My Favorite Go-To's in Ripon CA

May 19

As we thankfully begin to see our COVID-19 numbers decline here in northern California, some of my favorite go-to’s in Ripon are planning their re-opening strategies. Cautiously trying to balance the need for the physical health of Californians and the health of our state’s economy, a number of Ripon businesses that have been closed over the past several months are beginning to re-open, albeit with some new guidelines. Others, including many restaurants, will continue to offer curbside pick-up and outdoor dining while they work on new floor plans and social distancing rules for in-house dining in the near future.

I can’t say enough positive things about the Ripon community, and it has been so heartening to see everyone here come together in a time where we have had to physically stay apart. As a small business owner myself, I’m thrilled for my fellow businesses who are finding ways to safely open and serve our wonderful city. And as a patron, I’m excited to visit some of my favorites that my family and I have been missing! Small businesses need our support more than ever and I know the Ripon community will rally around our local shops and services helping to create a path to economic recovery.

As we head in this direction, I wanted to highlight some of my favorite go-to's in Ripon. While it’s oh-so-hard to select just a few, this list represents some of my top picks.

Ripon Coffee House has re-opened for outdoor seating along with curbside pick-up and carryout orders. I love their White Chocolate Mocha, either hot or as a Frappuccino. It’s honestly the best I’ve ever had!
While Sunshine Donuts has stayed open throughout the shut down, their shop has been celebrating our graduates, by giving gift certificates to local Ripon high school seniors for a free dozen donuts and Ripon 8th grade graduates can get a free half dozen (limited gift certificates available).

Austin’s Coffee Crafters has amazing coffee, but I’m a huge fan of their lunch sandwiches. Currently offering all selections at their drive-through and hopefully will be re-opening their dine-in (with limited seating) this week. My selects there are the BGT or the Farmer’s Vegetarian.

Primo’s Restaurant and Tequila Bar has incredible Mexican food. While everything is delicious, I usually gravitate towards the Tacos Mixtos with a Blackberry Margarita. Currently they are offering curbside pick-up. Hopefully they can be approved to re-open for inside dining soon!

While The Vine House will continue to offer curbside pick-up until it's completely safe to re-open, I'm so glad we've been able to carry out some of their delicious appetizers and entrées. The Spinach & Artichoke dip is my fave!

We are so lucky to have a wide variety of remarkable shops, boutiques, restaurants and café’s in Ripon but having been shut down for several months is going to present challenges for their future. Our local businesses and restaurants need our help more than ever right now. While fitness businesses and a few shops, such as Releve, Studio Joy, and Magpie Antiques are beginning to open, they, like many others, may be operating under certain restrictions. For example only a certain number of customers or clients maybe allowed at one time, or curbside pick up might be the only option.

If you aren’t able to frequent Ripon's stores and restaurants right now, remember, you can still help support them in these ways:

by liking and commenting on their social media posts
sharing their posts to get the word out about their hours and offerings
adding a 5 star Google or Facebook review for their business
purchasing gift certificates from them

For up-to-date information on other restaurants and businesses in our area, the Ripon Chamber of Commerce shares an updated list that lets people know who is open and how they are serving their customers. They are also sharing local businesses posts and information to keep everyone informed. I hope you’ll continue supporting our local shops and restaurants as we safely get back to business!