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Alchemy Market and Winebar
Categories: Food Grocery Restaurants American (New) Nightlife Bars Wine Bars Grocery, American (New), Wine Bars [Edit]
221 Main StMurphys, CA 95247
(209) 728-0700
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
61 reviews for Alchemy Market and Winebar
Review Highlights
"The sweet potato fries were outstanding."
(in 10 reviews)
"...has a cabin in the Big Trees/Arnold area so we decided to..."
(in 3 reviews)
"The deli sandwiches are yummy."
(in 3 reviews)
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61 reviews in English
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Review from Dave G.
Concord, CA
11/13/2011
Excellent beer, excellent Philly Cheese Steak special, excellent soup of the day and the wife had excellent BBQ chicken sandwich.
Add that to a very good waiter and we left very happy! -
Review from chivo c.
Long Beach, CA
9/8/2011
Started off getting cold shouldered as soon as we mentioned we had a heavy day wine tasting and would only be having cold water for my wife, and hot water w/ honey & lemon for me. Tip #1, don't start counting your tips before they are hatched. I am a chef and my wife and I have owned a cafe previously.
Tip #2, don't look slightly disgusted when we ask to split the Heirloom Tomato Soup, as if that tip just got even smaller. Thankfully, we did split it because it was a sodium bomb and if we'd each had a full bowl we might've needed a defibrillator to jump start our hearts. Tip #3, ease up on the salt.
Tip #4, maybe if you're going to push the Porterhouse Steak w/ Chimichurri Sauce, you might want to make a fresh Chimichurri, not some overboiled, graying concoction of goop on a gristly slab of hide. This was the special?
Anyway, the topper was being stone cold ignored once the entrees arrived. We let the server know after being passed a dozen times and got our check and scrammed.
Won't return in future. Glad other folks seem to enjoy the place, but this review barely was the tip of the iceberg. There are phenomenal places in Murphys to dine, but this is not one of them, in my opinion. -
Review from Raquel C.
Stockton, CA
9/4/2011
Never Again! Poor customer service, mediocre food, with $$$ prices. You better save your money and go elsewhere.
My husband and I were out celebrating our 14 year anniversary, had a wonderful, relaxing day in Calaveras County window shopping, eating (by the way, Mi Pueblo in Sonora is great!), wine tasting.
Sad to say, our day ended on a sour note after visiting this restaurant. Waited 20 minutes at our table, while others were seated and served right away, until we finally had someone come over and serve us water (after we asked, and after we saw a number of the wait staff make rounds in our area several times). Very rude, and really the food was overly rated and overly expensive. Never Again! -
Review from Jared P.
Pacific Grove, CA
2/5/2012
Best food in the motherlode! By far, the atmosphere, staff, and the food---just wonderful. Have eaten there both for lunch and dinner. The sandwich and salad combo is tasty, lots of options on a Dutch crunch roll. House-made balsamic dressing. Iced passion tea, very flavorful. Another occasion, stopped in for dinner and had the bacon-wrapped meatloaf, potatoes, and snap peas. SO good! Dessert was a piece ( they give you a huge slice---enough for 2 people) of 7 layer chocolate cake with ice cream and a caramel drizzle.
Anything you order will be fantastic. Presentation of the meal is 5 star as well!
The sweet potato fries are really good , a healthier option. Large beer and wine selection. Market features lots of neat items, huge candy display, and even local vendors, such as products made by local mothers. It's pretty awesome that they feature local goods. -
Review from Jane R.
Sacramento, CA
11/20/2011
I guess we visited on a bad day. This place came highly recommended but we had the feeling we were second rate customers from the moment we entered. Everything seemed too much trouble, mussels rubbery and overcooked, ribs so so and service condescending. If the service had been friendly I think I would have been more forgiving of the food. Such a shame that one person could could cause such negative feelings for a restaurant.
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Review from Thursday D.
Roseville, CA
7/20/2011
Went to "fancy" dinner with the ladies on a Saturday night. Food was decent. Flavors were a little on the bland side. Description of the restaurant in the touristy mag said "inventive comfort food," and while it was comforting, it was not very inventive.
Service was just okay. Got the feeling our server wanted to be anywhere but there. Our order was accurate and timely. Yet the dessert menu was never offered. Talk about missing out on the upsell.
Minus one star for closing so damned early on a Saturday night. I know it's a small town, but the place was hopping. Need to rethink having your last seating at 7:30 p.m.
Minus another star for printing the menu in Comic Sans. If you're going to charge me $24 for crab mac and cheese, it does not soften the blow by presenting it in a kiddie font. -
Review from Antonia M.
Rohnert Park, CA
8/2/2011
I went here mid way through our day of wine tasting with a few girlfriends. We really wanted to sit outside but settled for inside based on the wait.
We ordered the nachos and calamari as appetizers. Those nachos were probably the best ones I've ever had. The salsa was great and the extra cheese (can't remember what variety) and olives added a nice touch. I had the pad thai, which was good considering it wasn't from a Thai restaurant. Someone got a burger, pesto vege quesadilla, soup. All in all we were very impressed and satisfied with our lunch. We were all surprised by how much food we got! If I had known the bowl of pad thai would be so big, I would have split it.
The food was decently priced, about $10-15 a plate, and considering how much you get, it was definitely worth it. -
Review from Nora C.
Merced, CA
8/2/2011
We had a delicious dinner at Alchemy about 3 weeks ago. We didn't have a reservation (in Murphys? Really?), but we only waited about 15 minutes, and those were spent at the bar, drinking from their outstanding tap selection. We ordered the sweet potato fries (wow! delicious and very different!), thinking we were in for a long wait, and ended up not needing them because we were seated and served so quickly. Our server also brought us complimentary focaccia.
I ordered the chicken with rice pilaf, which was definitely on the buttery side, but was truly heavenly. My husband ordered the Greek salad, which was very tasty, and a great complement to the chicken. I would have ordered dessert had I not been so full.
We had friendly service, sat outside on the pleasant patio, and only slightly cringed at the bill. We will come back the next time we're in Murphys. -
Review from L. S.
San Leandro, CA
8/15/2011
We have now enjoyed two visits to Alchemy. The first was just the hubby and me; yesterday we added my parents to the mix.
A quick recap: we started off ordering the calamari with chipotle-aioli sauce and fought for the last bite. We moved on to entrees of ribs, salmon, a scallop special and a caesar salad. Everyone was pleased with their choices. For dessert, we split the espresso mousse; worth every calorie.
I must say that on our first visit we were skeptical because the prices felt a little high. However, the quality of the food and the quantity erased our doubts. And we must add that the service during both visits has been wonderful, and as others mention here you can't go wrong with the beer and wine list. I was the driver on this second visit and it was easy to find a good non-alcoholic alternative, too (I opted for sarsparilla).
We have found in Murphys that there are a few hours in the day where restaurants close between lunch and dinner, but you can usually count on Alchemy to be open. And thank goodness for that, it's a great restaurant to the last bite. -
Review from Mitch K.
Corvallis, MT
3/25/2011
Murphy's, California was a sleepy, semi-ghost town in the foothills along Ca Hwy 4. It was one of many former gold mining towns reminiscent of the California Gold Rush circa 1849. There are many such towns in the Sierra foothills and this collection from the past offers the traveler a plethora of day trips and overnighters.
For some reason, Murphys has become a wine town, a mini-Napa/Sonoma of tasting opportunities placed along the charming Main Street. They don't necessarily make the wine there, but primarily these are outlets of wineries where one can sample and buy.
Among the wine tasting places and charming little shops and stores is Alchemy Market, a place to relax and enjoy very excellent food, along with a variety of micro-brewed BEERs. A great place to simply sit and watch the day-trip-tourist world go by.
Menu is varied and from our experience will give you a pleasant challenge in decision-making. It all reads well, looks good and tastes good. And you can order from beer and wine menus, which constantly change depending on what is being brewed or is on-hand.
If clement weather you can sit outside, but inside has both a cozy causual area and an appealing dining area. Stone walls, lots of brick and open wood make it very inviting. And it is located at one end of Main Street, distant from the madding crowds...esp on the weekends.
Even if it is just a plate of nachos and beverages, let alone a full dinner experience, you will like the calm quality offered by Alchemy Market & Wine (also beer) Bar. -
Review from Laura M.
Walnut Creek, CA
11/25/2011
A jewel in the Queen of the Sierra! The sweet potato fries are amazing, although I didn't care for the dip; the bread is incredible and the bread pudding is to die for. The service was outstanding...thank you to our server, Bobbi! Nice selection of beer and local wines also. We love Alchemy and make this a regular stop when we're in town.
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Review from Casey S.
4/23/2011
Amidst all of the tourist traps, whining kids, and hot temperatures, there is this oasis on the outskirts of Murphys.
Rather than appealing to a younger generation raised up on chicken tenders and other processed foods, Alchemy prides itself on gourmet treats. Not only are the sweet potato fries and jalapeno calamari exquisite, they won't run you much more than those crappy chains over in Angels Camp that pride themselves on familiarity over, you know, quality. -
Review from David H.
Manteca, CA
10/8/2011
It's got great beers and Ale. Only problem i have Is I went there on a Saturday night with a couple of friends and we were having a few drinks and laughs. The waitress asked us to talk softly because of the kids. Come on Saturday night at a bar/restaurant... Otherwise great place to have a drink and some good food.
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Review from Addi M.
3/1/2011
We had a most wonderful dinner here after a day of playing snow. I felt a little foolish walking into such a nice place wearing snow boots and a puffy jacket, but even without a reservation the hostess seated us right away.
Shared the sweet potato fries, which tasted amazing with the chipotle seasoning, and on that night they were promoting a wine from Frog's Tooth Vineyards so I indulged in a glass of the white wine they were featuring (which, I must add, it probably one of the best white wines I've had in a while...I'll have to track down a bottle somehow). I also stayed simple and had the pesto chicken pasta, which had really delicious tomatoes in it.
A man was playing a guitar, and while I wasn't a fan of the country tunes, he'd play the occasional Beatles, Eagles, and Rolling Stones which really got my tapping my feet. I felt like maybe the amp was too loud though....I kinda felt like the music was drowning out any chance of low conversation. Also, it seemed the staff was a bit stretched thin; our waiter had a great sense of humor and was very personable, but we would be waiting for long periods of time to order our drinks, order our food, get our food, order dessert, get our check, get our card back, etc. -
Review from Mandy R.
Oakdale, CA
9/26/2011
The Crab Mac & Cheese is super tasty, love this restaurant and the service is excellent.
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Review from Erin B.
Lockeford, CA
3/12/2011
This is my favorite place to eat in all of Northern California. My fiance and I make the hour drive at least once a month to savor what ever delicious quesadilla or special they have come up with that day.
Their beer selection is outstanding. I was so impressed to see Michigan's Jolly Pumpkin on the list, and they don't charge a corking fee for whatever delightful spirit you pick up along the way.
The free bread, that is so good it deserves a much higher name than merely "bread" is so scrumptious that we always end up asking for another basketful.
I love Alchemy and wish is was down the street from my house, because then I'd go there every day = 0 ) -
Review from Emily R.
Lodi, CA
8/17/2010
I was in Murphys with my girlfriends last weekend. We stopped into Alchemy to ask a waiter about the time the menus switched from lunch to dinner. The guy was a total jerk, giving me minimal answers and essentially blowing me off.
After walking around and then trying to come back for dinner, the hostess and a different waitress were rude to us and couldn't explain why they couldn't seat us, even though approximately 2/3 of the tables were empty. So either they have poor management of group reservations and/or rude wait staff. Either way, I will never go to this restaurant. -
Review from Good Eats S.
Sacramento, CA
9/10/2010
This is our 2nd visit to Alchemy. I agree with those who comment that the service is somewhat poor and the servers seem overwhelmed. The sweet potato fries are something you need to try at least once, and we also agree that there are some non-typical choices on the menu, but nice considering the limited choices on that Main St in Murphys.
I would suggest dining inside. Our second visit we sat in the patio and we surrounded by dogs, which the establishmen clearly allows. We are pet owners and lovers, but taking them to Pet Smart is totally different than to a restaurant. There was a couple (obviously regulars) who had a raised carrier with pillowtop for their 3 chihuahuas to eat next to their table, at least 3 large dogs laying on the floor, one small dog that piddled by the bushes at the edge of the patio, and one person holding a small dog in his lap as he dined. When the breeze picked up, the hair began to fly so we hurried to eat and left.
Will be go there again, well it depends. Next trip to Murphys we will peak to see the dog population before making the decision to go in and dine. -
Review from amy s.
Oakland, CA
8/17/2011
I loved the fact that we could have our dog on the patio while we ate and that they had a kids menu.
Pros:
Nice outdoor atmosphere, variety of choices on the menu, great heirloom salad, chile verde soup, kds menu came with dessert
Cons:
Soup or children's macaroni(not homemade) were not served hot, $8 beer, service was mediocre and felt a little ignored as they changed from lunch to dinner service
For a Sunday afternoon late lunch (2 adults & 2 kids) with tip the bill was $101 -
Review from Valerie F.
Hayward, CA
8/15/2010
I am giving alchemy a four star, but with a qualification. If it wasn't for the fabulous beer choices on their draft menu, I would have given it a three. Where do you find Apple Ale, Orange Blossom Mead, Allagash White (which was super tasty) as well as Arrogant Bastard? That was a delight.
Not for the food, it was very good, and I would give it three and a half starts for that alone, but for the service. It wasn't stellar. We had to wait to give our order and we thought the waitress wasn't going to come back. She seemed very non-nonchalant about it.
It didn't ruin our experience enough for me to give a bad review because everything else was good. We sat on the front patio. -
Review from Jason F.
5/4/2011
This has become one of my favorite places to eat when staying in the Angels camp/murphy's area. They have excellent food and nice service. The sweet potatoe fries alone are enough for me to pop in for a small bite while wine tasting the local wines. A few months ago I had lunch here and everything was great!
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Review from Heather K.
Half Moon Bay, CA
Alchemy is so yummy. Seriously. We were here a LOT this weekend. I recommend the steamed mussels....this "small plate" is definitely not small! You get a full pound of delicious super-fresh mussels in an awesome broth, with a side of truffle fries to boot. Also good is the glazed salmon and the artichoke pizza. We didn't have anything that we didn't like!! A wide ever-changing selection of beers is available on tap as well as in the bottle; local wines are available aplenty too. Basically everything you need to eat and drink yourself merry. Only downside is the bathroom....kinda icky. Just needs an update I would say.
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Review from Joe B.
San Carlos, CA
4/5/2011
Amazing food! My gf and I split a turkey and brie cheese sandwich on their delicious dutch crunch bread and a ceaser salad. It was fantastic!!!
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Review from Elizabeth G.
San Jose, CA
11/12/2008
I haven't experienced the restaurant side of Alchemy but did stop in the market on the way back to the cabin after a fabulous day of wine tasting.
We have driven by Alchemy about 100 times up and back on our trips to Big Trees and I always thought that from the looks of the sign that it must be a cute little shop like many of the boutiques on Main St. are. It is a cute little market but we stopped in hoping for a nice selection of desserts because what fancy little market doesn't have a fancy little bakery?
There were only a few choices, so we picked up 2 things. One was a little apple peach cobbler and the other was a few little donut looking things for the next morning. The donut things were not so great, but the cobbler was decent. I think I just expected more because everything else in Murphys has so many treasures to explore but I was a little underwhelmed with Alchemy. I'd definitely stop in again but may look elsewhere for my desserts. -
Review from Karen G.
12/21/2008
OK, I KNOW I wrote a review for Alchemy a while back, but it has disappeared for some peculiar reason.
There are two sections of Alchemy. One is the market and deli and the other is the restaurant/winebar. My favorite is definitely the market and deli. I would rate the market and deli five stars and the restaurant/winebar 3 stars. I'll average the two and give them 4 stars.
The market features a lot of gourmet food items which make nice gifts for a foodie or for yourself. The deli sandwiches are yummy. They are not cheap, so if you are expecting Subway/Togo's/Quiznos prices, you may be a little surprised. They are definitely more gourmet inspired with ingredients like brie, pears or chutney. Really yummy. They also sell some local wines which is a nice touch.
The restaurant and winebar are OK. The restaurant is super tiny, but then so are other places in Murphys. The tables I find to be really small, and I'm not a big person. There is not a lot of room for the plates, silverware, apps, and beverages. I guess if only two people were sharing a table it might not be so crowded.
On the night we had dinner we started with an order of sweet potato fries. They were OK. I personally like my fries to be crispy on the outside and light on the inside. These fries were not crispy enough for my taste. My entree was fine, but not great. I have had lunch here too and I must say that my salad was excellent. I guess it just depends on what you order. -
Review from A F.
Sunnyvale, CA
2/10/2011
As a local resident, I've frequented Alchemy many times over the years, but I'm crossing them off the list. I just can't take that "whatever" attitude from the wait staff. Lackadaisical? Lazy? Apparently so.
They make no effort to smile, greet customer or make you feel comfortable. Nor do they accommodate elders or disabled. I came in on crutches & was in a cast; asked for a second chair to elevate my leg--you would have thought I'd asked for the Queen of England's Throne! I was surprised as the response of the staff. It's a chair, guys! a Chair!
**Staff is forbidden to smile or make you feel welcome, all the while they empty your wallet of every last nickel, and make you feel like you want the sun/moon when you ask when your meal/drink/dessert/cheque will come.**
Pros: Food is fine. Large selection of gourmet foods, wide variety of wines
Cons: Exorbitant Prices! Service sucks! No concept of customer service. At all! Ambivalent "whatever" attitude by wait staff. Absolutely no understanding of keeping return customers by giving top notch service.
Service quality is FAR BELOW the menu prices.
This place is perfect for tourists who no longer expect courtesy. In fact, it is pretty clear that they like to prey on "tourists" (come back many times, and they *might* remember you as a local, but don't count on it!!)
This place is a money trap. -
Review from faine g.
Carmichael, CA
1/26/2008
A visit to the Gold Country might evoke images of mediocre food eaten in pioneer-themed environs, possibly served by someone with a mustachio who insists you call him Pistol Pete. Or maybe you can just hit a casino buffet. However, you really do have more options. On our way to the Columbia State Park (where we rode a stagecoach/were held up bandits or maybe poorly paid high school students), we decided to stop in Murphy's for lunch - and we're glad we did, since Alchemy Market and Restaurant is an excellent find.
Located on the oh-so-twee mainstreet of Murphy's, Alchemy evokes the sort of artisan cafe and market you'd expect to find in Napa. Although sandwiches, desserts and pre-prepared salads can be ordered from the counter in the market segment, you should really sit and stay a while in the cafe, which is decorated in a rather fetching shabby chic sort of way.
We began with a huge mug of excellent coffee (organic of course), and our waitress brought out a large basket of cheese, corn, and olive oil bread suffused with olive oil and god knows what else. This was delicious and likely to hasten our deaths by at least a year or two.
The menu is unpretentious and interesting, featuring a wide range of comfort foods interpreted through a slightly more upscale eye - think salads, burgers, meatloaf and even nachos. My mom went with the special of the day, baked beef and cheese empanadas served over a salad with a papaya-poppy seed vinagriette. I went with the grilled cranberry-balsamic salmon, served over a watercress salad with pecans and dried cranberries ($14.00). Inspired by the ridiculously grim weather outside, my dad went with the combo, choosing the creamy mushroom soup and a good ol' turkey sandwich ($7.50).
So we sipped coffee and waited, as various tasteful-yet-rustic people filtered in to buy (you guessed it) flavored biscotti.
The food arrived soon enough, and I was extremely happy with my salad. A huge slab of perfectly cooked and tangy salmon rested on a bed of fresh and peppery watercress, accented with dried cranberries and some slightly-too-sweet pecans. The salmon portion was slightly bigger then my head but I hoovered it down anyway. (It's good for you. All those omega threes or whatever.)
My mom's empanadas were presented beautifully, fanning out in a set of three on top of the huge and crisp salad. (Portion sizes at Alchemy are generous.) Although empanadas are traditionally fried, these baked versions were quite tasty, with a soft flaky crust giving way to a ground beef interior. The salad was a winner, and I enjoyed the sweet tang of the papaya dressing juxtaposed with crispy romaine and tangerine.
The mushroom soup was creamy, earthy, and delicious - just the thing for one of those miserable pissing down rain sort of Northern California afternoons. The sandwich itself was fairly average, although I suppose it's hard to really and truly jazz up a turkey sandwich. (They are singularities.)
We paid the bill, finished off our coffee, and went up to the front to buy some yuppie chow, full of delicious and marginally healthful food. The close but elegantly decorated cafe area opens up into a small gourmet market, peddling upper middle class chow like fig preserves, organic chocolates, and flavored biscotti. You can also select dessert from the counter (or order it) - the individually sized strawberry pies looked especially delicious, like little overflowing volcanoes. Don't make my mistake and miss them.
If you're in the Gold Country and don't want to eat at a place with a gold miner theme, Alchemy is an excellent choice. -
Review from Lisa M.
Folsom, CA
4/4/2010
Had a nice lunch here. The food was great, the beer list was great (tried an Iambic (sour beer) for the first time!), but for whatever reason, we weren't really comfortable here.
The place was packed, so we were lucky to get a seat, but we were unlucky to get a seat that was in front of the door so we got blasted with cold air every few minutes. The staff was 'professional' which came across as a touch snobby/irritated. They really hustled to get everyone their food and seated in a timely matter, but from our vantage point, we saw many smiles turn to scowls as soon as they thought no patrons could see.
All in all, we'd certainly be back, perhaps we'd even wait for a comfy spot by the fireplace. -
Review from Todd F.
Danville, CA
2/25/2008 3 Check-ins Here
I had to sit on this one an extra day.
I have to split up my review into two sections, service and food.
Food: 4 stars
Excellent. We had a bread appetizer that was awesome (forgot the name but it was doused in olive oil and had corn and spices on top), the calamari was awesome and had a delicious aioli topping and we split a quesadilla which was very good.
Service: 2 stars
We were literally ignored. Had to get up and ask to be helped by a bartender before someone would come help us. It was a weird situation where the waitress for our section didn't know we were seated, but everyone else just kind of stood around and didn't say a word to us for about 15 mins until we got up and asked for someone to help us. Very strange. A comped dessert was offered as an apology which was a nice gesture, but it doesn't change the fact that we sat there for so long with no drinks or order placed. The service was attentive once someone finally did help us. And for those of you who think we are just impatient bay area scum, the waitress did admit she didn't know about us.
Average the two out, and you get the 3 stars which I put as the rating. -
Review from Meg O.
San Francisco, CA
11/3/2009
One of my close friends has a cabin in the Big Trees/Arnold area so we decided to stop in Murphy's for some great pictures and an early dinner. I love this cute town especially this time of year because of all of the Autumn festivities, smells & beautiful changing tree colors.
After a bit of wine tasting we were getting hungry and i noticed the patio (perfect for my dogie) so i thought this would be a great place. The ambience was amazing & they indeed had a pet-friendly outside seating area, a good plus. The staff is very friendly and assertive and the food superseded my expectations. Clams were my favorite appetizer and the calamari is good if your a spicy. The menu has something for everyone. I had the seared ahi tuna salad, my favorite, that was too big to finish. My friend however didn't think twice in helping me out with that.
I am sort of a picky eater so having all of my key elements checked off : (service, taste of food, good wine, pleasant ambiance, and great company) was a sure delight. I loove the music they play as well.
I will definitely be back the next time i go to Murphys, which lately may be quite often. -
Review from John C.
Rocklin, CA
10/23/2011
Great food and huge portions!! Best sweet potato fries in the world!! We enjoyed every course and our waiter Joel was very nice. We will be back!!!
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Review from Maneesh B.
San Francisco, CA
9/3/2007
This review is just for the Winebar.
Alchemy is located right at the start of main street (about 3-4 blocks from the Murphys Historic Inn), and so is the perfect place to have lunch before starting your day of wine tasting. Remember, it's always better to drink working your way *towards* home, instead of away!
The food was fantastic. Wait, let me back up: the food and drinks are both fantastic. While they have a wide variety of local beers and wines, I opted for the house made watermelon aqua fresca. I made a great choice. It was clearly fresh made, and was very refreshing in the 100+ degree heat. The soup special was a cold soup of strawberries, sangiovese, and black pepper, and it was super tasty. They almost could have served it as a dessert! But, again, in the heat, really just a perfect starter. My companion had an heirloom tomato salad that was probably one of the better I've tasted anywhere (and only $8!), and I got a chopped salad (turkey, prosciutto, feta) that was way better than I expected it to be.
The whole meal came in around $30 (tax + tip included), and compared to what you'd have paid for a comparable meal in SF, was absolute *steal*.
Oh, if you go, you'll notice that in the open door ways they've hung a bag half filled with water with a penny in it. Apparently this is to confuse bugs, preventing them from flying in. I have no idea if it actually works (didn't notice any bugs), but I thought it was kind of neat and will probably give a shot myself :-) -
Review from Noelle M.
San Francisco, CA
9/22/2007
I think a lot about a restaurant experience also includes who you were with and why.
This was a semi-first date with a really fun and great guy, so it was hard to make the experience bad...but putting all those good vibes aside, the restaurant itself oozed quality everywhere.
Alchemy is right off the main strip of Murphy's (note: cutest town EVER) and has an attached mini-delicacy grocery and wine bar. It also has open seating on the side for a different ambiance. Inside the restaurant was really fabulous though. They had some huge chic paintings up, chandeliers, and candles.
Their sparkling wine by the glass was delish and my guy friend had a really good brew beer. I got the ribs which were DE-lish, my only complaint is they used CURRY in the coleslaw that came with them. I worked with a woman all summer cooking who used curry in everrrrything (even scrambled eggs), so by the time I dined at Alchemy I was uninterested in it showing up in weird places.
The service was subtle but we were never ignored, and the food minimal but its taste was not compromised. I truly hope I can come on a date here again some day! -
Review from Sheila D.
Alamo, CA
9/27/2009
Once again I am torn between 3 and 4 stars. This time, I am rounding down to 3 stars.
As I mentioned in my previous review, I am highly sympathetic toward those who work in the service industry --- having BEEN THERE, DONE THAT!
I must say that this is a great, charming restaurant. If I am ever in the Murphys area, I will definitely plan to come back.
I came here with my family to celebrate my bro in law's birthday as well as celebrating my nephew who raced in a X-Country meet in Angel's Camp (He came in 5th in his division and I am quite PROUD!!!!)
The menu is quite eclectic, different... almost random -- we kept scratching our heads over the fact that we could get fish tacos or deli sandwiches or pizza or lobster bisque.... not exactly typical.
BUT, it works!! All of us definitely hemmed and hawed trying to decide what to order.
We ended up getting the calamari and sweet potato fries to start. The calamari was delicious, as usual... but the sweet potato fries? spectacular!!! They dust these fries with chipotle + brown sugar, so there is a cool spicy-sweet combo going on! Yum!
They have quite a nice beer/wine menu... wines are all from local vineyards. As a total wine-head, I couldn't really embrace the wines, but loved the charming names/descriptions. Solid beer list -- most of us ordered draught beer and they were delivered beautifully with frothy heads to boot!
As we got comfortable in our drinks and enjoyed the tasty appetizers, someone brought over some "bread" -- I put bread in quotes cause this sure ain't your typical "bread"........ think garlic bread with bits of chopped onion and kernels of corn baked in. WOW!!! If I had known this was coming, I probably would have suggested we skip the appetizers we ordered.
3 of us ordered deli sandwiches, We also ordered the burger (my nephew who raced... as such, he deserved such an entree!),the caesar salad with chicken, the cod sandwich special and the mushroom/pepperoni pizza. Across the board, servings were ridiculously HUGE. Which is fine cause we all had leftovers for dinner... just something to take note of!
As for service.... again I am hemming and hawing re: how big of a deal to make of this. The service was TERRIBLE w/ regard to what you should expect from a casual dining establishment. BUT I noticed that our waitress was running around like a crazy person, which makes me think that perhaps management doesn't hire enough staff to support the business? This poor girl looked frazzled.
I mean, it was a disaster..... empty water glasses, no plates for our apps until we asked, staring at food for 10 minutes before the condiments arrive, dirty plates left on the table while eating dessert, etc, etc.
I truly felt bad for our server. There was a huge part of me that wanted to run into the kitchen to take care of our requests myself. I believe that management needs to be less CHEAP and hire the appropriate ratio of servers to customers.
I didn't pay the bill and I truly hope that my step father tipped her well... cause she DEFINITELY worked it. That is my biggest diilemma with writing a negative review --- our server seriously "tried".
The little market next door is quite charming as well.... I bought some "Fruit Stripe" gum -- haven't seen that in YEARS!! I forgot that the flavor subsides in 1/2 minute, but thats another story!! -
Review from Melissa P.
Los Gatos, CA
6/16/2008
Murphys is the cutest little town, reminiscent of Los Gatos with a lot more wine tasting rooms. I've been told that Murphys is how Napa used to be in the 70s. The wine tasting is fabulous with over a dozen wine tasting sites within a small 4 block area. AND almost all of the wine tasting is FREE! A fabulous change from the $80 - $100 tastings common in the Napa area.
Alchemy is a great place for lunch or dinner. Their soups and salads are yummy. What we do miss though is that they used to have this AMAZING turkey burger served on an oblong bun that was unlike any we have ever tried. My husband was craving that burger for a year and we were sorely disappointed when we were told that the chef took it off the menu. How could you? PLEASE reconsider! -
Review from Steven P.
Pleasanton, CA
1/2/2009
Good little place to grab a bite to eat in the area. (Had Lunch)
Has a fireplace inside you can sit next to on those cold days.
Large wine/drinks list. The Ice Tea was really good!
Food is fresh, served fast and the cost is about right.
Staff was very friendly. One of the nicer places in the area. -
Review from Lori R.
Pleasanton, CA
2/18/2011
We went for Valentines day with our kids. The service was super fast, and they made a special vegetarian pasta for me. And it was delish!! They also had a great Jazz band playing. =) great atmosphere and food.
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Review from Z A.
Los Gatos, CA
12/8/2008
Food is fabulous! Wine list is exceptional if you are familiar with the local wines. Try the calamari appetizer! One of the best I've had.
Recommend a little wine tasting around Murphys' tasting rooms prior to dining at Alchemy so that you are somewhat acquainted with the local wines. Then you'll have a better idea of what to pair with your meal, as Alchemy has a menu that will go with any of the local wines. -
Review from David C.
Sacramento, CA
1/27/2010
The name of this place certainly could not be more deceiving. First of all, they have differentiated themselves within Murphys by NOT being a winebar. This is a beer bar...in Murphys! More on that later...
Secondly, despite the name, you do not go here for chemistry lessons. You go here for a relaxed atmosphere, with good service, good food, and yes, good beer.
Although the draught list seems to constantly morph, you can count on several great choices. Somebody at Alchemy, the owner, chef, whoever, knows what a quality brew is. During my last visit, almost half of the draughts were taken up by quality Belgians...stuff that's hard to find anywhere, let along in a wine town. This is one customer that fully supports the decision to move away from the market and the winebar concept.
But the beer selection wasn't my only surprise during a recent lunch stop...I was also blown away by the food. "The Ultimate Meatloaf" seriously lived up to its name. Sure, they still have the $10 deli sandwiches on the menu, but for $4 more you get a slice of homemade bacon-wrapped meatloaf served with salad and fries. Bacon + meatloaf = genius. Even the bread brought out while we were waiting for our meal was delicious.
I've been to several of the restaurants on Main St. in Murphys, and this one might just be my new favorite. -
Review from Nanette T.
Murphys, CA
2/25/2011
This restaurant has the best beer selection in the county hands down! We like to go there on Tuesday evenings when they feature a local winery and have dinner pairing specials. They really bring live music to the forefront and love their winter menu - the bacon wrapped meat loaf and the soups are to die for!
