The Happy Boy Farms Frito Misto at Cetrella includes rock shrimp, shishito peppers, picholine olives, green beans, squash and caper remoulade. Courtesy Eric Wolfinger.
A familiar name will move into the former el Alto restaurant space nearly a year after the State Street Market eatery’s closure.
Cetrella will move out of its current downtown Los Altos space and is slated to open at the Los Altos food hall in mid-October, according to an Aug. 24 statement from Cetrella restaurateur M’hamed Bahet.
“We have visited as the Market evolved, and the opportunity to serve as anchor restaurant there in spacious premises aligns with our current lease finish,” Bahet said.
The move will allow Cetrella to expand its menu of Mediterranean-Rim and California coastal cuisine to include new lunch and weekend brunch service, as well as Mediterranean-Rim tapas and wine flights. At State Street, Cetrella will also offer wine dinners, live jazz dining and culinary teaching.
Cetrella, which is named after a valley on the island of Capri, Italy, first opened in Half Moon Bay in 2001. A second location arrived in Los Altos in 2015.
Cetrella closed its Half Moon Bay location in 2017.
State Street Market opened about two years ago in downtown Los Altos with food hall eateries from Michelin-starred chefs like Little Blue Door, a casual sister restaurant of Palo Alto’s Ettan, and Bao Bèi, a concept from former Maum chefs Meichih and Michael Kim.
In March 2022 el Alto opened as State Street’s anchor tenant. Helmed by acclaimed chef Traci Des Jardins, the California-Mexican restaurant was open just under six months before unexpectedly closing its doors last September.
Earlier this year State Street Market ended its contract with Palo Alto-based Bon Appétit Management Company and announced a plan to bring in new vendors. While Little Blue Door has reopened at the market and Murdoch’s will reopen Aug. 30 under new management, recent additions include The Penny Ice Creamery, Orenchi Ramen, Little Sky Bakery, Ikuka, Konjoe Burger and The Good Salad. Bibo’s Pizza & Pasta is also expected to open soon.
==I Cetrella, 400 Main St., Los Altos; 650-948-0400, Instagram: @cetrellalosaltos. State Street Market, 170 State St., Los Altos; Instagram: @statestreetmarket .==
