WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA – Here at the Bay Area Telegraph, we do our best to share new local restaurants with you as soon as humanly possible.
In some cases, that means sharing them before they officially open!
The hotly anticipated North Italia restaurant at Plaza Escuela in Walnut Creek opens this week, on the 25th. But we were invited to dine there early, on Friday the 20th–the very first night that North Italia opened to anyone.
This was a practice run for the restaurant’s staff, open to VIPs, press, and friends and family only, intended for the staff to get experience before the full opening. For that reason, we’re not structuring this as a review–we were there as testers, not critics!
But what it did give us is an exclusive, early look inside North Italia–and an early taste of the food it will serve! (All photos credit Thomas Smith)
North Italia takes over a former Tilly’s clothing store. When I stopped by last year, the interior of the space was entirely gutted, down to the concrete and studs.
Now, it’s entirely transformed.
The outdoors is a covered bar area with lots of seating looking out on downtown Walnut Creek.
There’s a fun North Italia Vespa mobile bar parked out front.
Big fireplaces and other cozy details keep the space engaging, and giant windows open from the indoors of the restaurant to the outside patio–really taking advantage of the weirdly warm Spring nights we’ve been having here in the 925.
Inside, the space is dramatic. It’s a big restaurant, with over 8,500 square feet of space.
A giant, original mural covers one wall.
At the back of the restaurant is a massive kitchen, with striking red and black colors. It’s behind a glass wall and is brightly lit, making the preparation of your food into a kind of performance.
A line of two-top tables borders the side of the kitchen. You can literally sit at your table and watch through the glass as kitchen staff prepare dishes and rush around, just feet from you.
It’s a bit like watching an episode of Iron Chef or another cooking show, only live and right in front of you. I like how North Italia takes the drama of kitchen work and places it front and center.
When my wife and I visited on North Italia’s invitation for our hosted meal, we were given limited menus intended to help the staff practice making–and placing orders for–specific dishes.
Once North Italia opens for real, though, it will feature all kinds of Italian dishes with big portions for family sharing.
We started with a massive Chef’s Board, a charcuterie plate with tons of cheese, figs, prosciutto and more.
The prosciutto is sliced in the kitchen with a giant, spinning blade that’s turned by hand, not by a machine–a neat touch.
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We enjoyed some drinks, too. I had a pomegranate mule.
My wife had a Roman Holiday cocktail that was surprisingly tropical.
We then moved on to entrees. I had a piece of snapper with a lemon butter sauce and capers.
My wife had papardelle Bolognese pasta, which is apparently a house specialty.
All of the pastas are made fresh in house. There’s a guy operating a pasta station in the kitchen, continually churning out noodles.
We were pretty full at that point, so we finished the meal with a simple raspberry gelato. But there are some massive sundaes and other desserts that looked tasty, too.
Again, we were there to help the staff practice. But the restaurant opens for real this coming week on Wednesday, March 25, 2026!
If you are wondering about hours, reservation platforms list weekday lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., dinner from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, dinner until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and brunch on weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Reservations are already open.
It was fun to be the first in the door at this new WC spot!
