LIVERMORE, CALIFORNIA – Time was, downtown Walnut Creek was a sleepy hamlet with a handful of shops and restaurants. The “walnut” part of the town’s name was real, referring to the fact that not so long ago, this was an agricultural center growing nuts and produce.
Locals have lived here for a long time have told me that Walnut Creek was deeply suburban and a very quiet place.
Now, the town is completely different. World-class restaurants have moved into the downtown, and Broadway Plaza has some of the most upscale shopping in the East Bay.
Mensho Ramen, Original Joe’s, Doppio Zero, Slice House, Stereo 41, and many more restaurants are putting Walnut Creek on the California culinary map, not just the Bay Area’s.
It’s been an exciting transition, and one that has taken place to a large extent over the last decade.
Now, I’m starting to see another region of the East Bay that is currently equally sleepy begin to transform into a similar shopping and foodie haven.
Livermore, California feels just as agricultural today as Walnut Creek likely felt decades ago. I’ve driven around Livermore and gotten stuck in rodeo traffic before—that gives you a sense of the town’s devotion to its rural character.
But Livermore is a little bit different. One of California’s best wine regions has already put Livermore on foodies’ radar for over a century.
And with the presence of the often top-secret Lawrence Livermore National Labs, there’s a healthy base of highly educated, affluent people living close by. Those factors—combined with a beautiful downtown—are starting to attract more and more restaurants to the town.
There seems to have been an explosion of interest in opening places in Livermore recently. The trend feels like it started around the Livermore Outlets, which is essentially Livermore’s answer to the upscale Broadway Plaza.
The iconic Hawaiian shave ice chain Ululani’s opened a location across from the outlets, and numerous Asian restaurants have situated themselves there as well.
Now, that culinary growth feels like it’s extending to downtown. Just as it opened a location in Walnut Creek years ago, Slice House is coming to downtown Livermore.
Meadowlark Dairy opened its first new location in about a century in Livermore. Likewise, Zachary’s has announced that it will be opening in Livermore as well.
It feels like every day I’m opening my email and seeing a new tip about some new restaurant or culinary hotspot coming to this East Bay town.
There are some key differences between Livermore and Walnut Creek. Walnut Creek is served by BART, which makes it easier for people from all over the region to come there for dinner.
Walnut Creek is also far closer to the city, making it a more popular destination for affluent tech folks to live and then commute downtown. All that tech money creates a great base of customers for tons of upscale restaurants.
Again, though, despite its rural character, Livermore hits above its weight in that department too, thanks to the presence of so many science and STEM types. And as the Bay Area megaregion continues to sprawl outward, people are becoming more and more comfortable living farther from their work.
A downtown with history like Livermore’s is also incredibly appealing. It’s a great place to walk around after a meal, and the dense concentration of restaurants downtown makes it easier for people to go there knowing they’ll find a good spot to eat.
The success of the Livermore Outlets, combined with the fact that many prominent San Francisco restaurants have moved to City Center in San Ramon, also suggests that the flow of culinary promise is moving gradually east.
That all bodes well for Livermore’s culinary future. Walnut Creek and San Ramon may soon have some real competition for the title of the far East Bay’s culinary hub!
I’ll be following developments there closely–make sure to join my free 925 News newsletter so I can keep you updated.
