Bigger with legit cocktails

At last: It’s a big week for long-awaited restaurant openings.

Magpie Cafe’s move to 16 Powerhouse is finally complete. The restaurant has been open since Monday, serving the same beloved sandwiches at lunch and seasonal fare for dinner. The big changes come from the much bigger space. The warmness from the brick walls is gone; instead, the place feels slick and modern with a color palette of black, white and gold. High ceilings, natural light and a tall bookcase of wine greet you as you walk in, while the spacious outdoor patio boasts artful wooden fixtures.

There’s also a legit bar—with seating and cocktails. The current cocktail menu features classics like Manhattans, martinis and negronis as well as some specialties, like the Honey Shade ($5), a beer cocktail with housemade honey and mint.

If you’re ever feeling nostalgic, you can still hit up Magpie’s R Street location. It will operate as Nido by Magpie, a cafe serving pastries, breakfast sandwiches and the like.

Also on R Street, the Warehouse Artist Lofts Public Market is ready for its two mini-restaurants after months and months of teasing. Fish Face, from Kru’s Billy Ngo, and Metro Kitchen + Drinkery are both expected to be open by the weekend. Fish Face will offer grab-and-go sushi and— a probable first-of-its-kind concept in Sacramento—a poke bar. Poke is a Hawaiian salad, usually composed of some combo of raw fish, seaweed, soy sauce, sesame oil and other seasonings—and is highly addicting. Metro will offer cold-pressed juice, kombucha, hard cider, unusual cocktails, coffee via Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters and health-focused eats.

Farm-to-fork closure: The G Street Shopping Center in Davis is sad because only three of its nine storefronts actually contain businesses. And it’s about to get a whole lot sadder when one of those businesses, Monticello Seasonal Cuisine, closes in a matter of days.

Monticello was quite possibly the first real farm-to-fork restaurant in Davis when it opened four years ago. One of the restaurant’s owners also operates Fiddlers Green Farm, which supplies most of Monticello’s produce. But the restaurant has been wrestling with its landlords over environmental issues, culminating in an eviction notice and soon-to-ensue legal battle.

Monticello is hosting a few last-ditch fundraiser events for the restaurant and Fiddlers Green Farm through Sunday, July 12. Both will continue vending at the Davis Farmers Markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays, respectively.