Michael and Sarah Cherney, riding on the success of their Solvang Peasants FEAST restaurant and adjacent Peasants Deli & Market, have opened a third business — an arcade full of pinball games for the young and young at heart.
The arcade, which opened Feb. 9, shares a wall with the deli via a “speakeasy” door.
“In the deli, we had a shelf in front of the door” that opens to the arcade, Michael Cherney said. A clothing retailer formerly occupied the 1,500-square-foot game space.
In a profit-share deal, Dave’s 805 Arcade of Santa Barbara leased the Cherney family most of the arcade’s 15-plus games, but Michael and Sarah’s son, Sabian, 16, made “his first major purchase” in a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pinball machine for the business, his father said.
Friends who also have children have “tested” the arcade in recent weeks, and “it’s cool to see kids screaming with laughter and fun,” Cherney said with a smile. “The kids are beyond excited,” and several private parties have already been booked for the arcade.
The hours at the deli/arcade have expanded to 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Sandwiches are made to order for take-out and are available via https://peasantsdeli.com/shop or by order in person at the counter.
The deli’s menu has expanded to include “snacks” such as Kobe beef carpaccio with peppers on toasted bread, Cherney said.
Peasants FEAST restaurant, which the family opened right as California closed down for the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand Award in the 2022 Michelin Guide.
“A Bib Gourmand is our award for great value, and highlights simple yet skillful cooking at an affordable price,” according to guide.michelin.com.
The recognition is huge, and Peasants FEAST is the sole restaurant between San Francisco and Santa Barbara to receive the Bib honor, Cheney said. After the initial shock (“I thought one of my friends was pranking me!”), he has adapted to the acclaim, yet remains humble.
His goal with FEAST wasn’t the spotlight but a restaurant “for our community, and our employees.”
While Peasants FEAST’s hours remain 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday (it’s closed Mondays and Tuesdays), its owners will launch “Friday Feasts” starting Feb. 24 with a menu that changes weekly. Dinner hours will be 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Cherney said.
Michael and Sarah’s daughter, Reina,14, makes FEAST’s ice cream and cookies, and her father anticipates she will rejoin the baker, chef and winemaker participants at the Women Winemakers in March.
Peasants FEAST is located at 487 Atterdag Road in Solvang. Peasants Deli & Market is across Copenhagen Drive from the restaurant, and the arcade is next door to the deli.