Grounds is the longtime heartbeat of downtown Murphys—opened in 1992 and lovingly grown from a humble coffee-and-sandwich counter into a full-service neighborhood restaurant at 402 Main Street. It’s led by chef-owner and rancher River Klass, host of Ranch America on the Outdoor Channel, where he rides out with working cattlemen and celebrates the stewardship that puts great beef on American tables.

River brings that same ranch-forward spirit home to Calaveras County: rooted in his days on the range, elevated by classical training in Paris, he studied the techniques and traditions of French cuisine and then translated them to Sierra foothills ingredients.

The result: thoughtful, from-scratch cooking, a warm room, and genuine hospitality shaped by ranch life and rich culinary craft. Locals know Grounds as their “home away from home,” and visitors discover a Murphys original—rooted in place, guided by skill, and always hungry to share a good story over a great meal.