Hungry for details on the best places to eat and drink in your neighborhood? We identified the top restaurants in downtown San Jose, based on recommendations from Nextdoor members who live in the neighborhood. Read on to see whether your favorite spots made the list.
Are you a downtown business owner? If you operate a neighborhood eatery and want to be included in our 2020 Neighborhood Favorite Awards, click here to claim your business page and begin connecting with local customers today.
1. Original Joe's
First up is Original Joe's, an independently run San Jose institution that is a descendant of the famed San Francisco eatery.
Open since 1956 at 301 S. First St., the restaurant stands out among the local businesses that are popular with your neighbors. While the average eatery has 45 Nextdoor recommendations, Original Joe's has racked up a whopping 808 and was voted a 2019 Neighborhood Favorite in 45 San Jose neighborhoods.
Over the years, the restaurant has won numerous awards for its homestyle Italian-American cuisine, including favorites like veal piccata, eggplant parmigiana and fettuccine Alfredo with smoked ham and peas.
2. Morton's The Steakhouse
Next up is the local outpost of Morton's The Steakhouse at 177 Park Ave. Downtown San Jose residents have a soft spot for the upscale chain, giving it 376 recommendations on Nextdoor and making it a 2019 Neighborhood Favorite business in 23 neighborhoods.
This location features an outdoor patio, private dining spaces and a separate bar area.
Menu offerings include honey-balsamic glazed Ora King salmon, prime porterhouse and braised beef short ribs. For dessert, indulge in the white chocolate-pecan bread pudding, hot chocolate cake or soufflé for two.
3. The Old Spaghetti Factory
Craving casual Italian cuisine? Then look no further than The Old Spaghetti Factory at 51 N. San Pedro St. The family-owned chain's downtown restaurant has garnered 271 recommendations and enough votes to be selected as a 2019 Neighborhood Favorite in nine neighborhoods.
Every entree comes with freshly baked bread, soup or salad and ice cream. On the menu, look for the spicy spaghetti with chicken, sausage and diced meatballs; pasta with mizithra cheese and browned butter; and jumbo crab ravioli.
4. Zona Rosa
Another popular local spot is Zona Rosa, which serves up locally sourced modern Mexican fare at 1411 The Alameda. It has earned 218 Nextdoor recommendations and has a second location in downtown Los Gatos. Zona Rosa was also voted a 2019 Neighborhood Favorite in two San Jose neighborhoods.
The tortillas here are handmade in the scratch kitchen. On the menu, look for carrot chile soup with grass-fed beef meatballs; ahi tuna tostadas with avocado and crispy leeks; and blue corn tacos filled with tempura scallops and a chipotle glaze. Wash it all down with a margarita, wine or Mexican beer.
5. The Grill On The Alley
And then there's The Grill On The Alley in the Fairmont Hotel at 172 S. Market St. The high-end restaurant and bar is one of six locations and has received 183 recommendations from Nextdoor members and been recognized as a 2019 Neighborhood Favorite in four neighborhoods.
The kitchen is helmed by head chef Brendy Monsada, who offers a menu stocked with seafood and steak dishes, such as the long bone tomahawk with mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus and the lobster salad with frisée, micro greens, pine nut brittle and Tahitian vanilla bean vinaigrette.
Honorable mentions
Here are other popular eateries in downtown San Jose that have received praise from local Nextdoor members:
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Paesano Italiano Ristorante, 350 W. Julian St.
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Flames Eatery & Bar, 88 S. Fourth St.
- Las Cazuelas Restaurant, 55 Race St.
- China Inn, 1401 The Alameda
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BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse, 511 Coleman Ave.
How to make our list
Every year, Nextdoor neighbors vote for their favorite local businesses in dozens of categories. This annual awards program is an opportunity to amass recommendations for your business on Nextdoor. Claim your page now to be part of our 2020 Neighborhood Favorite Awards this February.
Hoodline, a Nextdoor company, provides data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Read on to learn how to grow your business with Nextdoor and reach customers in specific neighborhoods.
