Tina's Place
Catering By Tina
Meet The Owners
The City Of Pinole Had A Vision
Dale and Tina Brought it to Fruition
Meet Dale — Partner & The Builder Behind Tina’s Place Pinole
A native of Albany, California, Dale is a licensed General Contractor and Architect who joined Tina as a new partner during one of the biggest chapters in the restaurant's history—the creation of Tina’s Place of Pinole.
Tina had the vision for what she wanted the new restaurant to become, and Dale helped bring that vision to life. Construction began in December 2010, and by March 2011, the new Tina’s Place was complete and ready to begin its Pinole chapter.
In 2017, Dale helped expand that vision again with the addition of Tina’s Too.
Dale's contribution didn't stop when construction ended. For years, he was at the restaurant nearly every day, helping with day-to-day operations, taking care of the needs of the team and providing support wherever it was needed, until COVID changed the daily routine in 2020.
Today, Dale remains an active partner and an important part of Tina’s Place. You'll normally find him in Tina’s Too, working on the books, providing direction and supporting the team.
Tina brought the vision. Dale helped build it. Together, they created the Tina’s Place of Pinole you see today.
Meet Tina —
The Heart Of Tina’s Place
Tina C. Holtzclaw has spent more than four decades in the restaurant industry. Her story began in El Sobrante in 1984, working at the café she would eventually purchase in 1995. In 2010, Tina built a new Tina’s Place in Pinole, opening its doors in 2011 and closing the El Sobrante location later that year.
Today, Tina celebrates 42 years in the restaurant industry and 31 years as an owner.
Her culinary experience extends far beyond her own kitchen. Tina worked at acclaimed Restaurant Gary Danko, gained experience alongside culinary professionals including Thomas Keller, worked with the teams of Flavor! Napa, and graduated from the Culinary School of Escoffier in 2016.
Over the years, Tina and Tina’s Place have received considerable recognition. Tina is a two-time Best of the Bay award recipient, was named the 2011 Women’s Initiative Woman Entrepreneur of the Year for Contra Costa County, and was featured on Check, Please! Bay Area. Tina’s Place has also been featured in San Francisco “Best Of” and numerous local publications, while Tina has received multiple community honors and recognitions from local leaders, California legislators and members of Congress.
But after all the awards, features and years in business, Tina considers the generations of customers who continue walking through her doors one of her greatest accomplishments.
And she's still growing. While running Tina’s Place, Tina returned to college and is now completing her senior year at Regent University, with law school as her next chapter and a passion for advocacy.
From El Sobrante to Pinole, from employee to owner, from culinary school to law school, Tina's story has always been about hard work, resilience, community—and taking care of people.
More than 40 years later, she's still here, still creating, and still welcoming you to the table.
— Tina C. Holtzclaw
Restaurant Industry Since 1984 • Owner Since 1995 • Tina’s Place Pinole Since 2011