ORINDA, CALIFORNIA — CreekHaus, the big new food, drink, and gathering project taking shape at 31 Orinda Way, is starting to come into clearer focus.
The development is planned for the former Bank of America building in Orinda Village, and it is being pitched as something more ambitious than a single restaurant or cafe.
Alex Aranoff, a spokesperson for CreekHaus, reached out to the Bay Area Telegraph to share some new details about the food and community gathering development–as well as the updated renderings and photos you’re seeing here.
Aranoff stressed that CreekHaus isn’t only a food hall. “The idea behind CreekHaus has always been to create a true community gathering place and backyard for Orinda,” she told us.
So What Is CreekHaus?
CreekHaus is being developed by Paymun, the Orinda-based real estate, design, and development firm led by Ben Zarrin.
The project is planned for the former Bank of America site at 31 Orinda Way, one of the most visible redevelopment locations in downtown Orinda.
CreekHaus says the space will be anchored by Equator Coffees during the day and CreekHaus Beer Garden later on.
We’ve also learned that PizzaHacker will be in charge of pizza service in the beer garden. PizzaHacker currently has locations in San Francisco’s Mission-Bernal area and at The Junction in Mill Valley.
In the months ahead, CreekHaus also expects to add an upscale bistro, a full cocktail bar, a lounge, and private event spaces. It will also house offices and other community spaces.
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Equator is expected to define the daytime side of CreekHaus, bringing coffee and prepared offerings to the space. That is a notable addition for Orinda, especially because Equator has become one of the Bay Area’s best-known specialty coffee brands. It’s also been ranked in the top 5 coffee places in California.
In other words, CreekHaus is trying to cover a lot of different use cases: morning coffee, lunch, after-school stops, casual dinner, beer with friends, live music, events, and eventually cocktails or private gatherings.
There’s Also An Office And Learning Piece
The new information also adds another wrinkle: CreekHaus will be home to Paymun’s new office and a shared community workspace with Orinda Launchpad Learning, according to the company.
Launchpad Learning Lamorinda’s website now lists its address as 31 Orinda Way, 2nd Floor, at CreekHaus, with a “Coming August 2026” note. The program describes itself as a tutoring and after-school learning program for Orinda and Lamorinda students.
If the concept works, you could imagine a parent grabbing coffee after drop-off, a student heading upstairs for tutoring, someone working nearby during the day, and then neighbors coming back later for pizza, beer, music, or a private event.
That is the “backyard” vision CreekHaus is trying to sell.
The Creekside Setting Matters
One of the most distinctive parts of the project is not just what faces Orinda Way. It is what happens behind the building.
The site backs toward San Pablo Creek, and prior project materials have described creek-facing decks and outdoor gathering areas.
That matters because downtown Orinda has a creek running through part of its commercial core, but it is not always a visible or active part of the downtown experience.
CreekHaus could change that.
If the space is designed and operated well, it could make the creekside part of downtown feel more usable, social, and connected to everyday life in Orinda.
The project has been a big one by Orinda standards.
City planning materials previously described the 2023 approval as a renovation and expansion of 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. The revisions also included changes to the floor plan, windows, doors, facade materials, external staircases, and the rear creek-facing deck.
The real test will come when CreekHaus opens: whether the space feels genuinely open and community-oriented, what the prices are like, how easy it is to park and move through the site, and how well the indoor, outdoor, food, office, and event uses all fit together.
We’ll continue to follow it closely! Make sure to join our free 925 News newsletter so we can keep you updated.
