Business Journal: Alaro Brewing Company, Golden Pacific Bank, Fizz

A Spanish-themed brewery plans to open up in midtown Sacramento at the spot once occupied by Rubicon Brewing Company on Capitol Avenue. It's called Alaro Brewing Company. And the Sacramento Business Journal's Digital Editor Sonya Sorich says it could open in April or May.

"The team behind the new brewery includes one of the founders of River City Brewing Company, from back when it was in the former Downtown Plaza," says Sorich. "And Alaro's brewer ran the brewery at Rubicon for the past five years. Rubicon closed last year, shortly before its 30th anniversary."

Alaro will offer Spanish wines, sangria and tapas, as well as a lineup of beers that will change often.

A locally-owned champagne bar is coming to downtown Sacramento. It's called Fizz, and it will open in a spot between Haagen-Dazs and Estelle Bakery and Patisserie in Downtown Commons, near Golden 1 Center. Sorich says the location of the business has changed since it was first announced about a year ago.

"The owner of the business once planned to open in midtown," says Sorich. "He's also been traveling around the world, checking out sparkling wines in places such as Barcelona. In addition to champagne, Fizz will serve other bubbles, such as California sparkling wines and Italian prosecco."

Fizz could open this spring or summer and will include a large patio facing the arena.

Three Sacramento restaurateurs, who are also brothers, plan to open a new Mexican restaurant. The Wong brothers — Mason, Curtis and Alan — already operate local business such as Cafeteria 15L and Iron Horse Tavern. Sorich says the brothers are now moving forward with plans to open their first Mas Taco Bar on R Street in midtown.

"But now they've announced two other new locations for this new Mexican restaurant," says Sorich. "Those sites will be in Arden Town Center and at Folsom's Palladio at Broadstone. The business will serve traditional tacos as well as tacos filled with more unexpected ingredients such as red curry shrimp."

In recent weeks, several other new restaurants have opened, including: Allora in East Sacramento; C. Knight's Steakhouse in the El Dorado Hills Town Center; and a new poke restaurant in downtown Placerville at the former Z Pie restaurant space.

A Sacramento bank plans to move its headquarters from downtown to midtown. Golden Pacific Bank has been in downtown's Park Tower building since 2010. But Sorich says it'll soon move to a building near Paragary's restaurant on 28th Street.

"The big difference here is that the bank has purchased its new midtown location," says Sorich. "It was previously leasing its downtown headquarters. The bank's CEO thinks that it's a benefit for a bank to own a building, from an accounting standpoint. Also another benefit, Golden Pacific will have its own parking at the midtown building."

The midtown site is currently under renovation. The bank could move-in this June.