PRIMA Closing

Just got this very sad note from JohnRittmaster:

that the PRIMA restaurant in Walnut Creek will be closing… due to Coronavirus impact.
This is so sad. PRIMA was one of my go-to restaurants in the EastBay area. The note implies that Chef PeterChastain will find some other venue for his talents… which are considerable.
The PRIMA Vini wine shop will continue and even grow. They plan to start a direct-import operation, which I find exciting. The PRIMA Il Consorzia is one of the few wine clubs I continue to patronize.
I have, of course, followed PRIMA from the very start when Michael Verlander opened it yrs ago, strictly as a restaurant. The Vini shop came along later. Had any number of spectacular winemaker dinners there. The meals never failed me.
A sad ending to a remarkable run.
Tom

Sad indeed. I only managed to eat there once or twice, but always in the company of several local winos, and it was always a great meal!

Tom, IIRC, Prima opened circa 1980 as a wine shop only and the restaurant came later. Then Verlander acquired or leased the space next door and the wine shop moved there.

While David Perry worked there, until his unfortunate passing from cancer, I greatly enjoyed patronizing the wine store. I miss him.

One of my favorite East Bay restaurants as well. Had many memorable meals there. Sad.

Yup… I think you’re right, Truett.
Tom