Picture

Twenty months after legendary Mill Valley musician Sammy “the Red Rocker” Hagar closed his El Paseo restaurant at 17 Throckmorton Avenue, citing his need to tend to his myriad business, media and musical interests, the group that took over from Hagar in July 2019 is on track to open Paseo: A California Bistro in the space in the coming months.

Paseo: A California Bistro, featuring locally sourced, naturally harvested seasonal California cuisine sourced within 100 miles, is spearheaded by general manager Kevin Pacotti, a longtime Bay Area marketing consultant and restaurateur on behalf of Cathedral Hill Associates, a hospitality firm owned by longtime Mill Valley resident Ki Yong Choi. 

Pacotti, whose background includes such spots as the Rooftop in Walnut Creek and the Hotel Mac Restaurant, says the venture will expand El Paseo’s former focus on dinner to include both lunch and dinner seven days a week, including brunch service on weekends. Pacotti assures the community that the vast majority of the historic exposed brick space – stretching between Throckmorton and Sunnyside avenues and dating back to the original El Paseo opening in 1947 – will remain unchanged.

Pacotti says he and his team acquired a building permits three weeks ago and “have been hard at work on a light remodel ever since – we’re definitely on track to open up in the coming months.”

“We are adhering to the classic motif and ambience of this place and also adapting it for brunch and lunch service and brightening up the spaces a little bit to give it some more daylight,” he adds. “The space’s popular bar will remain but is also getting an update to “a contemporary look and feel” with televisions that will make it “a fun hang out spot.”

“We’re feeling really excited about what we’re putting together,” Pacotti says. “The menu is going to be phenomenal, and we’ll have many more updates for the community soon.”

Stay tuned for more details.

Want to know what’s happening around town? Click here to subscribe to the Enjoy Mill Valley Blog by Email!.