Openings
Birdeez—a new entertainment center featuring indoor mini golf, high-tech darts, two bars and a restaurant—opened on Dec. 10 at 151 N. Sierra St., in downtown Reno. The appetizer menu features bar foods both classic (chicken wings) and innovative (mushroom queso). Birdeez also serves 26 beers on tap, creative craft cocktails, soups, salads, burgers and weekend brunch. Reservations are recommended, especially during peak hours and weekends; learn more at birdeezreno.com.
El Super, a grocery chain with stores in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Las Vegas, opened a Northern Nevada location at 1901 Silverada Blvd., in Reno, in November. The warehouse-sized store, in the spot formerly occupied by Sak ’N Save, features full-service grocery, bakery, butcher and produce departments, and a hot-food counter. El Super makes fresh tortillas and several varieties of tamales daily—and the tamale station is conveniently located right inside the front entrance! Learn more at elsupermarkets.com.
Following the closure of Graze Craze in Reno, another branch of the franchise charcuterie-board retailer is now open in Sparks, at 2399 Wingfield Hills Road, Suite 110. The shop offers made-to-order charcuterie boards featuring visually appealing arrangements of meats, cheeses, bread, fresh fruits, veggies, sweets and more. Order for pickup, delivery or catering at www.grazecraze.com/sparks-nv.
Closures
Bam! Dog closed its brick-and-mortar location at 5000 Smithridge Drive, in Reno, after eight years in business. According to the website, the owners continue to operate the Bam! Dog food truck, which serves dressed-up hot dogs and sausages (including a veggie option) and tater tots at events, and also does catering. For details, visit www.bamdoghotdogs.com/food-truck.
Fourk Kitchen, located at 4991 S. Virginia St., in Reno, has closed. The eatery, which specialized in serving prix fixe, new American dinners, initially announced it would close permanently on Dec. 31—but it actually closed in mid-December.
Restaurant and sports bar The Fe, which opened in October 2023, closed in December. Located in the historic Santa Fe Hotel building at 235 Lake St., in downtown Reno, The Fe served modernized, small-plate versions of classic Basque food.
News
Amer Picon, the bitter liqueur that’s a building block of Picon punch, has been scarce for the better part of the last half-year, following post-COVID-19 supply-chain issues that made the required botanicals harder to acquire. Reno’s Ferino Distillery, which specializes in Italian-style cordials, announced via social media on Dec. 12 that it had received the go-ahead to use the recipe from Torani, Amer’s recent U.S. producer, to begin making the product under its own branding in April 2025. From Ferino’s posts: “We’re honored to take on this responsibility. The recipe and the bottle you love will stay the same, and we’re dedicated to preserving its legacy while supporting the Basque restaurants and communities that keep it alive.”
Happenings
On Monday, Jan. 20, the Food Bank of Northern Nevada will host the MLK National Day of Service All-Ages Event to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and to sort and pack nonperishable food items and bulk produce for distribution. The event will take place at the food bank’s warehouse at 550 Italy Drive, in Sparks. Volunteers are asked to check in between noon and 12:30 p.m. and wear closed-toed shoes. The volunteer session will be preceded by a presentation on the legacy of MLK, and light refreshments will be provided. For additional information, contact coordinator Jessica Vela at jvela@fbnn.org.
The Nevada Society of Scottish Clans’ annual Robert Burns Celebration honors the memory of Scotland’s national poet and draws around 600 attendees from Nevada and California, making it one of the largest such events of its kind on the West Coast. This year’s celebration will take place on Saturday, Jan. 25, in the ballroom at the Grand Sierra Resort, 2500 E. Second St., in Reno, beginning with a whiskey tasting at 4 p.m., and with dinner (featuring, of course, Scotland’s national dish, haggis) at 6 p.m. Tickets are $103 for adults, and $30 for children 12 and younger. For tickets and details, visit nvssc.org.
Have local food, drink or restaurant news? Email foodnews@renonr.com.