LAMORINDA, CA — An Orinda resident and veteran of Italian-inspired eateries is bringing cocktails and small plates to the city’s Theatre Square.
Daniele Carsano, formerly of Walnut Creek’s Montesacro and Berkeley’s Casa Barotti, is opening Sorso in the former Starbucks space.
From what Carsano described, his concept for Sorso sounds similar to Casa Barotti, on College Avenue in Berkeley’s Rockridge neighborhood.
The name “Sorso” means “to sip” (or, to take a big swig according to online dictionaries), a fitting name for the vision described on the Bar Sorso Instagram: “Where cocktails lead, wine follows, and the plates are meant to be shared.” In other words, “Orinda’s about to get a little more interesting.”
Sorso will join the area’s stately Italian-American Casa Orinda with its steer-meets-Sinatra mahogany bar decor, Taverna Pellegrini, Piccolo Napoli pizzeria, the pub-food-focused Fourth Bore, the Boo Boo lounge, and several other places where Orinda pulls up to a table.
Carsano told the Bay Area Telegraph that he hopes Sorso gives locals a reason to stay in Orinda rather than head to nearby cities. But it’s not clear what Sorso’s hours will when it opens, or when that will be. For now, the matte-black windows at 2 Theatre Place tease a new addition to Orinda evenings.
The After Hours is a recurring column written by Patch Editor Angela Woodall where she will share her opinions on all things that happen after hours. The opinions expressed are her own.