Cora to be replaced by pho restaurant in Modesto. How do residents feel?
When the owners of Cora at Roseburg Square announced the restaurant’s closure in September, they hinted that there already was another business in line to take over the site.
That business now has signage on the building, revealing that it’s a pho restaurant with two other locations in Stockton and Manteca.
Google indicates Pho Island will open at 825 W. Roseburg Ave. on Tuesday, Dec. 16. It’ll be open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“Our most-loved dishes include the signature grilled beef pho and savory pork chop rice,” the restaurant’s website, phoislandmodesto.com, says. “Every bowl of pho is prepared from a family recipe perfected over generations, simmered for hours to create a deep, flavorful broth served with fresh herbs, tender noodles and premium meats.”
The restaurant also serves traditional Vietnamese dishes including vermicelli bowls, rice plates, spring rolls and banh mi sandwiches, the website says. Drinks include milk tea, smoothies, wine and beer.
Mixed feelings about Roseburg Square’s newest tenant
The 825 W. Roseburg Ave. unit has changed hands three times since Appetez/Tidewater Station closed a decade ago in July 2015.
The Divine Swine followed it in 2016, then Cora at Roseburg Square in 2024 and now Pho Island by the end of the year.
“You would think with the foot traffic the [Virginia Corridor] trail produces that any business would thrive, but it seems like there’s some bad juju going on in that spot,” one Reddit user said.
Another commenter on a post regarding Pho Island opening agreed, calling the location a “business killer.”
There also appear to be mixed feelings about Cora being replaced by a pho restaurant.
Some residents said they miss Cora and now the area is “stuck with just another pho restaurant,” while others say Pho Island in Stockton and Manteca serves “hands down” the best pho they’ve had.
“The rib eye broiled pho is one of a kind and delicious,” a Reddit user said.
This story was originally published November 20, 2025 at 4:42 PM.
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