Downtown Hollister’s Main Street Bistro may be under new
ownership, but local couple Ana and Carlos Oliveira want customers
to know the restaurant will still offer the dishes they love.
HOLLISTER
Downtown Hollister’s Main Street Bistro may be under new ownership, but local couple Ana and Carlos Oliveira want customers to know the restaurant will still offer the dishes they love.
After all, the Oliveiras were loyal Main Street customers themselves before taking over the business. Carlos Oliveira still raves about the “awesome” steak sandwich.
“We’re not going to take anything away, just add,” he said.
Starting in the second week of January, the Oliveiras plan expand the menu by adding the Portuguese cuisine that is Ana Oliveira’s specialty, including the famous codfish dish Bacalhau. They’re also going to open the restaurant for longer hours, from 6:30 a.m. and 8 p.m., and start offering traditional breakfasts.
The Oliveiras have started their changes by giving the restaurant a fresh coat of paint.
“We want it to have more of a family look,” Ana Oliveira said. “Kids are No. 1 in my mind, and for kids to come, their parents have to come, too.”
The Oliveiras said their interest was piqued when restaurant owner Megan Ward first put it up for sale a year ago. They both commute from Hollister to Sunnyvale and were thinking it might be nice to own a business close to home.
“She loves to cook; I love to be the boss,” Carlos Oliveira said, before patting his wife’s arm and adding, “I’m just kidding. She’s the boss.”
To help ensure a smooth transition, the Oliveiras said they’re counting on manager Matt Gratz, a San Francisco Culinary Institute graduate who has been with the bistro since it opened five years ago.
Gratz said he’s excited about the Oliveiras’ plans.
“It’s going to be really good,” he said.
