One of my favorite B'game restaurants is closing to be replaced by another local stalwart moving to bigger space. I like to commemorate places that created memories so years from now we can easily remember. Like La Pinata, Chicken Chicken! and Yanni's, Sixto's is one of those places--in fact, it is the second one at the same location; residing in the old Bit of England space. After "The Bit", it went through changes as the Tavern Grill (with awesome music) and Paragon before it became Sixto's. I spoke to Teresa Lindhartsen who is one of the Sixto's and Alana's co-owners along with Francesca about Sixto's closing sometime this month. While they are tiptoeing towards retirement, Alana's will continue as it has for 29 years. That's a heckuva run.
Stella Alpina Osteria will be moving over from Chapin Ave. after a remodel so the tradition will continue. As I was taking the photo below, a friend walked by who had not heard the news. He had his first date with his lady friend at Sixto's and they have been regulars for the margaritas ever since. Those are the memories I'm talking about. Personally, I will miss the shrimp fajitas the most. The good news is that with the current staffing shortages, the Sixto's staff should have no problem finding work. To everyone involved, I say gracias. Fare thee well.
Feb. 19 update: Yesterday was the last day for Sixto's. I went on Thursday night and it was packed--lots of sentimental thoughts all around. Here are the much beloved shrimp fajitas!
When it was "Hola's", they hosted my wedding reception on the back patio. They've been a reliable to-go pickup for us during the pandemic. I'll miss the carnitas.
This does seem like good news for Stella Alpina, and I hope they have success in the new location.
Thanks for providing reliable local news and updates! We're glad to be able to make some more stops here before the doors shut thanks to this update.
Posted by: Pat T. | January 15, 2022 at 01:51 PM
Hi, Joe. In the ‘30s, my mother and her friends would drive down from San Francisco to enjoy an evening at The Bit of England. That place went back a loonnggg time, yes?
Posted by: Sally Meakin | February 01, 2022 at 07:34 AM
Yes, indeed it did. I believe The Bit had San Mateo County liquor license #1 from after Prohibition. I hear that #1 is now held by 31st Union in San Mateo which is apparently now operating as Fogbird.
I also know where there are a couple of original barstools from the Bit :-)
Posted by: Joe | February 01, 2022 at 11:55 AM
I'm pleased that Copenhagen will not change much. The local paper had this news
Copenhagen was opened at its Burlingame Avenue location in 1977 by brothers Ralf and Ben Nielsen, who moved from Copenhagen, Denmark, in the 1950s as children. Prior to opening the bakery, Ralf returned to Denmark to learn the bakery business from his uncles and grandfather who were bakers.
The bakery has expanded over the years, including into a next-door building in the early 1980s. Full-service dinner offerings were added in the 1990s, something cut amid the pandemic but that could be reinstated under new ownership.
Ralf, now 78, said it was a tough choice to sell the business, but he is looking forward to his next chapter in life, which will include more time to sail and ski while spending more time in Lake Tahoe.
The new owners are Brothers Sean and Ali Azad plan to take ownership next month, and apart from some cosmetic upgrades like new furniture and paint, Sean said the duo will preserve things as they are, including retaining the existing staff and bakery selections.
Posted by: Mom | February 28, 2022 at 04:56 PM
Thanks, Mom. This is a quintessential American success story--two actually! Here's the link
https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/new-owners-for-burlingame-s-copenhagen/article_025a3f5c-96c4-11ec-bb7c-1710caea437f.html?utm_source=smdailyjournal.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Fheadlines%2F%3F-dc%3D1645887611&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline
Posted by: Joe | March 01, 2022 at 01:18 PM
Joe? Who has the original bar stools from the Bit? My friend is opening her restaurant at this location and we are doing a wall of the history of all the business at that address. We would love to get one of those.
Posted by: Dawn | January 24, 2023 at 10:36 AM
Funny you should write now as I just found out he recently moved and the bar stools did not go with him. I was disappointed but understand his situation ;-(
I know your friend and hope she is quite successful in the space. She can ping me (she has my email) or even better get in touch with the Burlingame Historical Society who have an amazing archive and also manage the printing of historical photos for people (for a modest fee).
Posted by: Joe | January 24, 2023 at 12:53 PM
The DJ has a nice long piece about the opening of Stella in the Sixto's space. One of the nice things about the Voice is you can recall when things happened--so we know that all of the extensive work described took 15 months.
Only one correction to the piece--the Bit had liquor license #1 in the County, not the City.
https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/burlingame-s-stella-makes-a-move/article_72ed0f92-d8e0-11ed-9433-fb4a5151a7f3.html?utm_source=smdailyjournal.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Fheadlines%2F%3F-dc%3D1681308002&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline
Posted by: Joe | April 12, 2023 at 02:58 PM
I have been trying to remember the name of one of the bakeries on Burlingame Ave before it became The Cakery. It was the first name of the woman who owned it, something somewhat Nordic, if I remember correctly. I've lived in north San Mateo / Burlingame since around 1970, and I always used to buy my Mother's birthday cakes there. It was a great bakery, but the name escapes me! Someone must remember. An email would be appreciated!
Posted by: Sheila Callaghan | July 25, 2023 at 07:39 AM
Ingeborg’s
Posted by: maxine | July 25, 2023 at 08:04 AM
That one was Ingeborg's Broadway Pantry-- (yes, Broadway as homage to their "Broadway Pantry" roots in 1929).
Though this may be more than you want to know, I'll continue, just in case it is of interest...
Amazingly both of these locations and sometimes an additional one in San Mateo, survived many decades ion the bakery business, with few ownership changes.
The business had a long run perhaps best known in the early years as "Polly Anna Bakery" (1930s onward). Briefly Danish and then French bakers ran it in the late 1950s into the early 60s, then known as "Anatole's Broadway Pantry" (though this was also located on Burlingame Avenue).
Finally by the 1960s, Erwin and Ingeborg Hammer (German) who knew Anatole Arnold, the owner, and had developed a life-long relationship with the family, as their sponsors for US Naturization in the mid-1960s, convinced Erwin and Inge to try out their love of baking on a trial basis.
In 1965, they took over both Burlingame locations.
In 1997, Ingeborg's Broadway Pantry was sold to an SF baker and in 1998 The Cakery took over the space when the Ingeborgs retired.
Posted by: Jennifer Pfaff | July 25, 2023 at 08:42 AM