The 925 food scene leveled up in 2025. From San Ramon’s splashy Mediterranean opening at Bishop Ranch to Pleasanton’s all you can eat wagyu spot to Lafayette’s new breakfast burrito and empanada cafe, here are 10 notable new restaurants that actually opened their doors in the 925 this year.
All of these are based on Bay Area Telegraph coverage, and often site visits!.
1. Walnut Creek: Original Joe’s Walnut Creek
Original Joe’s finally made its East Bay debut at 1300 S. Main St. in Walnut Creek, bringing the classic red booths, big steaks, meatballs and old school Italian American vibes the brand is famous for in San Francisco. The Walnut Creek location is huge — roughly 10,000 square feet with multiple patios — and after a brief shutdown from a kitchen fire right after opening, it officially reopened to the public on Oct. 1, 2025.
- Address: 1300 S. Main St., Walnut Creek, CA 94596
- Read more: https://bayareatelegraph.com/2025/10/01/heres-what-original-joes-walnut-creek-is-saying-about-todays-grand-reopening/
2. Walnut Creek: PiddeG Mediterranean / Turkish Grill
PiddeG landed in Walnut Creek at 2979 Ygnacio Valley Rd and locals basically started obsessing overnight. The fast casual spot does flame grilled kebabs, sujuk sausage, house made pidde (a Turkish flatbread that eats like a personal pizza), and even proper Turkish coffee, and it’s already drawing “this is the best Mediterranean around” style comments from early customers.
- Address: 2979 Ygnacio Valley Rd, Walnut Creek, CA 94598
- Read more: https://bayareatelegraph.com/2025/09/13/video-inside-walnut-creeks-brilliant-new-piddeg-turkish-restaurant/
3. Lafayette: Abe’s Cafe
Abe’s Cafe opened this summer at 3572 Mt. Diablo Blvd in Lafayette with a tagline we instantly loved — “There is no life before coffee.” It serves coffee drinks, breakfast burritos, empanadas, pastries and grab and go sandwiches, and it’s already turned into a morning hangout spot right in downtown Lafayette.
- Address: 3572 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Lafayette, CA 94549
- Read more: https://bayareatelegraph.com/2025/08/07/review-you-need-to-try-this-new-cafe-in-lafayette/
4. San Ramon: Alora Social
Alora Social opened at City Center Bishop Ranch, 6000 Bollinger Canyon Rd, Suite 1100 in San Ramon, as the East Bay offshoot of San Francisco’s Alora. The concept is coastal Mediterranean — mezze, pastas, seafood, grilled skewers — plus craft cocktails, happy hour, and even weekend belly dancing, and it’s aiming to be an upscale but lively night out in Bishop Ranch.
- Address: 6000 Bollinger Canyon Rd, Suite 1100, San Ramon, CA 94583
- Read more: https://bayareatelegraph.com/2025/03/13/review-alora-social-is-open-in-san-ramon-the-restaurants-true-identity-surprised-me/
5. Pleasanton: Chubby Cattle BBQ
Chubby Cattle BBQ opened at 2693 Stoneridge Dr #106 in Pleasanton and instantly drew crowds for its over the top all you can eat format. You order premium beef — up to Japanese A5 Wagyu on the top tier — plus sushi and hot items, all in a super high tech environment with tablet ordering and even robot runners. The Pleasanton spot is the brand’s first Bay Area location.
- Address: 2693 Stoneridge Dr #106, Pleasanton, CA 94588
- Read more: https://bayareatelegraph.com/2025/08/16/a-high-tech-restaurant-with-all-you-can-eat-wagyu-beef-just-opened-in-pleasanton/
6. Pleasanton: HONI-BEAR Boba Cafe
HONI-BEAR Boba Cafe opened in downtown Pleasanton at 349 Main St, Suite 140. It’s a family owned shop doing creative boba drinks, fruit teas, and snacky bites like popcorn chicken, and early reaction from locals has been that the drinks stand out in a town that already has plenty of tea options.
- Address: 349 Main St, Suite 140, Pleasanton, CA 94566
- Read more: https://bayareatelegraph.com/2025/09/18/review-pleasantons-new-family-owned-honi-bear-boba-tea-shop-makes-standout-drinks/
7. Pleasanton: Poké House Pleasanton
Poké House rolled into Pleasanton at 6770 Bernal Ave, Ste 420 with a multi stage soft opening in early October 2025 — first limited hours with 10 percent off, then full hours the next week. The menu is build your own poké bowls and handroll style seafood with heavy island vibes, and Pleasanton is one of the brand’s newest Bay Area outposts.
- Address: 6770 Bernal Ave, Ste 420, Pleasanton, CA 94566
- Read more: https://bayareatelegraph.com/2025/10/05/pleasanton-is-getting-a-new-poke-place-with-strong-island-vibes/
8. Dublin: East Bay Buffet
East Bay Buffet opened at 7400 San Ramon Rd in Dublin and people immediately started calling it “Vegas level.” It’s an Asian fusion buffet with sushi, seafood, hot dishes and a ton of variety for the price, and it’s already become one of the buzziest new all you can eat spots in the Tri-Valley.
- Address: 7400 San Ramon Rd, Dublin, CA 94568
- Read more: https://bayareatelegraph.com/2025/08/02/its-amazing-locals-are-raving-about-a-new-sushi-buffet-in-dublin-california/
9. Concord: Mazza Afghan Cuisine
Mazza Afghan Cuisine finally opened at 1985 Willow Pass Rd, Suite E in Concord, and it’s doing something pretty different for downtown Concord — authentic Afghan dishes like Kabuli Pulao, kebabs and handmade dumplings, plus halal steaks and an over the top zero proof cocktail program built around nonalcoholic spirits. The owners are pitching it as both dinner and a late night mocktail lounge for Concord.
- Address: 1985 Willow Pass Rd, Suite E, Concord, CA 94520
- Read more: https://bayareatelegraph.com/2025/03/25/concords-highly-anticipated-new-afghan-restaurant-is-finally-open/
10. Walnut Creek: Extreme Pizza (New Location)
Extreme Pizza opened a new Walnut Creek location at 1514 Geary Rd, Suite D in the Sprouts center, giving the west side of town a fast casual slice, wings and subs option with late friendly hours. The chain calls this spot officially open in Walnut Creek and locals are already treating it like a neighborhood pizza and game night place.
- Address: 1514 Geary Rd, Suite D, Walnut Creek, CA 94597
- Read more: https://bayareatelegraph.com/2025/10/05/an-extreme-new-pizza-place-just-opened-in-walnut-creek/
