Here’s when the first Shake Shack will open in Wine Country – SF Chronicle

Shake Shack has officially announced the opening date for its first Wine Country location.

The New York burger chain is planning to open its newest restaurant in Sonoma County, at the Montgomery Village outdoor shopping center in Santa Rosa, on Feb. 29.

The opening will mark the 14th Shake Shack in Northern California and the northernmost location in the state, with the next outlet in Portland, Ore.
Known for its smashed patties served on squishy potato buns, crinkle-cut fries and milkshake-esque frozen custard drinks, Shake Shack will feature its exclusive Bay Area regional menu item at the Santa Rosa location — the Golden State Double with two grass-fed beef patties, cheddar and smoked garlic aioli.

Shake Shack made its Bay Area debut at Palo Alto’s Stanford Shopping Center in 2018, where thousands of people lined up for the opening. A holiday pop-up event at Montgomery Village in December generated a similar frenzy.

“Our community has been buzzing about the impending opening since it was announced early last year,” Brittany Mundarain, the shopping center’s general manager, said in a statement. “We can’t wait to welcome everyone at this long-awaited grand opening and also for the community to experience the space, the art, and the special menu items that uniquely celebrate Sonoma County.”

There are additional Shake Shack locations in San Francisco, San Mateo, Larkspur, Emeryville, Oakland, Walnut Creek, San Jose and Sacramento.

The Santa Rosa restaurant will host a series of opening weekend events, including the unveiling of a mural by local artist David Winters, exclusive merchandise and a food drive hosted by the Redwood Empire Food Bank.

With its distinctive green-and-black logo, Shake Shack aims to rival In-N-Out.

Shake Shack’s shares surged 26% on the news of its fourth-quarter earnings, released last week. Over the past 12 months, the company’s stock has increased by more than 67%.

Shake Shack has ambitious expansion plans for 2024, with intentions to open 80 restaurants nationwide, doubling its footprint from five years ago to nearly 600 restaurants. The company anticipates a total revenue growth ranging from 11% to 15%.

Reach Aidin Vaziri: avaziri@sfchronicle.com