San Pedro Square has never had a restaurant like this before

Under new ownership, the San Pedro Square restaurant site that had been devoted to creative Mexican fare for years will become an upscale Indian restaurant.

“I believe downtown San Jose has been missing a high-quality, modern Indian dining experience, and that’s exactly the gap we’re hoping The Silk Route will fill,” said restaurateur Jasbir Singh, the project co-owner with partner Mandeep Jandir.

Veterans of the San Pedro Square restaurant scene, they have owned and operated The Brit Sports Pub and Patio on Santa Clara Street for several years.

The large dining space just around the corner — formerly Olla Cocina — became available when Grant Messinger, senior associate with the Meacham Oppenheimer group, announced that it was stepping back from its plan to introduce a modern Mexican steakhouse.

Singh said diners’ changing tastes and demographics led them to seize the opportunity.

“I see more young Indo-Americans downtown, whether they’re attending SJSU, catching shows at the Improv or simply spending time in San Pedro Square,” he said. “At the same time, the popularity of Indian cuisine among non-Indian communities has been steadily growing each year.”

He noted that “every major South Bay dining destination — including downtown Mountain View, Santana Row, Palo Alto, Santa Clara — has one or more successful Indian restaurants that attract a diverse customer base.”

Exterior and interior renovations are underway, and The Silk Route is expected to open this fall.

Olla Cocina, the contemporary Mexican restaurant that had occupied that midblock site from summer 2016 to fall 2025, was preceded by La Piñata and before that, Blake’s Steakhouse for many years. This past spring, the Messingers put a temporary concept, Bar Tako, into the space while they worked on their Santos steakhouse plans, but that pop-up closed before the World Cup watch parties started.

Details: 17 N. San Pedro St., San Jose; sanpedrosquare.org/eat-drink.