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Menlo Park residents Lea Redmond and Sam Martinez-Colson have been neighbors for nearly two decades. Now they’re becoming business partners, opening a wine and cheese bar in their neighborhood that aims to be a haven for the community.
Haven Wine & Cheese, located in the quiet residential area of The Willows, will offer wine by the bottle and glass, a variety of cheeses and tinned fish. It replaces Habibi’s Salon, which relocated around the corner.
“Our kids went to school together, and they’re both off in college now. And I remember being in (Redmond’s) house and (her kids) were little, like 18 months and 2 years old, and us talking about, ‘Wouldn’t it be really fun to have a wine and cheese bar?’ and we’d be drinking wine, of course, while we were talking about it,” Martinez-Colson said.
Haven will celebrate its grand opening Saturday, June 21, with a ribbon cutting at noon and complimentary bubbles and snacks from noon to 2 p.m.
Both women have a background in the tech industry, with Martinez-Colson currently working as a chief people officer. Redmond, who has since exited tech and also co-owns bar-centric restaurant Oeste in Oakland, has had a longtime interest in cheese.
“‘I want a cheese sandwich,’ was my first word,” Redmond said. “We’re creating something out of passion…We care about our community. We want to create something that we would want to go to.”
The front section of Haven will feature a cheese case, where patrons can select from around 25-35 cheeses to take home or add to takeout charcuterie boards. There will also be refrigerators stocked with wine bottles, beer and grab-and-go food items, including breakfast options like parfaits and chia seed puddings and lunch options like soups, sandwiches, salads and charcuterie boxes.
Beyond the retail space, the rest of Haven’s footprint will be for ages 21 and up and will include an intimate indoor area with cozy bar seating and small tables, as well as an outdoor patio for larger groups. Redmond and Martinez-Colson partnered with a consulting sommelier to build the wine program, which will have about 60 bottles at a time, with 10-12 of those available by the glass ($14-$25).
“As a female in business, and also I’m Latina, (Lea is) Black, we really want to highlight female winemakers, smaller producers and winemakers of color,” Martinez-Colson said.
Redmond and Martinez-Colson also aim to make wine accessible at Haven.
“Not every wine has to be a challenge,” Redmond said. “Come in and tell us what you like, and we’ll try to give you something new to try that is along that line…We just want to be a unique environment for people to come in and not feel intimidated to ask stupid questions.”
Haven will offer a wine club, which will include discounts, first dibs at events and limited-edition bottles. Redmond and Martinez-Colson plan to offer a “splash key” for the first few sign-ups, which will enable keyholders to receive a complimentary tasting pour each visit.
To be more accessible to parents, Haven will offer “last hour happy hour” instead of a pre-dinner happy hour. Held during the last hour of service – beginning at 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. depending on the night – Haven will offer specials on small plates and select wines by the glass.
“We don’t get to go to happy hours when you have kids. It’s not happening,” Martinez-Colson said. “You’re picking them up from day care, you’re taking them to soccer, doing all the things.”
Besides wine, Haven will also have a selection of beers, curated by Redmond and Martinez-Colson, and low-ABV cocktails, including spritzes and sangrias. Haven will also offer nonalcoholic options, including ciders, zero-proof sparkling wines, beers and a couple of specialty mocktails.
Son Souvatdy, the former chef of The BottleShop in Redwood City, developed Haven’s food menu. Expect brunch, lunch and dinner boards, which feature chef specials along with a cheese and charcuterie board. Small plates include housemade pates, bruschetta, olives and housemade pickles. There will be a seasonal salad, Haven Caesar salad and a seasonally rotating soup option, which will be San Marzano and peach gazpacho with roasted summer squash for the summer.
Haven will also carry more than 50 tinned fish varieties from around the globe, including Spain, Portugal and Denmark, as well as domestic offerings from Alaska and Sausalito. Expect sardines with lemon confit, smoked mussels in escabeche, tuna belly, mackerel and more. Patrons can eat the fish along with country bread or with potato chips as a gluten-free option.
“It’s like our version of fish and chips,” Redmond said.
Redmond and Martinez-Colson worked with designer Julia Goodwin to transform the former hair salon into Haven. The walls are painted a light green to feel bright and light during the daytime and cozy and moodier at night, Redmond said. Haven also has a beachy, natural feel with wood accents and woven fixtures. The top shelf behind the bar will be decorated with an assortment of decor handpicked by Redmond and Martinez-Colson.
The pair put a lot of effort into making Haven “a place where everyone can come and feel comfortable,” Redmond said, including selecting larger bar chairs with backs. The decision decreased the seating capacity by two, but the seating is more comfortable for taller and older patrons.
Local artist Daniel Huenergardt created a large mural for the back wall featuring floral patterns and hidden images of women, an homage to Haven being women-owned.
“We want (Haven) to be representative of us as women, and maybe even inspire other women to take on their daydream project, which is really what this was for us,” Martinez-Colson said.
In addition to regular service, Haven will be available for buyouts for special events, like birthdays or company outings. Redmond said she will be hosting her brother’s wedding reception at Haven.
Ultimately, Redmond and Martinez-Colson hope Haven functions as a getaway and escape for people to come try new wines, cheeses and tinned fish.
“We love this community. We love this neighborhood,” Martinez-Colson said.
Haven Wine & Cheese is the latest in a string of bar and restaurant openings in Menlo Park this year, including Eylan, Bar Loretta and Clark’s Oyster Bar. Just this month, Ren Omakase Yeobo, Darling and Bubbelah have opened, and Cafe Vivant is expected to open in late July.
Haven Wine & Cheese, 1925 Menalto Ave., Menlo Park; Instagram: @havenwinecheese. Beginning June 21, open Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Thursday to Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
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Sam and Lea have hit a home run with this great new place!
Great ambience, exciting menu, reasonable prices and a talented staff.
Their collection of tinned fish is amazing and is someting that you will not find anywhere else.
This is a wonderful place for lunch or an afternoon wine and cheese visit.