A look at the new restaurants/businesses coming to Modesto, Central Valley in 2021
At the start of 2020, I wrote about all these businesses that you could look forward to opening throughout the year.
Things looked good. The economy was booming. And new businesses couldn’t open their doors fast enough in the valley.
Boy, was I wrong. Of course, back then most people couldn’t have predicted the year would be upended by a global pandemic. So in 2020, only six of those expected 17 Stanislaus County businesses opened their doors. Those who weren’t able to open yet range from big national brands to small mom-and-pop places.
As with everything else in that infernal year, COVID-19 had other plans. Luckily, many of the businesses are still working on opening despite — or perhaps more accurately to spite — everything.
Now, looking forward to what we all hope will be a brighter and healthier 2021, here is another hopeful look at what restaurants and retailers that should (and, after 2020, all bets are now hedged) open this year.
They again include some national chains, but mostly just a refreshing array of independent and locally owned offerings. So as the valley, state, nation and world continues to fight to end this wretched pandemic (with a big and more than welcome assist from science — yay, vaccines!), the entrepreneurial spirit lives on.
Here is a look at some of the restaurants, retailers and other major businesses that plan to open in 2021.
National, regional chains opening in the valley in 2021
Great Wolf Lodge, Manteca
Perhaps no business that planned to open in 2020 had its hopes as spectacularly dashed as the Great Wolf Lodge. A decade in the making, the national chain of indoor water park resorts first broke ground in Manteca, just off Highway 120, in November 2018. Construction work was ahead of schedule in the early part of the year, prompting the company to push the opening date up from August to July.
But then, right after the first public tour of the facility in early March, where journalists and dignitaries walked through the still-under-construction grounds, the coronavirus hit. Since then, the resort has completed construction, but continues to delay hiring and opening as it waits for COVID-19 restrictions and shutdowns to be lifted and for it to be safe for its guests to flock to the six-story hotel and attached 95,000-square-foot indoor water park and a 45,000-square-foot family entertainment center.
The resort’s online reservations keep getting pushed back. The earliest you can book a room now is March 23. But that’s not necessarily the 500-room resort’s opening date, which has yet to be announced. Jason Lasecki, Great Wolf director of corporate communications, said they still plan to open in 2021 “as soon as allowable” and the company is hopeful the resort can open this spring.
Dave & Busters, Modesto
The first Dave & Buster’s to open in the Northern San Joaquin Valley was slated to debut in 2020 at Vintage Faire Mall. But, alas, the national chain shut down all of its locations in March as the pandemic started. While sites have reopened elsewhere across the country, none of the California sites are open yet, including those closest nearby spots in Roseville, Milpitas and Fresno.
The chain of entertainment centers, featuring restaurants, arcade and other games, is going into the second floor of the former Sears anchor space at the mall, above the newly moved Dick’s Sporting Goods. Vintage Faire Mall spokeswoman Annie Amies said the chain now projects a fall 2021 opening.
Unfortunately, it seems — at least for now — the deal to have HomeGoods move into the Dale Road space vacated by Dick’s appears to have fallen through. Amies said the stand-alone space is available and “no lease confirmed or in place.”
Walmart Supercenter, Ceres
Another long-anticipated project finally seeing movement, as in actual dirt moving, is the new Walmart Supercenter in Ceres. City Manager and Economic Development Director Tom Westbrook said construction officially started at the end of November in the south Ceres site. The new construction is part of the Mitchell Ranch development at the corner of Mitchell and Service roads just off of Highway 99.
The project was first proposed in 2007 and withstood significant local pushback, including a three-year legal battle. Ceres has had a regular Walmart store further north on Mitchell Road since 1993. But now, after significant roadwork and improvements to the new site, work is underway. Westbrook said the city is hopeful for a 2021 opening. No other tenants have been identified for the Mitchell Ranch complex, but I’m sure as the Supercenter shows up, they will, too.
The Brass Tap, Modesto
This Florida-based chain of craft brew pubs planned to enter the Central Valley market in a big way, with five locations. First announced in 2018, husband-and-wife Modesto-based franchisees Rick and Kathy Sousa started with a site in Modesto across from the Kaiser Permanente hospital on Dale Road.
Work on the ground-up project began early 2020, and has since been completed. Rick Sousa said the new 3,200-square-foot space has passed its inspections and is waiting until there are improvements in the COVID-19 infection rate and accompanying shutdowns to turn on the lights. So at the earliest, look for a February opening. But once it does, bottoms up.
Sourdough & Co., Turlock
The new Warrior Crossing shopping center opened last September across from California State University, Stanislaus. Dutch Bros Coffee was the first tenant to open in the complex on Crowell Road, but expect more to follow. Among them are new California chain Sourdough & Co., a soup, sandwich and salad chain based in California. The company has more than 30 locations in the state and growing.
DJ Singh, who owns the Sourdough & Co in Manteca and the upcoming one in Turlock, said the Warrior Crossing site has about four weeks of construction left. Interviews for positions should start in about two weeks. And then expect the restaurant to open around the end of January, early February. It will be the first Sourdough & Co. in Stanislaus County.
Smart Axe, Modesto
Since we’re all in the process of burying the hatchet with 2020, why not throw one instead in 2021. The new Sacramento-area based axe-throwing chain Smart Axe plans to open its first Modesto location in Village One Plaza. The concept is simple: you get an axe and a few drinks and then throw the axe at a target — in a safe and controlled atmosphere, of course. The site should open around mid-February, according to owner Doug Link.
New independent valley ventures slated for the new year
Alpine Climbing Adventure Fitness, Ripon
You can’t miss the massive new indoor rock climbing center and health club going up just off Highway 99 in Ripon. The new facility will have four main climbing walls, including a 55-foot wall, one Olympic-sized speed wall, one bouldering wall and a kids’ wall area. The facility will also have a health club with exercise equipment, weights and fitness classes. Pandemic permitting, Alpine Climbing is on track to open in April 2021.
Burly’s California Bistro, Modesto
Work was well underway on this self-described farm-to-fork meat-and-potatoes restaurant in December 2019, with all signs pointing to a smooth opening in 2020 from this veteran restaurant team. But the pandemic has slowed everything. Now, after more than a year of work, it’s really almost ready and hiring is starting soon. Once open, the Carpenter Road site will be one of the few upscale full-service, sit-down restaurants on the west side of Modesto.
Konfucious Eats, Modesto
Modesto’s first dedicated ramen shop is ready to go, but waiting for dates for its final health inspections, says owner and longtime Modesto sushi chef Ernie Watkins. The restaurant is taking over the former Bauer’s 66½ Skillet & Grill space in McHenry Village, which closed this past August to merge with Bauer’s Downtown Gastropub. Watkins hopes to open in January, and will start with takeout if in-person dining restrictions are still in place.
Callahan’s Brewing Company, Hughson
Hughson has been waiting to join the valley’s craft beer movement since 2018, when Ron Callahan made plans to turn his home-brewing hobby into an eponymous brewery and taproom downtown. The site has since moved to a more historic location downtown, and things are still moving forward with the project. Callahan wants his brewery to be part of the city’s downtown revitalization plan, and become a family destination in the area. But he said he plans to hold off opening until the pandemic is more under control, hopefully by mid-year.
Maestros Cocina & Tequila Bar, Modesto
Another project that had hoped to open in 2020, but saw work stall and stop instead, was the new tequila bar and restaurant on 10th Street. Owner Daniel Perez had hoped to have his new downtown Modesto 10th Street restaurant ready by last March, but we all know what happened that month. Perez said they’ve made a lot of progress and hope to be ready by spring. After the year we’ve all had, I’ll bet a bunch of us could use a shot of tequila right about now.
W. Stuart. C. Steakhouse, Modesto
Across the street from Maestros, also on 10th street in downtown Modesto, sits the striking and long-vacant former World Savings/Wachovia bank. A group of local entrepreneurs led by Jaime Jimenez had hoped to turn it into a high-end steakhouse. But Jimenez said the pandemic shifted their vision, and now the building will be transformed first into an event center. The two-story structure with its grand staircase will become a wedding and private parties/meeting venue. Jimenez said it should be ready to go by March or April, as work has continued on renovations inside. Down the road he hopes to still create what he calls a “beautiful steakhouse,” either in the same building or possibly another one.
Magnolia Southern Kitchen, Modesto
“Good honest Southern food” is promised at this restaurant sitting amid orchards and farmland on Beckwith Road. The site of longtime former favorite Farmer’s Catfish House has been renovated by owners, chefs and couple Trace Tedde-Vega and William Ross, who have cooked for the likes of Elon Musk and Stevie Wonder. Tedde-Vega said this year has been a “journey” and they’re waiting on various inspections before they’re able to open. She also said with COVID-19 and everything else it would be “foolish” to set opening expectations, but they still hope to be ready in the first quarter of this year. I sure hope so because we could all use some comfort food like fried chicken and gumbo right about now.
La Parilla/La Pho, Modesto
Two new restaurants, one Mexican and one specializing in the Vietnamese soup pho, are coming to the new The Marketplace shopping center on Oakdale Road in north Modesto. The eateries will be among the first businesses to open in the complex since its anchor store Save Mart grocery opened in fall of 2019. Tom Solomon of CoSol Commercial Real Estate, which is handling leasing for the project, said the La Parilla should open “soon,” and La Pho will follow. This will be the fourth location for La Parilla, which already has restaurants further south on Oakdale Road, in Riverbank’s Crossroads shopping center and Modesto’s McHenry Village.
Kusina Filipino Restaurant, Modesto
Another diverse offering is coming to Modesto, and this time it’s Filipino food. The new restaurant started work on its new Century Center location in east Modesto this year. The family behind the restaurant has lived and had restaurants all over the states from Detroit to Dallas and Columbus, Ohio. Now they’re bringing their cuisine to Modesto and hope to open in January, final health inspections permitting.
Gusto Italiano, Modesto
When I wrote about Gusto Italiano preparing to open last January, I had no idea I’d still be waiting to try their food 12 months later. But owner Calogero Sacco, who also owns Cornucopia Natural Foods on Coffee Road, said all work is done on the space and “all we have to do is bring in the food and wine.” He’s hoping to open when the county has lowered its COVID-19 numbers and is back in a looser tier of restrictions, maybe February or March. And then it’ll be time for mangia!
Dutch Hollow Farms, Modesto
While technically not a new business, Dutch Hollow has closed and is moving out of its Riverbank location. So the new Dutch Hollow should open again mid-March, just in time for its popular Baby Animal Days. The agricultural attraction, known for its flowers and other farm fun, sat across the Crossroads shopping center in Riverbank for 14 years. But the new Crossroads West development has forced it to move. Dutch Hollow owner John Bos is using the winter to renovate his family’s dairy farm into a spacious attraction. Don’t worry, the tulips are already planted.
So good luck and good fortunes to all of these businesses. With a hopeful end to the pandemic in sight, may many more businesses follow suit and open in the valley in the coming year. We can’t wait to stop in to say “Hi!”. May 2021 be their, and all of our, years.
