The Loft Reopens Its Doors

Set to welcome back patrons on December 2, downtown San Jose’s The Loft Bar and Bistro is apprehensively excited to open its doors once more.

After facing a harrowing closure due to city mandates and an unprecedented pandemic, the American bistro says it’s confident now is an opportune time to reopen, yet like many of their restaurant peers stationed downtown they can’t help but feel uncertain about their future.

“When the pandemic hit, it was brutal. Back-breaking. It has been a devastating few years but we’re staying optimistic,” says the Loft’s managing partner, Kam Razadi.

The Loft, an off-shoot of the casual American eatery Capers, was founded in San Jose in 2005, only five years after Capers had established itself in downtown Campbell.

The bistro’s prime location on Second Street, combined with its popularity among local businesses for their private rooftop patio soirees featuring delicious eats and live music on the weekends, made it a cornerstone of downtown San Jose’s fabric.

But after spending two years closed, the business is still navigating the road back to normalcy, like many other independently owned businesses downtown.

As the dust begins to settle in this new post-pandemic era, it’s clear that many beloved dining establishments including Forager, Cafe Stritch, Social Lady, Nemea, Cinebar and Culinary Corner, would have perished sooner rather than later were it not for the support of their devoted patrons.

Now, returning from their two-year hiatus, the bistro divulges their comeback plan, undeterred by their peers’ closures and a looming recession.

“We’re going to focus on booking more private events for the month of December. Staffing is still an issue for us coming out of this so we’ll be doing dinner only for the time being,” says Razadi.

Though the Loft’s menu will remain the same, Razadi emphasizes that there will be a renewed focus on offering more shareables and smaller plates.