The 10 Best Restaurants And Cafs In Walnut Creek California

Within close proximity of San Francisco, Walnut Creek also draws upscale and gourmet restaurateurs looking for larger spaces in which to offer great food. We’ve updated our previous guide to city dining to add 10 more of Walnut Creek’s best restaurants to our must-visit list.

Sunol Ridge Restaurant & Bar

Bar, Restaurant, Gastropub, Pub Grub

Drawing inspiration from a 19th-century ranch, Sunol Ridge Restaurant & Bar offers a gourmet upgrade to American comfort food, as well as one of the largest craft beer selections in Northern California. Sunol Ridge & Bar has quickly become one of the most coveted restaurants in Walnut Creek. The rustic-meets-modern style décor showcases a wine wall and serpentine bar adjoined to a dining room.

Va de Vi

Bistro, Restaurant, Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free

Va de Vi is a Catalan phrase meaning ‘It’s all about wine’, which is fitting for this bistro, as it offers an expansive international wine list. Delicately landscaped with evergreen trees and blossoming perennials alongside a sitting pond, al fresco dining is choice.

Élevé

Élevé offers an upscale take on classic Vietnamese cuisine in downtown Walnut Creek. Chef and co-owner Michele Nguyen grew up in the restaurant business and after 15 years of running a family business she ventured out in January 2010 to open Élevé. The casual yet classyestablishment is known for its fresh ingredients and handcrafted cocktails. With menu items like the shrimp spring roll, consisting of fresh shrimp wrapped in soft rice paper, lettuce, cucumber, mint, vermicelli and peanut sauce; the wok-tossed flat iron steak, which consists of sliced blackAngus beef, eggplant, Japanese dry pepper, ginger; and the tart gin punch, which includes gin, lime, pineapple, bitters and absinthe.

Élevé, 1677 North Main Street, Walnut Creek, CA, United States, +1 925-979-1677

Maria Maria

Restaurant, Mexican

Maria Maria transports the senses to the Pacific coast of Mexico, where culinary tradition and innovation meet. This collaboration between music legend Carlos Santana and Chef Roberto Santibañez, offers a sampling of dishes from different regions in Mexico, with live music that creates an enthralling dining experience.

Kacha Thai Bistro

Bistro, Restaurant, Thai

Kacha Thai Bistro offers authentic Thai cuisine that is contemporary and traditional. With a variety of MSG-free menu items, there is something to pique every tastebud. Staples like Thai soup, noodle dishes and salads are among a menu that also includes dishes like ‘The Typhoon’ and ‘The Lover’. For dessert, the mango with sticky rice compliments a Thai iced tea or iced coffee.

Sunrise Bistro

Bistro, American

The Sunrise Bistro is rumoured to have the best breakfast in Walnut Creek, serving menu items to business CEOs and brunches to friends and families alike. Offering hearty portions of breakfast classics, Sunrise Bistro is highly regarded for its farm to table mentality and fresh ingredients.

Skipolinis Pizza

Skipolini’s is home of the famous ‘prego pizza’. Skipolini’s has been a northern California family-owned favorite for over three decades. With inside and outside family-friendly dining, guests are invited to enjoy award-winning pizza in a casual environment where children are easily entertained.

Chef Jon Lee

Chef Jon Lee playfully describes the food he serves ‘Asian Confusion,’ as the ingredients used are from Italy, Asia and the Pacific Islands and are said to leave the palate pleasantly surprised. Hailing from Bali, Indonesia, Chef Jon aims to bring together a wide variety of food he is passionate for through his cooking, which results in fused and thoughtfully constructed cuisine.

San Francisco Creamery Co.

The San Francisco Creamery Co. prides itself on producing high quality homemade ice cream. Homemade ice cream, hot fudge, syrups and butterscotch are all present in the store construed from traditional methods. Order ‘the kitchen sink’, this ice cream dish includes: three bananas, eight flavours of ice cream and toppings with mounds of whipped cream, toasted almonds and cherries.

Kinder’s

Restaurant, Market

The Kinder’s family transformed a 1946 meat market located in the east bay town of San Pablo, California, into a franchise of restaurants throughout northern California and Nevada. This three generation family-owned-and-operated neighbourhood meat market and gourmet deli serves grade-A steaks and specialty sandwiches, as well as succulent ribs alongside a varied list of daily specials.

About the author

Audra Clemons

Audra Clemons is a creative media specialist with a passion for travel, cuisine and adventure. Based between Colombia and Florida, this former TV Producer takes her talents on the road where she captures in-between-the-lines experiences. Audra can usually be found buried behind her laptop writing articles or creating media campaigns for clients... or surfing. Connect with her on Twitter or through her website.