Not too long ago, Walnut Creek’s restaurant scene was dominated by lackluster chains, but that’s changing fast: Many Bay Area restaurateurs, from San Francisco to Oakland to Napa, are choosing the city as their next expansion spot, citing its vibrant downtown neighborhood, destination shopping and affluent residents eager to spend their money in town.
Other slices of Contra Costa County have been seeing more attention from Bay Area restaurateurs too. San Ramon’s new shopping development, City Center Bishop Ranch, nabbed locations of San Francisco’s famed Vietnamese restaurant Slanted Door, hip Italian spot Delarosa and popular bubble tea chain Boba Guys. Popular Filipino-Mexican outfit Senor Sisig and Jewish deli Wise Sons headed to Lafayette this year through a new ghost kitchen.