EDIBLE NOTES
NEW LIFE FOR HISTORIC PEIRANO’S
V
entura’s Peirano’s Market and Delicatessen, situated on the historic Figueroa Street Plaza across from the San Buenaventura Mission, offers beautiful views and outdoor seating, with an emphasis on local goods and homemade food. The new venture, which officially opened Oct. 15, 2019, is proving a popular gathering place with its Linda Jordan and Jim Rice show off a couple of the specialties available in the recently opened Peirano’s winning formula, according Market and Delicatessen in downtown Ventura. to owners Linda Jordan and Jim Rice, partners both professionally and personally. According to Rice’s daughter Shanon Rice-Johnson, who serves as the menu until the fire, when he joined Jose Andrés’ World Central director of operations and events, the food offered differs from the Kitchen—the project took longer than originally anticipated. many craft beer establishments that dot the downtown Ventura area, Now, though, “Peirano’s is a place to congregate and enjoy our with its focus on unique tastes and specialty dishes. beautiful city,” Jordan says. “We are going to introduce you to products you can’t get just The deli, situated behind the market, features a variety of sandanywhere, both in our market and on our menu. Our Calabrian chili wiches, salads, specialty crostini and charcuterie boards to start. butter is our signature spread on our Italian sandwich and makes it There is regular music on the patio, daily pasta dinner menu items unique from all others,” Rice-Johnson says. “All of our dressings and with vegetarian and gluten free options and family dinner specials on sauces are made right here, by our staff.” Fridays. Rice and Jordan say they also offer a full catering menu and Rice explains that the market offers imported Italian, domestic local delivery and plan to add more musical events. Italian and local goods in keeping with the origins of the historic The market greets visitors coming in from Main Street with an building. Peirano’s opened in 1877 in the first commercial brick array of baked goods, imported and local olive oils, local Blue Ridge building in Ventura as a grocery and general store operated by Alex honey, specialty pasta, imported canned tomatoes and other goods, Gandolfo. In 1890, Gandolfo’s nephew Nick Peirano took over the dairy and local produce as available. store, which was operated by the family until the late 1980s. It then became a restaurant. But by 2016, the building adjacent to Mission Peirano’s Market and Delicatessen Park was empty. 204 E. Main St., Ventura, Jordan and Rice, who have been a couple for more than six years, 805-628-9028; DeliVentura.com decided then to take on the challenge of creating a market and restau—Anne Kallas rant in one of their favorite spots. While early reports about the project were greeted enthusiastically Anne Kallas is a prolific freelance writer focusing on Ventura County. A fan of local, seasonal produce, she is the farmers’ market segment contributor for the by the community, the Thomas Fire put a damper on things. Between LIVE 805 show on KVTA 1590AM. She lives in Ventura and is a former columnist, personal losses, which took time to process, and the business loss of writer and copy editor for the Ventura County Star. local chef Tim Kilcoyne—who had originally signed on to oversee
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spring 2020
Edible Ojai & Ventura County
