Modesto’s Redwood Café Plans Move To River Islands
It’s not unusual for a restaurant to move to a new location. But in January 2025, Modesto’s landmark restaurant and wedding venue, The Redwood Café, will actually be picked up and moved— the iconic buildings included!—to River Islands in Lathrop, the best-selling master-planned community in all of Northern California.
When owner Bob Campana was approached by the Mormon Church to sell his property on Dale Road to accommodate the church’s expansion plans, Campana figured it was the end of the amazing success story of his restaurant, which has served tens of thousands of patrons. A chance meeting with River Islands Development President Susan Dell’Osso ended in a whistle-stop tour of River Islands, just 20 miles away.
Both principals had the same idea: not just to recreate the concept of The Redwood Café in a new location, but to save the entire venue, including its artistic garden walls, outbuildings, and dining areas, and move it to River Islands’ developing Town Center. What’s more, all of the staff, from its chef, sommelier, and manager to the support staff, would move along with the restaurant, offering its patrons, old and new, the whole Redwood Café experience.
Contracts have just been signed and planning is already underway for the huge engineering and construction project ahead.
The last dinner at The Redwood Café will be served on New Year’s Eve. By late 2025, The Redwood Café is anticipated to be operating in its new location, with a lot of familiar faces and dining spaces, creating unforgettable experiences.
