holidays includes a lavish Christmas Day brunch in the other restaurant on site, Fountain. Think chilled seafood bar, prime rib with Yorkshire pudding and an extensive creme brûlée bar. They also host a New Year’s Eve party at Aji Bar with a DJ and plenty of bubbly. Last year’s balloon drop at midnight set expectations high for the close of 2024.

This section of San Jose is known for nightlife and the bar scene here is vast. During the holidays, there are a few places that especially come alive, in part due to the phenomenon known as Miracle Bar. If you have not heard, this concept is the brainchild of New York City bartender Greg Boehm, who hosted a kitschy and quirky holiday pop up in 2014. Everyone who came told him he had to do it all the time, and it has since grown into a network of bars, invited to participate, that transform into festive parties during this special time of the year. It is over the top and astounding, and each site is different. Special Miracle-branded menu items are adhered to, but each venue can play a bit with which liquors or proportions they use. And the decorations are mind blowing. Paper Plane, the downtown bar by MO Hospitality Group, has been at the forefront of our local cocktail scene since opening. Co-owner George Lahlouh says that what really convinced them to sign the lease on the space was when they saw the huge brick wall. “How cool would it be to just fill that wall up with booze?” he recalls. They were invited to Miracle in 2018 and have participated for several years since. This year will mark the second Miracle Bar participation of sister spot MINIBOSS, and it should not be missed. The giant arcade bar space is impressive as is, with over 30 arcade cabinets, 12 pinball machines, an “old school alley” section with throw back favorites like Ms. Pac-Man and Tron, and a smaller late-night bar tucked away in the pinball room with an impressive vintage tiki cup collection. But the holidays will take this to the next level, and will be something to see.

You might be someone who does not actually crave an explosion of Christmas in your face, in which case there are still options for a cozy experience downtown. Goodtime Bar is a sweet space recently opened by Steven and Ann Huynh, highlighting natural winemakers and an appealing menu broken up by “snacks,” “bigger snacks” and tinned fish. Rumor has it that next door will soon welcome Bar Bitter, a coffee shop and amaro bar, two wonderful things to sip on and a great addition to the DTSJ bar community. For the ultimate hideaway experience, make a reservation at Alter Ego, a “secret” upscale cocktail bar tucked in the back of the vinyl-listening bar, Still O.G. (also a fun time). Alter Ego is the kind of place where your menu is a book, and you’ll end up ordering caviar because “Why not?” and everyone looks great in the dim lamplit den.

There is no shortage of food to sample as you meander around this holiday hot spot, but street vendors in and surrounding the park are a great way to get in the spirit of things and support small momand-pop enterprises. More festive foods are around every bend. You can duck into the San Jose Museum of Art and take a little respite at the museum café, El Cafecito (run by nearby Mezcal Restaurant). Warm up with a bowl of tortilla soup or try their special Mazapan coffee, inspired by the Mexican coin-shaped treat made with peanuts. Another fun place to stop is Pastelaria Adega for authentic Portuguese pastries. You’re here for the traditional Pastel de Nata egg tarts and there are a bunch of flavors on offer, like passion fruit or lemon. But the original is especially dense and satisfying and you shouldn’t skip it.

EAT DRINK LOCAL

DOWNTOWN SAN JOSE

Christmas In The Park
Plaza de Cesar Chavez
194 S. Market St.
christmasinthepark.com

Downtown Ice
Circle of Palms Plaza
120 S. Market St.
sjdowntownice.com

Winter Wonderland
Paseo de San Antonio
winterwonderlandsj.com

Signia by Hilton San Jose
Aji Bar + Robata
170 S. Market St.

Miracle Bar
miraclepopup.com

Paper Plane
72 S. 1st St.
paperplanesj.com

MINIBOSS
52 E. Santa Clara St.
sjminiboss.com

Goodtime Bar
30 Fountain Alley #160
goodtimebarsj.com

Still O.G. & Alter Ego Cocktail Club
66 S. 1st St.
stillog.bar/alterego

El Cafecito by Mezcal
110 S. Market St.
sjmusart.org/museum-cafe

Pasteleria Adega
30 E. Santa Clara St., #130
pasteladega.com

Amber Selene Turpin is a freelance food and travel writer based in the Santa Cruz Mountains. She is a regular contributor to the Mercury News, Edible Magazines, 7x7, Marin Living, Diablo and the Slow Wine Guide, with work appearing in Bon Appétit, EatingWell, and many other publications over the last 20 years. You can find her on Instagram @amber.s.turpin.