There are many reasons you may go home hungry after a San Jose State Spartans football game. We've seen all of them. Maybe the lines on the concession stands were way too long and also you didn't need to miss any of the motion on the sphere. Maybe the referees threw flags for each little thing, turning the sport into an extended day's journey into the night. And there's no way you would leave your seat at halftime and miss the spectacular Spartan Marching Band.
Of course, you'll also need dining options. SJSU's CEFCU Stadium's location on South Campus offers football fans the chance to explore the various culinary scenes in nearby Little Saigon, East San Jose, the SJSU campus community, and Downtown San Jose.
Here are five recommendations:
Pho Ha Noi
Little Saigon residents flock to Helen and Harry Nguyen's original Pho Ha Noi in the middle of the Vietnam Town complex, where they will enjoy classic cuisine made with premium ingredients.
Bowls of long-simmered pho (with oxtail, chicken and even a 1-pound short rib) are extremely popular here, but don't overlook the specialties: The hearty favorite, shaking beef, is made with ribeye steak from Harris Ranch. The chicken platters feature roasted free-range chickens from Stockton Poultry. And bun cha — grilled pork with vermicelli — has been a success here and across the United States since then-President Obama ordered it in Vietnam, the couple says. Their version is made with pork from Yosemite Meats.
The beverage selection is varied and includes Vietnamese coffee with salted cream, ube smoothie, coconut juice with kumquat, salty lemonade and more, in addition to beer, tea, coffee, lemonade and juice.
By the best way, in case you're heading home to the East Bay or the Peninsula after the sport, stop by the couple's Pho Ha Noi restaurants in Fremont (the latest), Milpitas, Cupertino or Palo Alto.
The court: Two of us fought over the Vietnamese Sizzling Steak ($21), sliced and sauce-coated filet mignon served with a pork and chicken liver pate, fries and fried egg.
Details: Open each day for lunch and dinner from 10:00 a.m. On game days (Friday, Saturday) the restaurant serves until 10:00 p.m. Vietnam Town, 969 Story Road, #6048, San Jose.
Assembly
On South twenty fourth Street, just over two miles from the stadium, you'll find charming family history and great contemporary Mexican food.
Second-generation Taqueria Lorena family siblings (and trained chefs) Lorena and Carlos Vidrio redesigned the unique space and reopened it as a contemporary Mexican bistro in 2022. Both inside and outside, Aztec-style geometric elements are presented against a color palette paying homage to Mexico—cacti, molcajete, adobe.
Traditional flavors and customs mix with the fashionable. Soft, pliable tortillas—handmade from locally nixtamalized corn—are the star of the tacos champinones, camarones al pastor, carnitas de pancita and carne de res. The tabla de queso offers a platter of Mexican cheese, tomatillo jam, chile honey, nuts and fruit dulce. Cool dishes include aguachile, ceviches and a paddle cactus salad.
The tequila and mezcal-focused bar mixes a dozen signature cocktails and a number of other margaritas.
The court: There's no doubt about it. The Mole Poblano con Pato ($30) is a showstopper, beautifully prepared and assembled, has an interesting texture, and is an actual Instagram hit. The preparation style varies all year long; currently, the duck leg is served with honey-glazed rainbow carrots and carrot escabeche purée.
Details: Dinner is served Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturdays until 10:00 p.m. 399 S. twenty fourth St., San Jose; www.acopiosj.com
Scotts Seafood
For nearly 40 years, Scott's has been satisfying Spartans' cravings for seafood, first at CityView Plaza in downtown San Jose and, since 2020, along South First Street, where this upscale eatery will serve because the anchor for a brand new restaurant row.
Reserve a table inside or on the heated patio and begin with a cup or bowl of the classic clam chowder or the cognac-flavored lobster bisque. Among the appetizers, the jumbo crab cakes with spicy remoulade have long been a customer favorite.
Are you craving fresh fish – grilled halibut or almond-crusted blue nose bass? Or a Bay Area classic like Scott's famous cioppino or Petrale sole dore? The menu features these dishes, in addition to pasta and seafood dishes, steaks, chops and seafood salads.
For weekday lunches, there’s a more casual offering of lobster rolls, fish 'n' chips, Scott's burgers and a chicken club.
The court: We've all the time thought that the Seafood Saute ($43), with its easy lemon butter sauce, really showcases the scallops, shrimp and crab.
Details: Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Friday, and for dinner from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday and 4:30 p.m. to eight:00 p.m. on Sunday, 200 S. First St., San Jose; www.scottsseafoodsj.com.
Naglee Park Garage
Located only a block from campus, the garage is a favourite amongst neighbors within the SJSU campus community and was featured by Guy Fieri on his show “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” in 2010.
Chef Mark Ostrowski, owner for the past decade, adds seasonal touches to a solid choice of American fare. There are 4 appetizers, including irresistible Brussels sprout florets with bacon and balsamic and an ever-evolving burrata appetizer; two portion-sized salads, a Caesar salad and a Naglee Cobb with cranberries, apples, gorgonzola, chicken and a maple vinaigrette; two burgers, including a plant-based option; and two mains, pan-seared salmon linguine and a bourbon-peppered New York strip steak with sides.
The choice of wines and craft beers is fastidiously chosen and the sangria is homemade.
Enjoy food and drinks inside on the bar, at one in all the small tables – we love the funky, rustic vintage look of the inside – or outside on the cool, leafy terrace.
The court: It's hard to pass up the homemade vanilla bread pudding made to share, topped with sea salt caramel, toasted pecans and orange cardamom whipped cream ($13).
Details: Open Friday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. (and Tuesday through Thursday until 8 p.m.) at 505 E. San Carlos St., San Jose; nagleeparkdining.com.
Togo's
Back when Spartan Stadium sold little to no food, SJSU students lined up on East William Street to purchase deli sandwiches to eat within the stands while hungry graduates round the corner looked on enviously.
This was the unique Togo's. Mike Cobler, a student at San Jose State University, bought a sandwich bar with a flowery wood exterior in 1971 and set about making sandwiches with fillings he liked – and thought that the dorm residents and others would love them, too.
Although Togo's is long gone, there’s a spot not removed from CEFCU Stadium where you’ll be able to stop for a delicious and soulful pre- or post-game snack. Good old No. 9, pastrami, remains to be the very best seller, followed by No. 24, turkey & avocado. (Almost nobody had heard of turkey & avocado when Togo's introduced the mixture in 1974.) Cheesesteaks have develop into popular, too, and in the summertime, there's BBQ beef.
The court: Our favorite is the classic No. 16, “The Italian,” topped with Genoa salami, cotto salami, mortadella, capicola and provolone cheese and drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette.
Details: Open each day from 10 a.m. to eight p.m., 1430 Monterey Road, San Jose. www.togos.com
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