The sprawling gardens and fire-pit patio at 1999 Citracado Parkway in Escondido aren't closing for good after all. Stone Brewing co-founders Greg Koch and Steve Wagner announced they're taking back the restaurant operation and reopening it independently under a new name: Quarry Escondido.
“Steve Wagner and I are taking over the restaurant and gardens at 1999 Citracado Parkway in Escondido,” Koch said, according to CalMatters. The venue, long known as Stone World Bistro & Gardens, is still scheduled to close under its current operation on Nov. 13, with the site reopening at a later date once the transition is complete, per the same report. As Axios first reported the new name, Koch confirmed: “It's…Quarry Escondido!”
A License Change Stands Between Now and Reopening
The timeline hinges on paperwork. Reopening depends on approval from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control for a required license change, according to North Coast Current. Koch is aiming to open before the holidays, the outlet notes, though no firm date has been confirmed.
Once the license clears, Koch and Wagner don't plan to tear up what's already there. The pair look forward to making improvements that will enhance the overall dining experience, atmosphere, service and more, according to a report from sandiegobeer.news. Quarry Escondido will still serve Stone's signature beers, but it will also offer new experiences and new dishes, moving back toward the entrée-focused menu the restaurant featured in its earlier days, Axios reported.
From a 1996 Keg to a SoCal Landmark
Koch and Wagner launched Stone Brewing in 1996, and the company opened its flagship Escondido location a decade later, in 2006, according to North Coast Current. At its peak, the bistro and gardens were considered the third-largest tourist attraction in North County, trailing only Legoland and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, per a report from San Diego Magazine. A separate San Diego Union-Tribune estimate cited in that same piece put annual visitor traffic at roughly 500,000 people a year as of 2016.
The reclaimed property isn't just a dining room. San Diego Magazine's report describes a patio with fire pits and a vine-enclosed hideout, alongside gardens landscaped with boulders, trees, winding paths and ponds. Koch and Wagner are also exploring possibilities for the brewery adjacent to the restaurant and gardens, according to CalMatters, though what becomes of that space has not been determined.
How Sapporo's Sale Left Escondido Up for Grabs
The reopening traces back to a corporate shake-up. Sapporo acquired Stone Brewing in 2022, then sold the brand and selected hospitality locations to Firestone Walker and Duvel Moortgat USA in May 2026, per San Diego Magazine. Production subsequently shifted to Paso Robles, where Firestone Walker is based, and to Kansas City, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The Escondido fallout has included significant job losses, though the exact scale remains murky. CalMatters reported that Sapporo filed WARN notices expecting to lay off 272 employees at the site. An initial August WARN notice anticipated 220 layoffs.
A Craft Beer Industry Under Pressure
Stone's turbulence mirrors a broader slide across California's craft beer scene. The number of California craft breweries fell 5% between 2023 and 2025, dropping from 987 to 939, the Los Angeles Times reported. Nationwide, craft-brewery numbers fell 3.5% and production dropped 3.8% between 2024 and 2025, per the same analysis, which also found that sales of the Stone brand itself declined 16% between 2022, when Sapporo bought it, and 2024.
CalMatters described an industry facing cultural changes and economic pressures, with breweries closing or downsizing across the state. Against that backdrop, Koch and Wagner's decision to buy back a single beloved location rather than walk away stands out as something of a counter-move, even as the founders have been careful to temper expectations for what's coming next.
