Rossmoor, California – Residents of Rossmoor were excited, back in 2023, to hear that a new deli-style restaurant would soon open in the plaza across the street from the popular retirement community.
Unfortunately, the restaurant wouldn’t last long. It was quickly replaced. But now that new restaurant has apparently failed to thrive in the Walnut Creek space, too.
That means in a span of about two years, two restaurants have launched and almost immediately shuttered in the very same space.
The spot in question is located at 1970 Tice Valley Blvd in the Suite A-B space. It’s a big restaurant space that apparently has extensive commercial kitchen equipment, including a BBQ pit.
The space was initially home to Napa Deli, which opened in November of 2023. Rossmoor residents told us they were excited to get a deli-style restaurant right across the street.
We visited and reviewed the food favorably. The BLTA (a BLT with avocado) was tasty, and the space felt busy.
Still, in just over a year, the restaurant shut down. Locals told us the prices–which were very high, even by Walnut Creek standards, were the culprit.
With many Rossmoor residents living on fixed incomes in retirement, adding a more expensive restaurant option wasn’t in many peoples’ budgets, we were told by multiple local sources.
So that was restaurant number 1 in the space. Soon after Napa Deli closed, another contender–Dad’s BBQ Next Generation–came in.
We had high hopes for this place, as it’s the extension of a popular Oakland BBQ spot.
Sadly, though, the timing of the new restaurant’s opening was rough. Horn BBQ, one of the Bay Area’s overall best barbecue joints, had a surprise opening in downtown Lafayette. I personally waited 75 minutes in the rain to eat there, and the food is amazing.
It must be hard for any new BBQ place to compete, with Horn just down the road.
Unfortunately, we’re now receiving reports that Dad’s BBQ Next Generation, the old Napa Deli spot, has also now shut down. The restaurant’s Yelp page lists it as closed, and locals have told us that it’s no longer operating.
It’s unfortunate that this spot can’t seem to work out for local restaurants. Many of the other restaurants and shops in the center are chains–the Starbucks has been there for years, and the $61 million shopping center is anchored by Safeway.
It seems likely, again, that price is an obstacle. The Suite A-B space is large and the rent is almost certainly astronomical.
It’s also hard to sustain a BBQ place in the 925. Horn replaced All the Smoke, which replaced Bonehead’s Texas BBQ, which replaced Bo’s.
BBQ restaurant churn is apparently a real thing!
We hope a new spot comes in soon to serve the Rossmoor community in the now apparently vacant space. And we hope this one lasts a bit longer than its predecessors.
What 1970 Tice Valley Blvd mall needs is the owners to bring done the cost of leases and bring in a well known business, like a Denny’s or Big Bear Diner. That mall could use a B/L/D type coffee shop with reasonable prices.
Everyone knows that a restaurant is the hardest business to succeed. Most fail within 5 years of opening. With this in mind, why would anyone attempt to open a restaurant?? Food prices are very high. I refuse to pay 15 or 20 dollars for a sandwich and drink.