Where do locals go for pizza or a casual family meal?

Greg McDaniel says Ascona's Pizza in Black Oak Plaza is awesome—the quality beats the snot out of most of the stuff you're gonna find anywhere else. They're pretty generous with the helpings, very family friendly, you can sit outside, get a beer, get a pizza, and the kids hang out, and they got a full bar.

What is Green Brook and where are its boundaries?

Greg McDaniel explains this is called Green Brook. Going from north to south you start it off using 680 as your west side boundary, then Sycamore Valley Road going north—that will be on the right hand side, that'll be Green Brook, which runs all the way down until it skirts right along the under edge of the Crooked Country Club; if you're on the freeway going southbound on 680, the other boundary would be Crooked Canyon.

Is there a private or gated community buyers should know about?

Greg McDaniel notes Crook Canyon Country Club is really well located—the southern border is Crook Canyon Road and the western border is El Capitan. It's a gated community and private club, so you have to be a member or a guest to get in. It's honestly nice—an established, older community overall, but there are definitely some younger families or couples that own within the gates.

What is there for kids and families outdoors in Eastside Danville?

Greg McDaniel describes 35 acres right in the middle of a residential development in Eastside Danville as a mecca for family and kids—they have four baseball fields, six soccer fields, four tennis courts, and it's an incredible place to walk the dog. Danville South Park is a tiny little park with a little playground, grass area for walking the dogs, and swings for the kiddos, in the neighborhoods of Green Brook or around there.

Where can you learn local history or take visitors?

Greg McDaniel points to the Museum of Danville right next to the Iron Horse Trail, where the station was for the train—you get a little bit of the history of the valley, they got a big old red train car in the back, and they do train events and history things. He also says if you're going into Black Hawk you've gotta go take a look at the Black Hawk Museum or the Black Hawk Auto Museum—they have a whole floor down below purely dedicated to extremely rare vehicles, cars in perfect condition, a few motorcycles, and a bunch of limos from old presidents.

Greg McDaniel's Guide to Danville

Alamo, CA

By Greg McDaniel

About Danville

Greg McDaniel notes that downtown and westside Danville hold a lot of what he knows best. He calls Pete's Brass Rail "the staple of staples of Danville" and "awesome sauce," adding he has been in the beer club "since like 2002, 2003" where "they always have rotating beers" and after enough you get "your name written on the wall." Sideboard, he says, is "actually a cute little restaurant" that is "kind of like a breakfast spot, kind of meeting coffee house," looking "like a little house" across from Trader Joe's and on the same side as Chevron, next to Pete's Press. Peasant and the Pear he calls "stinking fantastic" for "the staff, the wine selection, the food quality," run by Rodney Worth, "the nicest dude" who "knows everybody." Ascona's Pizza in Black Oak Plaza is "awesome"—"the quality of the product beats the snot out of most of the stuff you're gonna find anywhere else," with generous helpings, a full bar, and that metal tray they elevate in front of you. For an adult night out he says there are "only really two or three bars in Danville" almost next to each other; Minars has the green awning, live music, and carpet where "you're gonna go squishy-squishy," and if Jill is still there she is "super nice." Luna Loco has food that is "really, really, really good," "millionaire margaritas" at 40 bucks that "kick you in the behind," and "humongous" burritos.

On neighborhoods, Greg McDaniel describes Green Brook bounded west by 680, with Sycamore Valley Road going north, skirting "the under edge of the Crooked Country Club," and if you are southbound on 680 the other boundary is Crooked Canyon. Fosterius Circle on the west side of South Danville is "unique because it is in a circle formation and it is steeper," with homes on Fountain Springs "closer together, but they got really nice views," and a little road to Peter's Ranch if the gate is open. The Sycamore neighborhood, right on the other side of Sycamore Valley Road, is "named for its sycamore trees" with "tons of walking paths, a clubhouse with a pool and tennis courts," and a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on Sycamore and Old Orchard. Crook Canyon Country Club has southern border Crook Canyon Road and western border El Capitan; it is "gated" and "private club," "honestly nice," an "established, older community" with some younger families. The Livery at the southern end of Danville on the west side is "a uniquely awesome little shopping area because it's so convenient" when Sycamore Valley Road takes you over the freeway.

For parks and lifestyle, Greg McDaniel points to the Museum of Danville next to the Iron Horse Trail where "the station was for the train," with "a big old red train car in the back," train events, and the lot they call "the Lenardi's parking lot." The Veterans Building on Harts and West Prospect "used to be run down back when I was in high school" but got "a full facelift" and "came out gorgeous," with a bench behind the flagpole and boutiquey stores on West Prospect. The Eugene O'Neill historical site sits in Danville off Kuss Road in the Las Trampas Range; you can access hiking via Camille in Alamo. Danville South Park is "this tiny little park" you "could almost miss," with playground and swings "in the neighborhoods of Green Brook or around there." One of his "favorite childhood memories" is the 35-acre spot in Eastside Danville—"a mecca for family and kids" with four baseball fields, six soccer fields, four tennis courts—where early morning he lets his "two German shepherds run around and frolic." The old PlayStation has "the old West theme," park benches and barbecue areas, and "parking is phenomenal."

Highlights

Ascona's Pizza in Black Oak Plaza is awesome—the quality of the product beats the snot out of most of the stuff you're gonna find anywhere else; they're pretty generous with the helpings, very family friendly, full bar, and they get that metal tray and elevate it up so it's sitting up in front of you.
Pete's Brass Rail is the staple of staples of Danville. It is awesome sauce. If you like beer, they have a beer club—Greg McDaniel has been a member since like 2002, 2003—and after a certain amount of beers you get your name written on the wall.
Fosterius Circle is an interesting little neighborhood on the west side of South Danville, unique because it is in a circle formation and it is steeper, so it is definitely on a grade; the single family homes on Fountain Springs are closer together, but they got really nice views.
Peasant and the Pear is stinking fantastic—the staff, the wine selection, the food quality—owned by Rodney Worth of the Worth Group, a great chef with a great sense of humor who knows everybody and is the nicest dude.
One of Greg McDaniel's favorite childhood memories is the 35 acres right in the middle of a residential development in Eastside Danville—a mecca for family and kids with four baseball fields, six soccer fields, four tennis courts, and an incredible place to walk the dog.

Local Knowledge

[dining] Ascona's Pizza in Black Oak Plaza is awesome. The quality of the product beats the snot out of most of the stuff you're gonna find anywhere else. They're pretty generous with the helpings, very family friendly, and it feels kinda cool to go back to a pizzeria where they get that metal tray and elevate it up so it's sitting up in front of you, not in a box on your coffee table. You can sit outside, get a beer, get a pizza, and the kids hang out. They got a full bar. (score: 100)
[neighborhood] This is called Green Brook. If you look at it on a map, going from north to south, you would start it off using 680 as your west side boundary, then Sycamore Valley Road going north. That will be on the right hand side, that'll be Green Brook, which will then run all the way down until you get down a little bit further, and it's gonna skirt right along the under edge of the Crooked Country Club, but if you're on the freeway going southbound on 680, the other boundary would be Crooked Canyon (score: 100)
[parks] So here's the really cool thing about this hiking location. This is in San Ramon, off of Bullinger Canyon Road, and it takes you way out. You come in, get off in San Ramon on Crow Canyon Road, take a left, go westbound, then you're gonna go up the road, come just right before you're gonna get out of the commercial area, all the buildings, take a right on Bullinger Canyon Road, and take it all the way till it dead ends. (score: 100)
[lifestyle] Here's the Museum of Danville, right next to the Iron Horse Trail. This is where the station was for the train. You get a little bit of the history of the valley. They got a big old red train car in the back that you can go look at. They do train events and history things. A lot of school classes will go there to learn about the valley. In that parking lot right there, we call it the Lenardi's parking lot because Lenardi's Market is right there. (score: 100)
[neighborhood] Fosterius Circle is an interesting little neighborhood on the west side of South Danville. It is unique because it is in a circle formation and it is steeper, so it is definitely on a grade, but the single family homes on that circle on Fountain Springs are closer together, but they got really nice views. If you go up Fountain Springs, a fun little fact, you're gonna see a little road to the right hand side that says Peter's Ranch. If the gate's open, you gotta go up there. (score: 100)
[dining] Sideboard is actually a cute little restaurant. It's been around for a number of years now. It's kind of like a breakfast spot, kind of meeting coffee house. It looks like a little house, and it's right across the street from a shopping center in downtown Westside Danville, right across from where Trader Joe's is, and right on the same side as Chevron. It's next to one of my other favorite restaurants, Pete's Press. (score: 100)
[parks] This is the old PlayStation, the old old town station. They have the old West theme going on with it, and there's a lot of park benches and barbecue areas right next door. If you wanted to throw a get together or a birthday party or the neighborhood wanted to get together or your cul-de-sac or whatever, you can go there. The parking is phenomenal. As a kid I remember playing on that playground. (score: 100)
[dining] I don't even know where to start with Pete's Brass Rail. That is the staple of staples of Danville. It is awesome sauce. If you like beer, they have a beer club. I've been a member since like 2002, 2003. You go in there, they always have rotating beers. After a certain amount of beers, you get your name written on the wall as you progress through the beer club, your name color. (score: 100)
[lifestyle] The Veterans Building downtown Danville on Harts and West Prospect is a really cool building. It used to be run down back when I was in high school, but they did a full facelift a number of years ago and it came out gorgeous. I've been to a couple of events there. There's a great bench right out front behind the flagpole that says Veterans Memorial. You're literally in downtown so you can walk across the street to Starbucks. Ladies can go shopping on West Prospect for the boutiquey stores. (score: 100)
[lifestyle] The Eugene O'Neill historical site is up in the Las Trampas Range on the west side of Alamo, but it actually sits in Danville off of Kuss Road. You go see where Eugene lived, his office, walk the grounds, check out the barn he talks about, understand why he lived up there. If you're hiking in the Las Trampas Hills you can access through Camille in Alamo. Go Danville Boulevard north of downtown Danville, take a left on Camille to the dead end, then down the little walking path on your left. (score: 98)

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do locals go for pizza or a casual family meal?: Greg McDaniel says Ascona's Pizza in Black Oak Plaza is awesome—the quality beats the snot out of most of the stuff you're gonna find anywhere else. They're pretty generous with the helpings, very family friendly, you can sit outside, get a beer, get a pizza, and the kids hang out, and they got a full bar.
What is Green Brook and where are its boundaries?: Greg McDaniel explains this is called Green Brook. Going from north to south you start it off using 680 as your west side boundary, then Sycamore Valley Road going north—that will be on the right hand side, that'll be Green Brook, which runs all the way down until it skirts right along the under edge of the Crooked Country Club; if you're on the freeway going southbound on 680, the other boundary would be Crooked Canyon.
Is there a private or gated community buyers should know about?: Greg McDaniel notes Crook Canyon Country Club is really well located—the southern border is Crook Canyon Road and the western border is El Capitan. It's a gated community and private club, so you have to be a member or a guest to get in. It's honestly nice—an established, older community overall, but there are definitely some younger families or couples that own within the gates.
What is there for kids and families outdoors in Eastside Danville?: Greg McDaniel describes 35 acres right in the middle of a residential development in Eastside Danville as a mecca for family and kids—they have four baseball fields, six soccer fields, four tennis courts, and it's an incredible place to walk the dog. Danville South Park is a tiny little park with a little playground, grass area for walking the dogs, and swings for the kiddos, in the neighborhoods of Green Brook or around there.
Where can you learn local history or take visitors?: Greg McDaniel points to the Museum of Danville right next to the Iron Horse Trail, where the station was for the train—you get a little bit of the history of the valley, they got a big old red train car in the back, and they do train events and history things. He also says if you're going into Black Hawk you've gotta go take a look at the Black Hawk Museum or the Black Hawk Auto Museum—they have a whole floor down below purely dedicated to extremely rare vehicles, cars in perfect condition, a few motorcycles, and a bunch of limos from old presidents.