This suburban Bay Area food hall is a burgeoning foodie destination

"Castro Valley was once known for its high concentration of fast food restaurants. The opening of Castro Valley Marketplace in 2020, though, ushered in a new reputation for the quiet suburb as a burgeoning foodie destination. Add to that the recent opening of HL Peninsula, the 846-capacity restaurant that calls itself the largest Cantonese restaurant in the country, and Castro Valley is suddenly on my radar."

"Since it opened during the onset of the pandemic, the Castro Valley Marketplace, which claims to be the East Bay's largest food hall, has had its fair share of turnover. But with a recent wave of new restaurants, its lineup is now looking robust: family-owned Vietnamese restaurant Pho 5-10 just opened in July, and Puerto Rican restaurant La Perla moved from Oakland to Castro Valley in February. Slice House by Tony Gemignani also opened in late 2024."

"La Perla is the most colorful place in the whole market, decorated with Puerto Rican flags and every wall a different color, teal and orange and lime green and lavender. Salsa music plays at a festive volume, and chef-owner Jose "Cheo" Ortiz himself is eye-catching in a pava, or Puerto Rican straw hat. Even on a quiet Monday, the restaurant has its fair share of sit-down customers, from moms pushing strollers to coworkers on their lunch break."

Castro Valley Marketplace is a 39,000-square-foot, three-story food hall with its own grocery store and wine bar. The neighborhood shifted from a concentration of fast-food to a burgeoning foodie destination after the marketplace opened in 2020 and with the arrival of HL Peninsula, an 846-capacity Cantonese restaurant. The marketplace experienced turnover during the pandemic but recently added new tenants including Vietnamese Pho 5-10, Puerto Rican La Perla relocated from Oakland, and Slice House by Tony Gemignani. Amphora Nueva sells aged balsamic vinegars. La Perla features colorful decor, festive salsa music, chef-owner Jose "Cheo" Ortiz in a pava, and menu items such as camarones a la criolla served with salad and two sides.

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