Quarry Restaurant to Open in Escondido by Year-End
Founders Greg Koch and Steve Wagner are launching a new dining venue in the former Stone Brewing World Bistro site.
Updated on Oct. 24, 2026 in Dining Out
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Greg Koch and Steve Wagner will open their new restaurant, Quarry, in the 13,500-square-foot space previously occupied by Stone Brewing World Bistro and Gardens. The opening is scheduled for before the end of 2026, following the closure of the Stone Brewing facility on November 13.
Why it matters
The transition occurs after Firestone Walker announced plans to shutter its local headquarters and shift production to Paso Robles. Founders Koch and Wagner retained ownership of the Escondido property throughout various corporate acquisitions.
The property encompasses 13,500 square feet of restaurant space. This site hosted Stone Brewing, which was founded 30 years ago, until its pending closure on November 13.
The players
Greg Koch
He is a co-founder of Stone Brewing and retains ownership of the Escondido property.
Steve Wagner
He co-founded Stone Brewing and acts as a landlord for the current restaurant site.
Firestone Walker
This brewery acquired Stone Brewing in 2026 and is relocating its production operations to Paso Robles.
The details
Koch and Wagner serve as landlords for the Escondido property and are repurposing the space for their new venture. Firestone Walker, which acquired Stone Brewing in 2026, is moving manufacturing operations out of state and to Paso Robles.
Timeline
Stone Brewing was founded in 1996.
Ballast Point sold for $1 billion in 2015.
Sapporo purchased Stone Brewing in 2022.
Stone Brewing will close its Escondido facility on November 13, 2026.
Quarry is slated to open by the end of 2026.
Culture Shift
The development mirrors the broader wave of consolidation in the craft beer industry that gained momentum with the 2015 sale of Ballast Point for $1 billion. This move reflects a shift where original founders retain real estate even as corporate production moves to new regions.
Residents should prepare for the closure of the current Stone Brewing facility on November 13, 2026. The site will undergo a transition before the new restaurant begins serving the public by the end of the year.
The takeaway
The transformation of the Escondido site highlights how industry veterans are pivoting from large-scale brewery management to focused hospitality ventures. Local patrons should expect the new venue to utilize the established physical infrastructure of the former beer garden.
Further reading
For more on the local culinary landscape, visit Dining Out.
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Do you believe the local craft beer scene will return to its previous success?
