ORINDA, CALIFORNIA — One of downtown Orinda’s most visible restaurant projects is starting to look a lot more real.
The project is CreekHaus, a major redevelopment of the former Bank of America building at 31 Orinda Way in Orinda Village. CreekHaus is planned as a morning-to-night gathering spot with coffee, food, beer, cocktails, outdoor decks, private event space, and offices near San Pablo Creek.
For a while, it was little more than planning docs. Now, we stopped by and saw that the building is really coming together.
A Former Bank Is Becoming A Creekside Food And Drink Destination
The old Bank of America building has been one of the more recognizable vacant sites in downtown Orinda. CreekHaus is now being designed around multiple food and beverage uses, indoor and outdoor gathering spaces, and creek-facing decks that turn the back of the property into part of the experience.
The original 2023 approval called for renovating and expanding the existing 4,712-square-foot, single-story building into an 8,810-square-foot, two-level structure with restaurant and office uses.
Later revisions increased the proposed structure to 9,397 square feet and added a 540-square-foot third story for storage and rooftop mechanical access, according to a City of Orinda planning notice.
That may not sound massive in a big-city restaurant district. But in Orinda Village, a nearly 9,400-square-foot mixed-use food, drink, and gathering project is a very big deal.
CreekHaus says Equator Coffees will anchor the daytime experience, while CreekHaus Beer Garden will bring together PizzaHacker, Bay Area craft beer, live music, and seasonal events under the oak trees.
It’s only the 13th Equator store (though lots of local places serve the iconic Bay Area brand’s coffees.)
The project is also expected to include an upscale bistro, full cocktail bar, lounge, and private event spaces.
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The Creek-Facing Part Is What Makes This Interesting
One of the most distinctive pieces of the project is not just what fronts Orinda Way. It is what happens behind the building.
CreekHaus is being planned with outdoor decks and gathering areas facing San Pablo Creek. The project website describes the space as open, welcoming, and rooted in connection, with curated food and beverage offerings, indoor and outdoor spaces, and year-round programming.
That is a notable shift for downtown Orinda, where the creek runs close to the commercial core but often feels hidden from everyday life. If CreekHaus works the way it is being pitched, it could make the creekside setting part of downtown’s public-facing restaurant experience.
When Will CreekHaus Open?
As you can see from the photos here, CreekHaus is clearly being built quite actively, but it will still be some time until the building is finished. We anticipate a Summer or Fall 2026 opening.
This will probably be a phased opening, with Equator and the beer/pizza garden coming first, and then other restaurants filling in the remaining spaces once the building is up and running.
For a city that has long wanted more dining and nightlife options, that could be a major addition.
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