Meet & Greet at Rossotti's Alpine Inn in Portola Valley

Not everyone wants to spend their Thanksgiving weekend amongst the Black Friday crowd, so Bay Area Ghost Hunters thought we would try something a little different. I learned about Rossotti's Alpine Inn (aka Zott's) several years ago and was fascinated by a place where customers can still ride up on horseback and hitch their horses.

While riding on Caltrans, I overheard a former employee talking about Zott's, so I asked if they were aware of any ghost stories. She confirmed there were ghosts, but had no experiences of her own to share. This prompted me to ask Madeleine Harmath, another BAGH organizer who can see and talk with ghosts, to check out Zott's with me. She said that we had quickly attracted the attention of a woman astral who loved the hospitality business and had been hanging out at Zott's because she loved being around its energy. When we talked with a young staffer, we asked if there were any interesting stories about this historic beer garden. He said his father came early one morning to deliver some wood for the pizza ovens, well before the place had opened for the day, when he heard what sounded like a packed house. ...It may not be much, but it's a start.

Zott's originally opened in 1852 as Casa de Tableta, by Proprietor Félix Buelna. When San Jose outlawed gambling, he encouraged people to come to his meeting house and gambling room on what was formerly known as "The Old Spanish Trail." He leased the place to a couple of other people in 1867, only to lose the property altogether in a poker game to William Eccles Stanton in 1868. Over the decades it changed names and ownership many times. Despite all of the turnover, it has been a favorite joint for both students and working people. On May 24, 1969, Zott's was declared California Historic Landmark #825, under the name Casa de Tableta. It landed on the roster of National Register of Historic Places in 1973. In the 70s, it was a spot where punters experimented with the functionality of the internet. Out of fear it would be redeveloped when it went up for sale again in 2018, a few local residents united to purchase, reburbish and reopen the establishment. It is second only to the Iron Door in Groveland as the oldest operating saloon in California.

This is a really fun place to go, so let's do it. Zott's is a busy place on the weekends, so we were advised to be there when it first opens. Lunch is Dutch treat. They will not seat anyone with less than 75% of their party. When they're crowded, they strictly send guests on their way after a couple of hours.

Parking can be tight, but it's free and they do have attendants when the lot is full. Car pooling is encouraged. Guests are also welcome to ride their horses and bicycles there.

BAGH organizers will be wearing their flashing ghost necklaces. We look forward to seeing other Bay Area Ghost Hunters there.

Adrienne