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The Modesto Bee

partner publisher · 26.9K followers
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New Oakdale restaurant should be mentioned when talking about good barbecue

A question I am frequently asked and see on social media often is, “Which restaurant has the best barbecue in the Stanislaus County region?” After visiting recently opened Craft BBQ Smokehouse & Catering in Oakdale, I believe it should be part of the conversation. Craft BBQ restaurant opened Nov. 12 on E. F St., two years after owners Jesse Padilla and Matt Martin launched the brand as a catering company. Martin, former Valley Meal Prep owner, and Padilla, a longtime Modesto chef, expanded with a food trailer, which they opened behind an old Valley Meal Prep building in Modesto June 2025. The duo planned to open a restaurant in that McHenry Avenue space, but it was sold to different restaurateurs — more on that later. When they found the building in Oakdale, a former Chinese food and sushi buffet, they acquired a prime location and a new business idea : a salad bar and barbecue buffet. Menu items you cannot miss at Craft BBQ The $11.97 one-trip or $17.97 unlimited salad bar was launched with the opening of the restaurant. The barbecue buffet equipment is set up but, per my previous conversations with Padilla and Martin, the option will likely

Oakdale, CA · 1d

fastfoodclub.com

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Six Gold Rush Towns In California Where Old Saloons Still Serve Lunch

California’s Gold Rush towns still have a few old saloons where you can grab a midday meal under the same roof miners once knew. Some of these buildings date back to the 1850s, and they still open their doors for lunch today. This list covers six of them, from...

California · 3d
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unearththevoyage.com

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Californians Stock Their Freezers for Less at These 9 Old-School Meat Markets

Some of the best food finds in California hide behind plain signs, gravel lots, and humming deli cases that look like they have not changed in decades. Step inside one of these old-school butcher shops and you start to understand why so many families skip the big grocery chains. The...

California · 3d
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Easy Everyday Recipes

partner publisher · 33.4K followers
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Texas Roadhouse faces costly fallout from viral racist hoax

A viral social-media allegation that Texas Roadhouse says was completely false still managed to leave...

Citrus Heights, CA · 2d

allamericanatlas.com

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5 Best Restaurants in Sacramento, California You Need to Try Before Everyone Else Finds Them

Sacramento, California — a city where the river bends beneath bridges old and new, where murals bloom on brick and stucco, where the laughter of families mingles with the wisdom of old-timers and the dreams of newcomers. Here, the Capitol’s dome glows golden above a patchwork of neighborhoods, and the air is alive with the scent of citrus, barbecue, and something soulful simmering in every kitchen.

Sacramento, CA · 12d

The Sacramento Bee

partner publisher · 142.6K followers

Local church kitchen given red placard for more than 100 rodent droppings. What else?

The cooking facility inside a Florin church was given a red placard after health inspectors found 153 rodent droppings throughout. What do these inspections mean? While a yellow placard signals two or more major violations, these are typically corrected or mitigated during the inspection, according to the Sacramento County Retail Food Inspection Guide . A red placard, however, signals “imminent danger to public health and safety” and suspends an establishment’s health permit until violations are corrected. This could include, but is not limited to, major vermin contamination . In contrast, a green placard means a restaurant passed inspection. The county performs about 14,000 inspections annually and about 97% of establishments pass, spokesman Ken Casparis previously told The Sacramento Bee. Approximately 1% of inspections result in a closure, he said. These were the results of Sacramento County food facility inspections for Thursday, Nov. 5, through Wednesday, Nov. 11. If an inspection listed below needs clarification, business owners can email The Sacramento Bee at servicejournalists@sacbee.com . How to report a business to the health department For readers who would like to report a local restaurant, food truck or café for health violations, you can file a complaint with the facility’s local environmental

Sacramento County, CA · 1d

fastfoodclub.com

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Seven California Truck Stop Cafes Where Long-Haul Drivers Swear By The Breakfast

Truck drivers know California’s highways better than almost anyone, and they also know where to find a real breakfast at sunrise. Some of the best morning plates in the state are not in trendy brunch spots. They sit right next to diesel pumps and big-rig lots along Interstate 5,...

California · 14h

familydestinationsguide.com

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This Hidden Chocolate Bar In California Is A Dream Come True For Dessert Lovers

Most great discoveries don’t announce themselves, and Annabelle’s Chocolate Lounge in El Dorado, California is proof that the best things are often the ones you have to go looking for. It’s a handcrafted chocolate lounge sitting quietly in the Sierra Nevada foothills, and it is absolutely worth the...

El Dorado County, CA · 8d

The Coconut Mama

partner publisher · 40.1K followers

Baba’s Hot Chicken opening 3 new locations in California (38 around the U.S.)

Baba’s Hot Chicken is planning three more restaurants in California, with Irvine, Roseville and Napa on the list. The Riverside-born chain is joining a state where other fried-chicken brands are…

California · 6d

The Modesto Bee

partner publisher · 26.9K followers

I tried out a Modesto doughnut shop on a $25 budget. Why it's ‘the best in town'

As someone who was born and raised in the Modesto area, I know how passionate Modestans are about Mr. T’s doughnuts. Although I’m a little nervous to admit this, I’ve never been a big fan of Mr. T’s. Delicate Donut Shop . For the longest time, doughnuts just weren’t my thing. Growing up, I was health conscious and pretty picky about how I chose to indulge. Don’t get me wrong — I’ll take a chocolate chip cookie or sweetened iced coffee any day of the week. Doughnuts just never seemed worth the calories or extra sugar to me. However, my attitude has definitely changed thanks to my latest On a Budget adventure. Modesto Bee reader Claudia Newcorn, who previously suggested I visit Modesto’s Village Health Foods , recommended another local place for me to try on a $25 budget: We Donuts . “They have a wide array of pastries as well as a good, well-priced lunch menu,” Claudia told me. “The prices are surprisingly low for the size of these items. I had to double check my receipt to make sure she hadn’t under-charged me.” I headed to the doughnut shop chain’s newer Modesto location to see what I could

Modesto, CA · 12h

fastfoodclub.com

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Seven California Small-Town Bakeries Selling Out Of Pie Every Thanksgiving Week

Every November, a lot of Californians quietly accept that their turkey is negotiable but the pie is not. The trouble is that the best pies in the state often come from tiny towns, mountain hamlets, and roadside farm stands, and those places run out fast once Thanksgiving week arrives. This...

California · 2d

hoodline.com

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California Prison Kitchen Audit Finds Mold, Rotten Food, Missing Wire Whip and Cutters

Inspectors sent to check on California prison kitchens found rotten tomatoes, moldy peppers, spiderwebs and bug-covered fly traps at Corcoran, and moldy ceilings at Corcoran and California State Prison, Sacramento, along with equipment failures and missing utensils serious enough to raise security concerns. The findings come from an audit by the state's Office of the Inspector General, which examined food programs and services inside California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation facilities.

California · 5d

The Modesto Bee

partner publisher · 26.9K followers

Modesto and Oakdale getting new Chipotle restaurants. Here's when they'll open

At the beginning of the year, some Modesto residents speculated that a Chipotle Mexican Grill was being built in The Marketplace shopping center on Oakdale Road. They were correct. In February, the company would only confirm that it was scheduled to open a new location in Modesto in 2027. Now, representatives for Chipotle are saying that location, at 3401 Oakdale Road, Suite 300, will open Nov. 18. It’s not the only Chipotle opening soon in Stanislaus County. One at 1595 E. F St. in Oakdale will open before the end of the year, according to a news release. Both restaurants feature a drive-thru lane and will be open 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Chipotle is hiring for around 30 jobs per location, according to the release. Learn more at chipotle.com/careers .

Modesto, CA · 3d

wanderingcalifornia.com

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Lodi Wine Country Guide: Zinfandel Tastings & Farm Stands

Lodi sits 35 miles south of Sacramento in the San Joaquin Valley, and it offers some of the most relaxed wine tasting in California. This Lodi wine country guide is built for a slow weekend: old-vine Zinfandel, farm stands, and a downtown farmers market, with no need to plan every stop in advance. It suits first-time visitors, couples escaping Sacramento or the Bay Area, and anyone who likes good wine without Napa prices.

Lodi, CA · 3d

hoodline.com

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Lodi’s Q25 Arcade Space Ditches Joysticks for Upscale Cocktail Bar in 2027

114 N. Sacramento St. — Approximate Former Q25 Arcade Lounge Site. The pinball machines and skee-ball lanes are on their way out of 114 N. Sacramento St. in downtown Lodi, and an upscale cocktail bar is moving in. Carlos Villapudua confirmed he is taking over the former Q25 Arcade Lounge space with a goal of opening sometime in February or March 2027.

Lodi, CA · 1d

whatnow.com

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King’s Supermarket to Become Sacramento Food Center

King’s Supermarket, a neighborhood grocery store at 400 El Camino Ave. in Old North Sacramento, is changing hands. State records show that Mukhtar Yehya is taking over the store, which is listed under the new name Sacramento Food Center, with the transfer currently pending. Nothing has been announced about...

Sacramento, CA · 1d

The Sacramento Bee

partner publisher · 142.6K followers

German cockroaches and rodent droppings at East Sacramento brunch spot. What else

Sacramento County Health Inspectors found German cockroaches and rodent droppings at one East Sacramento brunch facility. Additionally, nine eateries were cited including a country club after health inspectors found uncovered ice cream in the freezer. What do these inspections mean? While a yellow placard signals two or more major violations, these are typically corrected or mitigated during the inspection, according to the Sacramento County Retail Food Inspection Guide . A red placard, however, signals “imminent danger to public health and safety” and suspends an establishment’s health permit until violations are corrected. This could include, but is not limited to, major vermin contamination . In contrast, a green placard means a restaurant passed inspection. The county performs about 14,000 inspections annually and about 97% of establishments pass, spokesman Ken Casparis previously told The Sacramento Bee. Approximately 1% of inspections result in a closure, he said. These were the results of Sacramento County food facility inspections for Thursday, Nov. 5, through Wednesday, Nov. 11. If an inspection listed below needs clarification, business owners can email The Sacramento Bee at servicejournalists@sacbee.com . How to report a business to the health department For readers who would like to report a local restaurant, food truck

Sacramento, CA · 1d

The Coconut Mama

partner publisher · 40.1K followers

Beloved California waterfront restaurant closes after 20 years as rent was too darn high

California’s restaurant landscape has lost another gathering place, joining a growing list of beloved California restaurants that recently closed. Zio Fraedo’s on the Vallejo waterfront served its final customers on…

Vallejo, CA · 1d

The Sacramento Bee

partner publisher · 142.6K followers

It's soup season. Here are the Sacramento spots for slurping to your heart's content

It’s chilly. It’s rainy. That means one thing: soup. Whether it’s clear and brothy or thick and creamy, nothing warms and nourishes like a hot, satisfying bowl. There’s no shortage of spots in the greater Sacramento area where you can score a steaming bowl of fragrant pho, hearty ramen or spicy sundubu jiggae all year round, but a handful of restaurants are digging deep and celebrating soup season their own way. Mexican restaurant Algo Bueno has reprised its Instagram-famous soup flights . Chef and co-owner Zenaida Rodriguez cooks up cauldrons of her homey, comforting soups, and this year she’s expanding the selection, ramping up to 15 soups to choose from. Rather than investing in a single big bowl, the soup flights allow diners to select three, 10-ounce samples, presented much in the way craft beer flights are served. The selections are a sort of greatest hits of Mexican soups, including red and green pozole, menudo any day of the week, beef albondigas and a less-traditional birria ramen. New this year are shrimp albondigas, caldo de habas, made with broad beans, and fideo, with thin spaghetti-like noodles. Flights cost $21. You can make your way through the entire menu in five

Sacramento, CA · 1d

everafterinthewoods.com

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These 10 California Grocery Stores Are Worth A Visit If You Want To Spend Less On Food

Some grocery stores ask you to bag your own groceries, and that tiny chore helps keep prices down. I love that kind of trade. A few minutes of packing for a lighter bill feels like a deal I’d take every week. Other stores buy surplus and overstock goods from...

Fresno, CA · 3d