The State Restaurant quietly opened its fourth location Tuesday, Feb. 4 on the UCR Arts Block in downtown Riverside.
The restaurant occupies 38 Main St., a four-story building that was once the First National Bank of Riverside and dates from 1910. Later it was owned by contractor Russell Walling and used by UCR Arts, which runs the California Museum of Photography next door. Most recently, it was used by Encore charter school but has been vacant since the novel coronavirus pandemic, according to Scott Wilson, historic preservation officer for the city.
When the restaurant began serving customers at 11 a.m., painters on ladders were putting the finishing touches on the windows outside.

The State is a gastropub that opened at 22 E. State St. in Redlands in 2014 and has since expanded to Victoria Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga and Monrovia.
The new restaurant has a high ceiling, a large dining room and a long bar equipped with a ladder to reach seven shelves of liquor bottles. It has an art deco look with floor tiles and blue wallpaper.

The menu is similar to Redlands, with specialties such as poutine, bacon wrapped dates, braised short rib tacos and several burgers. February’s burger of the month is Cupids Choice, made with a Wagyu beef patty, candied bacon and a truffled goat cheese, honey and roasted beet spread. Meals run $10-$38.
Cocktail specials include Forget the Flowers, made with Roku gin, Combier creme di violette, Mandarin Napoleon orange liqueur and lime juice.
Happy hour, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, includes burgers and other entrées, $10-$12, salads and sharables as well as drink discounts. There are drink specials Monday through Thursday in the $6-$8 range.
Brunch on Saturday and Sunday includes avocado toast, chilaquiles and chicken and waffles, $10-$17.
The Redlands and Rancho Cucamonga restaurants have speakeasies, but Riverside hasn’t opened one yet.
Hours are 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday, 10 a.m. to midnight Saturday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., according to the chain’s website. Reservations are available through OpenTable.
Information: thestaterestaurant.com