Davis Wine Bar puts a cork in it
Also, news on outdoor dining at the former Mamma space, Mabel’s Market, a new restaurant in Woodland, a Davis preschool closure and opening, 2nd Street vintage, Sit Lo Saigon and a salon closure
The list of Davis Valentines venues just got shorter: Davis Wine Bar closed.
“After 8 wonderful years of serving wine and building community, Davis Wine Bar is closing its doors,” reads a sign in the shop’s window. “We are so grateful for every glass shared, every conversation had, and every one of you who supported us along the way. Thank you for being part of our story.”
The shop at 611 Second St. had a nice selection of small plates, and a great selection of wine. It even kept a well-rounded pick of quality beers on tap.
A few months ago, the wine bar added a pop-up pasta dinner on Saturday nights from The Pasta Exchange. I wrote about it in November. Chef Ryan Schmidtberger told me last month that their goal was to expand the menu to additional nights in March.
Word is that wine bar owner Ken Patel and Walnut Creek landlord Browman Development Company couldn’t agree on lease terms.
Things are tough for downtown Davis businesses. I’m holding on to news of another Davis store’s imminent closure because the business will not confirm. Stay tuned.
→ Outdoor dining reaction: Fukumi Restaurant Group responded to my last column, which reported that the two restaurants the company plans to open in the former Mamma space would not offer outdoor dining. The spot is widely considered the best outdoor dining in Davis, which I noted in my interview questions. Instead, it planned to open the space for public use.
The eateries are Pier 50 Sushi, which will fill the Third Street side, and Fukumi Chaya x Momo Katsu, a ramen restaurant that will be based out of the F Street portion of the building.
There was a flood of negative feedback from the news about the lack of outdoor dining. Dozens of Comings & Goings readers on Substack, Facebook and Instagram were frustrated. Read on for the response.