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Davisite Banner. Left side the bicycle obelisk at 3rd and University. Right side the trellis at the entrance to the Arboretum.

Category: Food and Drink

  • Taming The Beast; L’homme Machine

    By Bertie Brouhard

    Craving a burger after a recent trip abroad I recently made a beeline for In-N-Out on Olive Drive. Dining in savoring my Double-Double with cheese, fries and chocolate shake (consistently delicious) I was struck by how very quiet my surroundings were. It was busy. I suspect a normal lunch hour. A dozen or so white clad employees crowned by chef overseas caps and secured by large safety pins holding tight their aprons were slicing, dicing, frying, serving. Filling orders. The drive-thru was backed up, the inside big bench occupied by customers waiting to pick up their meals, and the indoor and outdoor dining areas crowded with tradesmen, high school and college kids and a couple old townies like me. The few conversations (albeit brief) were those of other old schoolers needing to voice their orders at the walkup counter, the server calling out numbers for pickup and those I suppose shouting theirs from their vehicles into the drive-thru box.

    Other than one older couple rambling in Spanish I didn’t see or hear one ongoing verbal conversation amongst the several dozen inside dining customers or the dozen or so fast moving employees. The employees were not on their phones but all the customers; burger, fries or drink in one hand had their cell phones in their other. The singles, doubles, threesomes and foursomes all we glued to theirs.

    How sad! I for one miss good conversations. This “beast” (mine and your mobile, cellular phone) needs some usage guidelines, etiquette training perhaps; maybe a day or two weekly of rest (turned “off’.) The scene while munching my lunch got me thinking about my tech journey and our phones’ overblown importance and unbridled use.

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  • Davis Goes Undead on Halloween: Zombie Bike Parade Festival Takes Over Community Park on Saturday, Oct. 31

    Costumed riders at Community Park, 2025 (Photo credit: Action Flipbooks)

    A free, all-ages Davis tradition on bikes, with zombie skydivers at the end, raising money for local kids who ride adaptive tricycles

    (From press release) Davis is a bike town, and on Halloween the bikes come out in costume. The Zombie Bike Parade Festival returns on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Community Park, 1405 F St. It’s free, and everyone is welcome.

    The parade (11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.). Zombies, skeletons, witches and whole costumed families ride nearly five miles from Community Park to Mace Ranch Park and back, at an easy pace. Any bicycle works, including e-bikes, cargo bikes and tandems. Helmets are required for riders under 18.

    The festival (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.). Back at Community Park there are more than 25 activity stations, train rides, music, bounce houses, crafts, costume prizes, carnival food, a BMX stunt show and the Zombie Kingdom Quest. The Davis Skateboarding Group hosts a Monster Skate Jam at the Community Park skate park from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Early risers can start the day with the Monster Run Laser Run Challenge from 8 to 10 a.m., a free, timed run with laser target shooting from Davis Fencing Academy.

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  • Davis Teen Builds Successful Coffee Business

    Harvey’s Coffee approaches 200 monthly subscribers, every bag roasted by hand on a machine built in the early 1900s

    (From press release) Close to 200 people around the country get their coffee from a backyard in Davis, roasted four bags at a time by a high school senior. Harvey Uyeyama learned on that machine in June 2024, the night his father asked if he wanted to give it a try. 

    “He had been roasting coffee pretty much my whole life,” Uyeyama said.

    His father died of a heart attack on Harvey’s 15th birthday. Two weeks later, the church needed coffee for the funeral service, and Harvey roasted it alone for the first time.

    “I’d never roasted coffee fully by myself before, and it was a learning curve. I can’t tell you how many batches I probably ruined that night,” he said. “Everyone who drank the coffee at the funeral was like, ‘this is really, really good coffee. This is too good coffee for a funeral.’ And I was like, huh, maybe that’s a sign.”

    Harvey’s Coffee now roasts every Friday and delivers every Saturday across Davis, shipping the rest of the country from the same backyard — New Mexico, Iowa, New York. The business is closing in on 200 monthly subscribers.

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  • Davis Farmers Market Celebrates 50 Years of Community, Connection and Local Food

    (From press release) On Saturday, August 1, the Davis Farmers Market celebrated a remarkable milestone: 50 years of bringing farmers, food, families and community together in Davis.

    The day was a celebration of the past, the present, and future, five decades ago this market started as a gathering place for local farmers and community members to sell directly to customers and has since grown into a beloved Davis institution — a place where generations of residents come to shop for fresh, locally grown food, connect with neighbors, support local agriculture and experience the unique sense of community that makes the Davis Farmers Market special.

    The 50th anniversary celebration brought together market shoppers, farmers, community partners, local leaders and longtime supporters to honor the market’s history and look toward its future.

    “We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has helped make the Davis Farmers Market what it is today,” said Randii Macnear, Executive Director of the Davis Farmers Market Alliance. “For 50 years, this market has been more than a place to buy food. It has been a place to meet your neighbors, celebrate local agriculture, build relationships and feel connected to the community. We’re excited to carry that spirit forward for the next 50 years.”

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  • Davis Farmers Market 50th Anniversary Celebration – Saturday, August 1

    (From press release) For 50 years, the Davis Farmers Market has brought together local farmers, artisans, families, and neighbors, becoming one of the region’s most cherished traditions. Saturday’s celebration will feature special anniversary activities, live entertainment, community partners, and opportunities to experience the vibrant atmosphere of this landmark event.

    Event Details:

    What: Davis Farmers Market 50th Anniversary Celebration
    When: Saturday, August 1, 2026 | 8:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
    Where: Central Park, Davis | 301 C Street

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  • Save Mart Funds Cooking Kits for Former Foster Youth Through Make It Happen for Yolo County

    Cathi Schmidt, executive director of Make It Happen for Yolo County, helps a local youth select cookware for his apartment. The nonprofit received a grant from Save Mart to provide cooking kits to under-resourced youth.

    (From press release) The Save Mart Companies CARES Foundation is providing food preparation items for 50 local youth moving out of foster care, homelessness or the juvenile justice system through a $5,000 grant to nonprofit Make It Happen for Yolo County. The nonprofit provides under-resourced youth moving out on their own with furniture, appliances and household items needed to fully furnish a small apartment. Each cooking kit includes bakeware, mixing bowls, pots and pans, cooking utensils and kitchen knives.

    “Kitchen supplies are the most frequently requested items among our clients, so we are especially grateful to Save Mart for recognizing this important need,” said Cathi Schmidt, executive director, Make It Happen for Yolo County. “Our cooking kits address a practical gap that has real health and financial implications. By providing the tools to cook at home, we can help youth save money, eat more nutritiously and develop essential skills for independence.”

    Make It Happen for Yolo County equips local transition-age youth ages 16–24 with essential furnishings and household goods to create safe, stable homes as they move into independent living, as well as bicycles for transportation. Serving young people emerging from foster care, the juvenile justice system or homelessness, the nonprofit provides items that turn an apartment into a place of comfort, dignity and belonging. Clients are referred through county agencies and community partners and receive personalized support along with connections to partner organizations and ongoing advocacy. Since its founding in 2014, Make It Happen for Yolo County has helped nearly 400 transition age youth and is the only organization in Yolo County offering these services. To make a financial or furniture donation, visit: www.MIHYolo.org.

    The Save Mart Companies CARES Foundation focus is building stronger communities through fresh foods, access to food, and programs that support youth and helping them thrive. For more information, visit: www.TheSaveMartCompanies.com/Community.

  • Davis Pride is ready to bring the rainbows and glitter back to the community

    The Davis PrideFest will include performances by local drag performers like Eva Changing. (Photo credit: Photos by Grey)

    (From press release) The 12th annual Davis Pride will bring a month of events to celebrate and support the local LGBTQ+ community, with Davis PrideFest, a fun run, trivia, and the annual comedy night.

    The month-long celebration will start with PrideFest, taking place at Civic Center Park, at 6th and B streets behind Davis City Hall, from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 6. This family-friendly event features a music festival, community vendors, food trucks, drinks, and a drag revue.

    “At a time when nationwide we’re seeing attacks on LGBTQ+ rights and organizations turning their back on Pride events, we are proud to offer a community-driven event supported by local artists, businesses, and volunteers,” said Sandré Henriquez Nelson, Director of Pride Events for the Davis Phoenix Coalition.

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  • Picnic in the Park Returns to Davis Farmers Market April 1

    Beloved Wednesday evening tradition brings food, music, and community back to Central Park

    (From press release) The Davis Farmers Market is excited to announce the return of its popular Picnic in the Park season beginning Wednesday, April 1, 2026, and continuing every Wednesday through August 2026 in Central Park (Davis).

    During Picnic in the Park season, the Wednesday market expands from 3-6 p.m. to 4-8p.m. and features a variety of prepared food vendors, farm-fresh produce, and artisan goods, making it easy for visitors to build a delicious picnic dinner straight from the market. Guests can also enjoy local craft beer from rotating breweries, wine from local wineries, and, brand new to the market, we will also have mead available, offering a taste of the region’s vibrant food and beverage scene.

    Each week also includes live music performances and children’s activities, creating a festive atmosphere that has made Picnic in the Park one of Davis’s most cherished community traditions. Families, friends, and neighbors are invited to bring blankets, relax on the grass, and enjoy an evening in the park.

    Celebrating 50 Years of the Davis Farmers Market:

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  • Petition to end the security guards at the Davis Food Co-op

    By Roberta Millstein

    The Davis Food Co-op now has security guards. 

    How those security guards are dressed and armed and why they are there is the subject of some dispute — anyone interested in the variety of opinions on this subject can read the hundreds of comments I accidentally generated when I shared a picture of some sidewalk chalk concerning the guards (the first I had heard of it) on NextDoor.  There you can also read a variety of opinions about whether the guards are a good idea or not, count the number of reactions, etc.  Let's just say it was a classic NextDoor post.  Trying to look at the positives, it at least provided a platform for people to share their opinions and impressions.

    But that is not the point of this post.  The point of this post is to share a petition about the security guards, located here: https://www.change.org/p/end-the-militarized-security-presence-at-our-davis-food-co-op.  I have no involvement in creation of the petition, but whoever wrote it did a beautiful job.  It is well-written and thoughtful.

    I have signed, and I urge others to sign as well. Importantly, the petition not only calls for eliminating the security guards (and explains why) but also calls for the Management and Board of Directors of the Co-op to work creatively with the community — as member-owners of the Co-op — to find alternatives to deal with the recent challenges that the Co-op has had. 

    It is, after all, supposed to be a Co-op and not a just another business, just another grocery store.

    One thing that quickly became clear is how badly the Co-op bungled this.  At a minimum, it should have used its email newsletter to let people know about the problems and how they were thinking of handling them.  That would have saved a lot of fear, anger, and frustration on all sides. In fact, they still haven't sent out an email like this, instead putting up a sandwich board in front of the entrance with a relatively brief explanation.

    Davis Food Co-op, let's work together.  Community, let's urge them to do so.  Again, the petition is here.

  • Celebration of Abraham hosts a contemplative interfaith prayer vigil

    (From press release) People of faith must support all those who are suffering.

    As a first step, our community must come together, so the Celebration of Abraham is hosting a contemplative interfaith prayer vigil at the Davis United Methodist Church at 1620 Anderson Road on Tuesday, June 24th at 7pm. Abraham is inviting the entire community. We are hoping the people will bring snacks to share that they will stay and talk with others after the service. Many in our community are food insecure, so we are asking folks to bring a nonperishable food item that Abraham will collect and give to the local food bank.