New place to get your buzz

For those looking to get their coffee fix, a new coffee drive-through has opened in town.

Jitters Expresso and Fruit Freeze, 2355 W. Grant Line Road, opened Nov. 1 and reopened Jan. 17, offering food items and specialty coffee drinks.

Deanna Yasui owns the shop along with her husband, Marty Roberts. The couple previously delivered out of a warehouse from 2004 to 2009 and took a two-year hiatus, Yasui said, because she developed breast cancer and muscular dystrophy. And after the store opened in November, her husband became ill, and they had to close up for a short time.

“But now we’re back,” Yasui said. “(It’s) one of the busiest intersections, a lot of people see us, a lot of good comments about our coffee compared to Starbucks.”

The food offered is bagels, breakfast sandwiches, pancakes on a stick and muffins. And as far as drinks, the store offers mochas, lattes, old-fashioned Pepsi, smoothies, Italian ice, snow cones, fruit freezes and more.

The nonfat fruit freeze drinks, a specialty, are made out of real fruit and come in strawberry, raspberry, lemon and orange flavors. And more items are being added to the menu, Yasui said.

The shop also delivers to businesses and offices.

“It’s like pizza delivery, but we do drinks,” laughed Yasui.

Jitters is open 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; from 4 a.m. to noon Wednesday; and 7 a.m. to noon Saturday.

For information: 830-1001

Gino’s Italian restaurant opens

Last week, a new Italian restaurant opened on the edge of downtown.

Gino’s Italian Restaurant, 130 W. 11th St., has just opened its doors, and owner Mike Latorre is getting the word out about the new two-story restaurant

The walls are adorned with celebrity-autographed pictures and an Italian motif, and the eatery features a full bar, five big-screen TVs, and a balcony that, when completed, will provide additional seating.

Latorre, who previously owned a restaurant in San Mateo, says that Gino’s will offer quality food at a low price.

“I wanted to give a menu on a budget, so it’s affordable for everybody,” said Latorre, who moved to Tracy a little more than a year ago.

A small sample of the menu: The rib-eye steak is a $15.50 specialty, and includes soup or salad; Gino’s 12-ounce stuffed pork chop is $15.25; and the fried ravioli appetizer is just $6.95.

Latorre says some of the ingredients are imported from Italy, including the flour for his dough.

“I’m a firm believer in giving (customers) more for a good price, and flavor,” Latorre said. “Everything is made here fresh.”

Gino’s hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday.

For information: 835-9566.