City Hopping: Downtown Danville
Just a short drive away, downtown Danville has a charm that’s all its own.
by JAMIE MENAKER
A MIX OF ECLECTIC EATERIES and high fashion boutiques alongside modest, family-owned shops and businesses open for over twenty years, the true draw of this downtown district is the camaraderie. It’s tough not to share in the collective feeling of contentment when you’re ambling down wide sidewalks lined with colorful flowerbeds and patios full of relaxed diners. This past year has brought with it quite a few new additions to the area, all within walking distance, breathing new life into Danville’s small-town charm.
MORNING
Sideboard (411 Hartz Ave., (925) 984-2713), a downtown newcomer located in the Danville Hotel (one of the town’s original buildings from the early 1900s), serves up enviable pastries—think maple scones and tarts filled with fresh raspberries—and Blue Bottle Coffee; it’s one of the few East Bay locations to pour some of the best beans the Bay has to offer. A full breakfast menu is served only on weekends, until 11 a.m., but both breakfast and lunch dishes are simple and fresh, and service is casual—orders are placed at the counter, and diners take tags printed with names like “mocha” and “x-tra pickles” to the table to receive their meal. Wander through the Danville Farmers Market (Railroad and Prospect Sts., www.pcfma.com), Saturdays year-round from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to find locally grown produce, fresh bread, freshly cut flowers, and specialty foods. Right down the road, check out the goods at independent bookstore Rakestraw Books (409 Railroad Ave., www.rakestrawbooks.com), women’s yoga and activewear spot Lucy (402 Railroad Ave., www.lucy.com), and the multi-colored lineup of bikes outside Pegasus Bicycle Works (439 Railroad Ave., www.pegasusbicycleworks.com).
MIDDAY
For a recharge, take a seat on the patio in front of the Rising Loafer Café and Bakery (340 Hartz Ave., www.danvillerisingloafer.com), or inside the homey dining room. All breads here are baked fresh daily, choices range from Garlic Basil to Sourdough for over twenty sandwich creations, salads are crisp, and soups are made from scratch. Prospect Avenue shopping beckons with a host of unique boutiques. Flaunt (140 E. Prospect Ave., www.shopflaunt.com) houses two large, open rooms of women’s designs from names like Ella Moss, James Perse, and Rebecca Beeson, in addition to jewelry from local designer Melissa Joy Manning. Original Sin Lingerie (145 E. Prospect Ave., www.originalsinundies.com), upstairs from Flaunt, is worth mention for its vintage-inspired lingerie, love for anything to do with pin-up girls, and shopping to the tune of music like Billie Holiday. Edge Shop for Men (175 E. Prospect Ave., www.shop-edge.com) has a Denim Bar chock full of jeans choices, and Le Jardinet (166 E. Prospect Ave., (925) 820-8333) is a haven for French-inspired, unique and eclectic finds for the home and garden.
AFTERNOON
Switch to sneakers and enjoy the Iron Horse Trail; this paved trail follows the path the railroad once traveled through Danville. Wide and well cared for, this is a popular spot for local cyclists, walkers, runners, and dog walkers. On the patio at Pete’s Brass Rail and Car Wash (201 Hartz Ave., www.petesbrassrail.com)—no actual car wash, just a funny name—sit under one of the oldest oak trees in Danville, rumored to be over 350 years old, and enjoy one of the one thousand-plus beers that have at one point enjoyed a spot on-tap here. If you have kids in tow, Yogurt Shack (290 Hartz Ave., www.yogurtshack.com) is a must-do, with ten frozen yogurt flavors and twenty-six toppings to choose from, all self serve; frozen yogurt creations are priced by weight.
EVENING
As the sun is getting ready to go down, Chow (445 Railroad Ave., www.chowfoodbar.com) is another recent opening in Danville, with one other East Bay location and two San Francisco locations already in business. Comfort food is the name of the game here, with a noticeable presence of fresh, local produce in many of the menu’s selections. Try the cocktails with muddled fresh fruits; believe us, it’s worth it. Amber Bistro (500 Hartz Ave., www.amberbistro.com) is just right for a dinner of casual elegance and Asian-inspired, seasonal cuisine. One of the only eateries in downtown Danville that doesn’t enjoy an outdoor dining area, the sophisticated dark wood dining room has a full wall of windows that slide open during the warm summer months.
