Folsom will be getting a new option when it comes to Mexican food. Cantina Pedregal is the brainchild of two of the region’s top chefs and has recently began working to fill a well-known space in the city.
The restaurant will focus on northeastern style Mexican fare in the Folsom Pointe center that is home to Mikuni Sushi, The Hampton Inn and most recently. Mendocino Farms near the East Bidwell and Highway 50 interchange. The restaurant will operate in a space adjacent to Mikuni that has been home to three restaurants in its recent past. Most recently the space was a craft pizza place known as Flock which closed last year.
The names behind Cantina Pedregal are no strangers to operating successful restaurants and known for top quality dishes. Patrico Wise and his wife Cinthia Martinez own and operate Nixtaco in Roseville. Business partners Brad Cecchi and Clay Nutting are the masterminds being Canon in East Sacramento.
Both of the restaurants already on their resumes have impressive accolades. Nixtaco found its way on the Michelin North America list last year for its high-quality and affordable meals. Canon has been part of the ranking for the last four years. So simply put, Folsom’s newest cantina will come with plenty of experience behind it.
There is even some history behind the name of the restaurant. Pedregal was the name of the neighborhood where Wise grew up in Northern Mexico.
“My wife and I grew up in Monterrey, Mexico where cantinas are casual places to spend time with friends and family, where people gather to talk, play games and get to know their neighbors,” says Wise. “The ambiance is always warm and convivial and that is the feeling that will carry over into Pedregal,”
The establishment will be a new style of dining to the Folsom community. A style that both partners feel will be well recieved.
“The cantina concept is fairly new to our region both in design and in the menu and will be a unique experience for our guests,” Wise said.
The partners have already worked together on projects in the past, including Sacramento’s Farm to Fork Festival and the ever popular Baconfest, among others. While the menu is still being fine-tuned, the new Folsom creation will offer a number of meat options including seafood, beef, chicken, pork as well as vegetarian offerings.
Much like Wise, Cecchi is very excited about the new restaurant and adding this style of fare to his resume of fine dining successes.
“For me, it’s a great opportunity to bring my expertise in running fine dining restaurants and developing concepts, and to learn traditional northern Mexican food from Patricio, and then adapt our level of hospitality to it, “ said Cecchi. The northern influence is event represented in the restaurant’s full name which includes the suffix of “del Norte.”
When Flock closed its doors in 2022, much of the equipment and amenities were left for a future buyer. Wise and Cecchi plan to put their own touches on the interior and atmosphere. At this time,they are eying to open the doors in January of 2024. To keep up to date with their opening plans, check in on their website at www.cantinapedregal.com.
