Sometimes, a whim pays off.
It did the other afternoon when I decided, as I drove by, to make a U-turn and stop by Cafe Con Papi (which a reader had alerted us to). I could use a cup of coffee, I thought. What I discovered was a family-owned spot serving Latin-style coffees, a nice change from the java usual.
Papi is just one of several places — recently opened or about to — in these latest dispatches from the local bar and restaurant front.
Cafe Con Papi, 495 E. Sixth St., at Valley Road
This spot opened in early February in a renovated former convenience store across the street from the new Rounds Bakery commissary kitchen. The shop offers a small menu of Latin-inspired coffee drinks, plus pastries in two small cases.
I tried the cafe de olla jabbed with cinnamon and cane sugar. The coffee was ladled hot from the olla (OY-uh), a style of ceramic cooking pot. Delicious!
Chapo Sports Bar, 1401 S. Virginia St., suite 250 (upstairs), 775-300-1531
This bar opened late last year in the former Rue Bourbon premises, upstairs from Fat Cat Bar & Grill. Click here for a video tour of the space, which includes a brick bar, a pool table and a lounge area with couches.
The Exotic Milkshake Bar Reno, in Meadwood Mall food fourt, 5000 Meadowood Mall Circle
Creatively loaded milkshakes, ice cream cones and bowls, and ice cream tacos star at this locally-owned place that debuted in January.
The tacos look especially inviting, like one lollapalooza bursting with vanilla ice cream, Froot Loops, Fruity Pebbles, Cap’n Crunch and spatters of marshmallow syrup.
The Liquid Library Elixir Bar, in The Bluebird Reno, 555 E. Fourth St.
The Liquid Library will serve tea, coffee and other non-alcoholic drinks from inside The Bluebird Reno nightclub and music venue, according to the Liquid business license application.
Rebel Pioneer bakery, in the Sticks development
Rebel Pioneer, a cottage bakery that’s built a following for its organic custom cakes, is getting a storefront. The bakery is scheduled to open in the spring in the Sticks development in Midtown Reno.
Rounds Bakery, in the Outlets at Legends, 1180 Scheels Drive, suite B-115, Sparks
UPDATE Feb. 20: Rounds Bakery opened in Legends on Feb. 18, co-owner Anton Novak confirmed that evening. Reno News & Review will soon report further on the early opening and the restaurant’s operations.
Original post:
When the folks from Rounds Bakery spoke exclusively to Reno News & Review last summer, the tentative debut date was Labor Day for this 4,000-square-foot bakery, café and quick-service operation across from the movie theater at Legends.
That opening didn’t take place, delays being almost inevitable in the restaurant business, but the inside buzz is that a soft opening of this latest Rounds will occur sometime in the next few weeks.
Johnathan L. Wright is the food and drink editor for Reno News & Review. Follow him on Twitter at @ItsJLW or on Facebook personally or at @FoodNevada.