Rancho Cantina, the Lafayette ranch-to-table favorite built around a wood-fired grill, is riding into downtown Danville. The team is set to take over 501 Hartz Avenue, the current home of Cocina Hermanas, with an opening targeted for summer 2026. When it lands, expect Rancho Cantina’s wood-fired proteins and cocktail program to anchor Hartz Avenue, with a familiar menu, an expanded bar and more robust lunch options. It will be the restaurant’s first location outside Lafayette.
According to What Now San Francisco, Rancho Cantina is in the final stages of leasing the Hartz Avenue space. Owner Nico Tzikas told the outlet the team aims to open in summer 2026, though that goal still depends on how permits and construction shake out.
Rancho Cantina already has a bold "Rancho Cantina Danville Coming Soon" banner up and continues to list the original Lafayette address at 3616 Mt. Diablo Blvd. The site highlights the restaurant’s ranch-to-table focus and its wood-fired grill as the centerpiece of the kitchen.
Local coverage notes that the Danville restaurant will move into the Cocina Hermanas space at 501 Hartz Avenue, and Patch reports that Cocina Hermanas shared on Instagram it will close at a date that has not yet been announced. Patch also noted it reached out to both restaurants for comment. Given the prime Hartz Avenue address, the shift is a noticeable reshuffle for downtown Danville’s dining scene.
Ownership and local roots
A community profile reported that Nico and Alice Tzikas took over Rancho Cantina in 2024 and have since rolled out extended hours and new specials at the Mt. Diablo location. That coverage framed the ownership change as a move to build on an already established Lafayette staple, rather than reinvent it. The Danville opening will mark the first time the Rancho Cantina name appears beyond its original Mount Diablo Boulevard home.
Menu, bar and what to expect
Rancho Cantina regulars in Lafayette will recognize the greatest hits. Local reporting describes a menu centered on wood-fired proteins alongside enchiladas, burritos, tacos, fajitas and starters like guacamole and ceviche. Patch highlights the Lafayette location’s wood-fired meats and small plates, while What Now San Francisco reports the Danville outpost is expected to mirror that menu, with a larger bar area and additional salad options at lunch. The setup is geared to catch both the midday crowd and the evening dinner-and-drinks rush.
What this means for downtown Danville
Hartz Avenue has been busy with restaurant comings and goings, and Rancho Cantina’s arrival signals steady demand in Danville for serious bar programs and wood-fired cooking. The new spot could coax loyal Lafayette customers over the hill while giving Danville locals another option for cocktails paired with grilled meats. For downtown regulars, it is both a fresh choice and a reminder that Hartz Avenue remains one of the region’s liveliest restaurant corridors.
Rancho Cantina and local news outlets are expected to share more on permitting progress and a firm opening date as plans develop. For now, the team is publicly circling summer 2026, with the clear caveat that the timeline still hinges on how the red tape and construction schedules line up.
