Original Joe's

Original Joe's is the name of a well known pair of restaurants in Downtown San Jose, California and the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco. They serve a wide variety of foods, mostly Italian food with some mainstream American favorites. Their "signature" is a very large portion of whatever the customer orders. They also feature an extensive wine selection.

Original Joe's San Francisco

The first Original Joe's was established in San Francisco by Louis Rocca and Tony "Ante" Rodin in 1937; it is currently owned and managed by Rodin's grandchildren. The restaurant was originally located in the Tenderloin neighborhood and initially consisted of 14 bar stools and a sawdust-covered floor. As business grew, Rocca and Rodin leased a vacant space next to them, which allowed the addition of a full dining room.[1] Later, more space became available next to the dining room enabling the addition of a full bar, which resulted in its final size. It was known for serving people from all walks of life "from the head politician to the head prostitute."[1]

In 2007, Original Joe's closed due to a fire that began in the restaurant's flue at just before lunchtime.[1] The blaze affected the eatery and the SRO hotel upstairs, and the damage to the property was too extensive for the restaurant to resume operating at that location. After years of delays involving insurance and other financial matters,[2] the restaurant reopened in a new location in the North Beach neighborhood in 2012.[3][4] The location was previously occupied by Joe DiMaggio's and Fior d'Italia. The original Tenderloin location is slated to be marked by one of nine commemorative plates throughout the neighborhood recognizing locations of historical significance.[5]

Original Joe's San Jose

Lou Rocca decided to open another Original Joe’s restaurant for his son and his family in the Bay Area and chose San Jose as the location. San Jose was at the time a growing city that presented a prime location for a new business. A space became available in San Jose’s downtown where a clothing store had just failed. Original Joe's San Jose opened in May 1956 at its current location on the corner of First and San Carlos Streets. The first owners were Lou Rocca Sr. and his son Lou Rocca Jr., along with partners Otto Tortore, and Nino Caramagno. As the years passed, ownership passed to Matt and Brad Rocca.

Original Joe's has been a staple of the downtown area of San Jose for over 50 years. The restaurant is a favorite of the San Jose Police Department due to the hours and the good relations with the owners and staff. The restaurant also engenders many "regulars" who continue to patronize the establishment for reasons ranging from the food, the wines, or the atmosphere.

During the "Speed City" era, when nearby San Jose State College was a track and field powerhouse team, with many black athletes segregated and struggling to make ends meet, track coach Bud Winter arranged with Original Joe's to feed the athletes after practice.[6]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Fagan, Kevin; Finz, Stacy (October 13, 2007). "Fire forces S.F.'s Original Joe's to close". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-10-13.
  2. ↑ "Original Joe’s Eyeing New Home for 2009". San Francisco Chronicle. December 3, 2008. Retrieved 2012-01-27.
  3. ↑ Lucchesi, Paolo (April 7, 2011). "Original Joe's will reopen in North Beach". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2011-09-26.
  4. ↑ Lucchesi, Paolo (January 26, 2012). "Mayor Ed Lee declares today Original Joe’s Day". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  5. ↑ Sabatini, Joshua (September 17, 2011). "Marking the Tenderloin’s historical side". San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved 2011-09-26.
  6. ↑ Hill, Urla (October 17, 2009). "The Trailblazers 1956 – 1960". Speed City Era. Retrieved 2012-01-27.

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