by Aneesa Vaez-Iravani
Webmaster
    With the closing down of a several companies, including a restaurant serving the best home-made pies, an innovative
electronic store known for its large leather massage chairs, and several take out restaurants as well as unique art
galleries, several new restaurants have recently opened in these vacant spaces in downtown Los Gatos including Hobees’, JJ Magoo’s, and Aldo’s Ristorante & Bar.

    Famous for the delicious taste of its cinnamon coffee cake, Hobees’ restaurant will open soon in the building which formerly belonged to Baker’s Square restaurant. Run as a family business, the new restaurant will become one of eight other restaurants that are part of a chain in the state of California. The sit-down restaurant’s American food will offer breakfast and dinner meals ranging from freshly baked blueberry coffee cake to tofu, distinguishing itself from the traditional family meals formerly served at Baker’s Square. The restaurant is also famous for its strongly-brewed cinnamon tea, a house favorite of the restaurant for several years. Hobee’s signed the lease on Aug.  17,  and its grand opening  date has yet to be decided.

     JJ Magoo’s, a pizza restaurant, opened just under a month ago and is owned by the former owner of the popular Mountain Mike’s Pizza formerly located on North Santa Cruz Avenue. The restaurant, currently located where Stuft Pizza used to be, is open Mondays through Fridays from 11am to 10pm. The menu consists of an all-you-can-eat buffet for  $7.99, served between the hours of 11am and 2pm, as well as a choice of 15 different sandwiches and ten specialty pizzas that can be accompanied by a choice of several appetizers such as buffalo wings, chicken tenders or French fries. JJ Magoo’s also allows groups of friends or family members to rent semi-private rooms for celebrations and special occasions, and  may also be used for fundraisers. As with most other restaurants, JJ Magoo’s conveniently takes over-the-phone orders and makes home deliveries. 

    Specializing in all-Italian cuisine, Aldo’s Ristorante & Bar moved from its past location on Main St. in downtown Los Gatos, formerly belonging to “La Strada”, and is now located at 14109 Winchester Boulevard near Starbucks. Owed by experienced Chef Aldo Maresca and wife Barbara Lonsbury, the restaurant offers a lunch, dinner, desert, and deli menu of Italian cuisine served indoors or on the outdoor patio. Open mon-sat, lunch is served from 11:30AM -2:30PM while dinner is served from 5:00 PM to10:00 pm. Aldo’s plays subtle Italian music throughout the restaurant that diners may can enjoy in the background during their meal. 

    JJ Magoo’s and Aldo’s Ristorante and Bar, conveniently located relatively close to one another, will allow students seeking lunch off school campus a chance to purchase from a new location.