Several new restaurants and bars have opened up for business in Davis in the past couple of months.
Among them is Fish’s Wild, a seafood restaurant on Second Street, which opened two months ago.
“We cater to the health-conscious, older set,” said Fish’s Wild manager Tommy Huang. “But we see some college kids too.”
According to the manager, Fish’s Wild is doing very well for dinner, but not as well for lunch.
City Hall Tavern, a new bar at Bistro 33, has been open for a month and a half and has also received a warm welcome by the Davis community.
“We were seeing a nice city crowd before winter break, which slowed down when all the students left for winter break,” said manager Patrick Ramos.
The bar has a “big mix” of followers, with its full student menu and crafty bar.
“Earlier in the evening we get more families for dinner, and later in the evenings we see mostly students,” Ramos said.
DeVere’s Irish Pub, which operates at another location in Sacramento, opened it’s E Street location on Nov. 7.
“Davis has embraced us,” co-owner Henry DeVere said. “Dinners and lunches have been going very well.”
The owners said DeVere’s caters well to the student set as the restaurant stays open until 2 a.m., seven days a week. They also offer a “study hall” for students from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday, with bottomless coffee, espresso and breakfast sandwiches, as well as free Wi-Fi.
According to Huang, finding a different role to play was the key.
“Everything is less expensive right now, from the construction to the lease,” Huang said. “Also, people are a lot more health-conscious, and the trend is expected to continue in the next five years, so I see it looking up.”
Fish’s Wild makes dishes with “whole brown rice, low-fat and low-carbohydrate content, and high protein,” Huang said, making it a good choice for those desiring a healthier option.
“It was the worst possible time to open a bar, if you look at the history of Davis economically,” Ramos said. “But it’s something Davis has been lacking, a place with a fun while relaxed atmosphere.”
Winter was also a good time for City Hall Tavern to get ready for busier times ahead, Ramos said.
“We wanted to get everything up and started for spring and summer when our busy season hits,” Ramos said. “We were ready to start it, so we got it going.”
DeVere’s operates as a family affair, and markets as such. Henry DeVere co-owns the restaurants with his brother, and other family members help keep it running. They have 90 percent of their original employees intact.
“Opening a business is always risky, and in this economy even more so,” DeVere said. “We felt our niche would be responded to well in Davis. A pub is somewhere nice to eat and socialize; it’s the center of culture in Ireland, from weddings to funerals.”
According to The Davis Enterprise’s “Comings and Goings Blog,” Zindagi Indian Bistro on E Street hopes to open its doors on Monday. Luigi’s, a new Italian restaurant next door, will open Tuesday and will be giving out free slices of pizza from 12 to 3 p.m. Baja Fresh recently closed after occupying D Street for only a year.
EINAT GILBOA can be reached city@theaggie.org.
It should say, “[. . .] opened its E Street location [. . .]”