San Jose Restaurant Guide

On the same block as the restored San Jose Theatre and E&O Trading Company, Loft's historic stone-and-marble exterior presents such a serious façade onto Second Avenue that it seems to be scolding Tres Gringos across the street. But Loft has a hidden personality. Walk into the first level, and you're confronted by a warm-hued bar nestled against the far wall, stacked with delectable liquors. You can dine here for a quiet, intimate experience, but the real action is upstairs. To seat you, the hostess will float from her greeting pulpit and usher you to the elevator doors. Loft's epicurean zone is accessible only if you ascend. (A staircase also leads to the second floor, if you're elevator-phobic.)

Upstairs, the restaurant opens into spacious architecture with the homey-chic feel of a New York artist's abode. Ceilings are tall, wood floors glimmer, an exposed exhaust system looks curiously stylish, and brick walls keep things grounded. If all old buildings in Downtown harbor this kind of hidden warehouse ambience, San Jose's long-promised renaissance may rest above the streets, a kind of hovering second city for the beautiful people.

The space is so surprisingly comfortable that it almost demands long-term visits. Which makes it a good thing that there are two bars (besides the first floor bar, a second, larger bar upstairs keeps drinks flowing). This upstairs bar seems designed to cater to Loft's second-story patio, a terra cotta colored space decked out in tables and benches.