El Zaguan Restaurant & Bar filed for a new on-sale liquor license at 908 C St, Suites C, D, E, and I, in Galt, CA, on August 24, according to California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control records. Belinda Gutierrez is listed as the owner, and the restaurant is targeting a September 2026 opening, according to its own Instagram account.
Chef Julio Camberos, has been documenting the restaurant’s buildout, including personally selecting dinnerware and tableware for the space. He described his role as curating every detail, from the masa and sauces to the plating and ambiance, to create a modern Mexican restaurant that honors tradition with a more refined, contemporary feel.
El Zaguan is billed as a fully scratch kitchen, with a menu built around five different tortilla flavors, 15 pepper varieties for sauces and mole, and house made tamales and churros. Camberos has already begun hiring for the restaurant, posting openings for several positions, including a front of house manager, as the team builds toward opening.
The restaurant sits in downtown Galt, a small city along Highway 99 between Sacramento and Stockton, giving it a built in flow of local traffic in a market with limited modern Mexican dining options. The restaurant’s branding leans into a modern Mexican cantina feel.
