Picazo owners to take over the kitchen at Mint and Liberty

Kina and Salvador Picazo Chavez will expand their restaurant business to the new Picazo Kitchen and Bar in what had recently been the Mint and Liberty Modern Diner, located in the Maxwell Village shopping center at 19101 Highway 12.

Mint and Liberty had taken over the space in November of 2018 from longtime Sonoma favorite the Breakaway Café; Mint and Liberty failed to gain traction with locals and announced its closure last month and was put up for sale soon after.

The Chavezes own Picazo Café on Arnold Drive. Sal Chavez’s father and mother are involved in the operation of the café as well – his father making Picazo’s pastries, and mother the sauces and dressings for sale in bottles.

Chavez told the Index-Tribune that, like the café, the Picazo Kitchen will be a family affair.

“We always do everything for each other and with each other,” said Chavez. “Kina will be in charge of Picazo Kitchen and Bar as her own endeavor. Our food should be comforting, conscious and, of course, affordable.”

Prices might be higher at the old Breakaway location since they plan to redecorate and pay higher rent, said Chavez.

Starting April 1, Kina Chavez and crew will begin serving dinner, and then will work up to serving lunch, and finally breakfast.

Sal Chavez said that “it’s Kina’s time to shine.”

“For the past three years Kina has been in charge at the 19100 Arnold location and has taken it to new heights,” he said.

Kina Chavez describes the new restaurant as an opportunity “to create more delicious, affordable meals for the community while having some fun with a well curated cocktail menu.”

“The dinner menu will feature the extensive salad and burger menu Sonoma is used to while adding some fun new full meal items that are diverse and fan favorites,” said Kina Chavez. “This menu will highlight some of our families’ signature recipes, our household favorites, and some fun appetizers.”

Mint and Liberty owners James and Mila Hahn say they are excited to hand over the keys to the Sonoma couple.

“We are excited to see a local, community-friendly brand take over the space under the watch of Kina and Sal,” said James Hahn. “Picazo Kitchen and Bar is an exciting launch of a second location for a community driven, local-friendly brand and concept.”

Picazo Kitchen and Bar will be hiring for most positions. Anyone interested in applying can email Kina at kina@picazocafe.com. For updates from Picazo, email news@picazocafe.com.