CONCORD, CALIFORNIA — If you’ve been wondering whether Blast & Brew will ever open near Todos Santos Plaza, there’s finally something new to go on.
A banner at the long-awaited restaurant says “OPENING END OF OCTOBER,” according to a report and storefront photo published by Claycord on October 1.
That’s a welcome update for a downtown space that’s been on the restaurant watch list for more than two years. But there’s still a reason to keep the celebration tentative: the banner doesn’t give a specific opening day — or list a year.
A Long Wait Near Todos Santos Plaza
Blast & Brew is planned for 2151 Salvio Street, at the corner of Grant and Salvio, in the former E.J. Phair Brewing Company space.
Beyond the Creek reported on the incoming restaurant in August 2024. An even more telling piece of history appears in a July 2024 menu from Blast & Brew’s Atascadero location: it listed Concord with the words “GRAND OPENING SUMMER 2024.”
That opening window came and went.
By December 2025, our own food critic Richard Eber was still reporting uncertainty about when, or whether, the restaurant would open. He noted that E.J. Phair had operated at the corner for 22 years.
For people who remember the previous restaurant, the wait has meant watching a familiar downtown gathering place sit without its promised replacement.
What Is Blast & Brew?
Blast & Brew describes itself as an American eatery and tap house. Its website highlights comfort food made from scratch and a self-pour beer concept, with more than 26 rotating craft beers and wines.
The site showcases dishes including burgers, a crispy chicken sandwich, a Bavarian pretzel and a Philly cheesesteak. Those offer a sense of the brand’s approach, although a Concord-specific opening menu wasn’t available on the pages reviewed.
The company also maintains a Concord careers page with an application form and listed positions ranging from management and bartenders to cooks and pizza artisans.
That page supports the plans for a Concord restaurant, but again it doesn’t establish an opening date.
What Happens Next?
The new banner gives residents a late-October opening window to watch.
As of October 3, the material reviewed did not provide a specific opening day or operating hours for Concord.
After a summer 2024 opening target and a much longer wait, the next milestone will be the doors actually opening. For now, there’s finally a more concrete answer than “coming soon.”
We’ll keep following the story. Make sure to join our free 925 News newsletter.
