Santa Rosa breathes a collective sigh of relief that the former Rendez Vous cafe on Fourth St. is slated to become a bar and restaurant called Beer Baron. The space, which was taken over by the Chandi Restaurant Group (County Bench, Bibi’s Burger Bar, Mountain Mike’s Pizza, Stout Brothers), briefly had a sign advertising a new restaurant called Booze Barrel in late 2016. Let’s just say the name didn’t exactly inspire visions of classing up downtown Santa Rosa.
However, Sonu Chandi tells BiteClub he’ll now be collaborating with established East Bay restaurateur Harpreet Singh Judge, who owns Beer Baron Bar & Kitchen in Pleasanton and Beer Baron Bar in Livermore. The high-profile restaurant space, which will front the reunified Courthouse Square, should be a natural fit with Santa Rosa’s booming craft brew scene, offering more than 25 beers on tap, a family-friendly menu and reasonable prices, if their other establishments are an indication of what’s to come. Stay tuned.
Meanwhile, construction is moving forward at nearby 2 Tread Brewing Co. at Santa Rosa Plaza. In November, owners of the brewery and restaurant announced that high-profile chef Ryan McCarthy would be heading the kitchen. The brewery and restaurant have been under construction in downtown Santa Rosa at the former Fresh Choice. Look for a March 2017 opening.