Coffee and pizza may be staples of the modern American diet, but I'm resisting. For those of you who haven't eschewed such pleasures, here's some pertinent news from around the Bay.
Coffee roasters set up in St. Pete
A quartet of coffee lovers is bringing its expertise to St. Petersburg. Co-owners Catherine and Jean Thibault and Sarah and Raphael Perrier opened Kahwa Coffee Roasting in January at 4125 Eighth Ave. S.
The foursome moved to the area from Philadelphia — where Catherine and Raphael had worked for the acclaimed La Colombe coffee roasters — to take advantage of the Bay area's "potential" for the coffee industry, said Raphael.
Their new business sells wholesale coffee as well as some retail coffee by the pound. Kahwa offers four blends "ranging from a light, subtle blend to a strong, rich full-bodied blend," said co-owner Jean Thibault in a press release. "Each of our blends is named after winds from different regions of the world according to their intensity and strength. They each bring a different sensation and experience and carry the mystery of their origins."
The website, www.kahwacoffee.com, offers some interesting tidbits, including information about roasting, the different types of grinds and how to make the perfect cup. You can also buy Kahwa's coffee at the site — 16 oz. bags for $8.95 for regular blends or $10.95 for decaffeinated.
From 2 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 28, the public is invited to visit Kahwa during its grand opening. Visitors get free drinks and samples.
Kahwa is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 727-388-1340.
Chicago Pizza back in Largo
Fans of Chicago-style pizza long had a home at Largo's Chicago Pizza & Pasta Co. The family-owned joint, which opened 19 years ago, was run by transplants from the Windy City.
The Chicago Pizza & Pasta Co. closed in October 2005, but the daughter of the owners, Michele Stankovic, reopened Feb. 21 down the street from the original restaurant.
The menu is the same as that at the old location, offering deep-dish pizzas, pastas, appetizers and sandwiches, but Michele's Chicago Pizza is available for pickup or delivery only.
Michele's, located at 11540 Walsingham Road, is open 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat. and 2-10:30 p.m. Sun. Call 727-319-8000.
South Howard to lose Cappy's
In other pizza news, South Howard Avenue's Cappy's is moving. According to a popular Seminole Heights blog, Cappy's was rumored to be moving to that neighborhood next door to the Covivant Gallery.
Not so, said Cappy's owner Steve White. It will be moving from its current location at 309 S. Howard Ave. to 3200 W. Bay-to-Bay Blvd. in about three months.
The building may be sold soon and "nobody's sure what's gonna happen," said White, so he has decided to go ahead and move to the former home of the Thai House.
White is not yet sure of the exact date of the move, but Cappy's will remain open on Howard until that time.
"Nothing's gonna change, just the location," said White.
Sangria's Spanish Tapas Bar & Restaurant, located in the same building as Cappy's, said it has no plans to move at this time.
Wild Oats to open on Dale Mabry
Wild Oats Markets opens its first store in the Bay area Wednesday, April 5. Wild Oats, founded in 1987 in Boulder, Colo., as the first vegetarian natural food store in the area, now has more than 110 stores in 25 states and Canada.
The newest store, which offers a range of organic and natural products, will be located at 1548 N. Dale Mabry in the Walters Crossing shopping center. Tampa's Wild Oats will include full-service meat, seafood, bakery and floral departments, as well as a gourmet deli with prepared foods available for pickup.
Wild Oats is hosting a preview party from 6 to 9 p.m. April 4 with entertainment, cooking demos, raffles and prizes. The store officially opens after the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8 a.m. April 5. The first 200 customers receive free groceries. Call 813-874-9435 or go to www.wildoats.com.
Ho Ho Chinese closed
The Ho Ho Chinese restaurant at 533 S. Howard Ave. has closed its doors. According to its answering machine, Ho Ho is opening anew some time in March.
Know of restaurants opening or closing? Have news of new chefs, new dishes or other culinary gossip? E-mail anne.arsenault@weeklyplanet.com.
This article appears in Mar 15-21, 2006.