The Must Stop Destination
Che and Tanya Stedman have turned a corner lot in the Placer Heights Plaza shopping center into a must-stop destination for locals and visitors who quite simply love food and fun, in any order.
Meet Moonstone Bistro. But if you’ve been in Redding for more than a half-second, you’ve either experienced the culinary excellence of the restaurant or are simply missing out.
Moonstone Bistro serves amazing cuisine made from fresh, seasonal, organic and local produce, free-range meat and sustainably harvested seafood. They buy from and support local farmers and suppliers, and prepare all the dishes by hand with no microwaves or heat lamps.
The Stedmans, who love to have a good time amid the chaos that can come with running a restaurant, say Moonstone Bistro’s purpose is “a full-service community-based restaurant for foodies.”
They’re not wrong. From wild caught halibut to organic filet mignon to pan-fried chicken to vegetarian-friendly options, the entrees at Moonstone Bistro almost look too good to eat. Almost.
Che Stedman was trained at the Culinary Institute of America in New York and trained under four separate master chefs. He met Tanya in San Francisco at One Market Restaurant, and the couple worked together in the North Bay before eventually moving to Redding and opening Moonstone Bistro in 2006.
The restaurant is warm, inviting and they added a four-season patio during the pandemic that is “well-behaved” dog-friendly.
“Being able to really connect with people over the years and being the place that they go to is inspiring,” the Stedmans say. “So too is being part of a community that pulls together during times of crisis and times of celebration.The community support really helped build the patio.”
While they offer incredible food and desserts – the chocolate souffle is the only thing that’s been on the menu since Day One – they don’t take life too seriously. “When we opened, everyone said that we needed three words to describe ourselves, so we chose ‘Eat. Drink. Play,’” the Stedmans joked. “Fifteen years later, we changed it to what it really is: Chaos. Irony. Sarcasm. We even made T-shirts. The amount of difficulty it is to work in a restaurant is directly proportionate to how much you care.”
Judging by the amazing food, excellent service and electric atmosphere, combined with the rave reviews from anyone who’s been to Moonstone Bistro, the Stedmans are doing something right.
Moonstone Bistro
3425 Placer St. Suite 110, Redding
(530) 241-3663
moonstonebistro.com
