Brothers Simon and Henry de Vere White are co-owners of the popular de Vere’s Irish Pub in Sacramento and will be branching out to Davis by September 2011.
The de Vere Whites hail from Ireland and plan to bring an Irish flair to the Downtown Davis dining experience.
“We’re an Irish pub, we cater to a wide variety of people, from families with kids to the business community,” said Simon. “We’re very food focused here, so I think what helps us be successful is being family owned and operated.”
De Vere’s Irish Pub signed a 10-year lease at 217 E St., a 4,800 square foot location formerly occupied by Soga’s. The new location is 1,000 square feet larger than the Sacramento location.
De Vere’s will take over the building formerly occupied by Soga’s, an Italian and American food restaurant that permanently closed on Nov. 21 2010, after filing for bankruptcy.
“We liked the look of the building, we wanted to be downtown,” said Simon. “We thought that downtown Davis had a great feel to it, and it seems that that’s where the focus of the food industry is.”
De Vere’s will provide a hearty menu filled with traditional Irish food, as well as the familiar cheeseburger and sandwich for the more timid restaurant-goers.
Most of the food served will be made fresh in-house, including curing their own bacon, butchering their own meat and making their own pudding.
“We like to say we make everything here, except for Ranch,” said Simon.
Despite Soga’s recent bankruptcy, the de Vere Whites were not discouraged from branching out into Davis with a second pub after two successful years in Sacramento.
“We were always very intrigued with Davis. Great community and culture there. Family-oriented town, family business,” said Simon. “We thought that going into a place that has a university system was very compelling and thought we would be a good fit for Davis.”
For those looking for an authentic Irish pub experience, de Vere’s is the place to go. De Vere’s Irish Pub provides both authentic Irish cuisine and authentic Irish interior design complete with family pictures, paintings and Irish antiques.
“In Ireland, kids are at the pubs. You’re born in the pub, grow up in the pub, get married in the pub,” said Simon. “Every Sunday is family Sunday, we discount the kids menu. We definitely try to attract the family aspect.”
De Vere’s, winner of Sacramento Magazine’s Best Pub Food award of 2010, prides itself on its hospitality, food and cozy atmosphere.
The opening of de Vere’s is good news for the alcohol savvy as well, offering an extensive alcohol menu with 89 varieties of whiskey and 66 varieties of scotch.
DYLAN AARON can be reached at city@theaggie.org.
Just a correction; Soga’s Restaurant was sold in 2005 and did not file bankruptcy. The previous tenants to de Vere’s is the business that filed for bankruptcy.