WALNUT CREEK, CA — Downtown Walnut Creek has a brand-new Mexican restaurant, and it is bringing tequilas and tacos to downtown WC.
Salt & Lime has opened at 1521 N. Main Street, taking over the former Oyama Sushi location next to 1515 Restaurant & Lounge.
The new restaurant features Mexican cuisine, a cocktail program emphasizing tequila, and a chef with international cooking experience.
From Sushi to Tequila and Mexican Cuisine
Here at Bay Area Telegraph, we’ve been following this restaurant for months.
We first reported on Salt & Lime in July, when a liquor license application revealed that something new was coming to the former Oyama Sushi space.
Oyama had been a downtown fixture for nearly 13 years before closing earlier in 2026. (Their Lafayette spot remains open and is delicious.)
At first, it wasn’t clear what kind of restaurant would replace it.
By October, we’d learned that Salt & Lime would be a Mexican restaurant, led by chef Chelsea Ozuna, a graduate of Diablo Valley College’s culinary program.
Now, the restaurant is officially welcoming customers.
The opening was also highlighted in a November 3 roundup from Richmondside, which described the new restaurant as featuring a tequila-focused cocktail selection.
But this is intended to be a full-service dining destination, rather than simply a tequila bar.
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What’s on the Menu?
According to reporting on the opening, the new restaurant serves a variety of Mexican dishes, including ceviches, burritos, tacos, enchiladas, grilled flank steak, and quesabirria.
Quesabirria has become especially popular in recent years. The dish typically combines slow-cooked, seasoned meat with melted cheese inside a tortilla, often served with a flavorful broth for dipping.
Ceviche offers something quite different, usually featuring seafood prepared with citrus juice, herbs, and other fresh ingredients.
The restaurant is also putting considerable emphasis on its bar.
Tequila is the star of the cocktail program, as the name implies.
Ozuna has traveled and cooked internationally, according to an earlier announcement from Diablo Valley College celebrating her work.
Her approach to Salt & Lime emphasizes dishes prepared to order, sauces and salsas made from scratch, and changing specials.
A Familiar Restaurant Team Behind the Project
Salt & Lime also has connections to another established downtown nightlife destination.
As Bay Area Telegraph previously reported, the company behind the project is DTV Corp., with Saul David Tallarico listed as CEO and Antone Sean Dudum as CFO in earlier state filings.
Dudum is also associated with 1515 Restaurant & Lounge, located immediately next door..
The opening also continues a year of significant changes to downtown Walnut Creek’s dining scene.
New arrivals have included North Italia, Sala Mediterranean Grill, and other restaurants, while several longtime businesses have closed or changed locations.
How to Visit
Salt & Lime is located at 1521 N. Main Street in downtown Walnut Creek, next to 1515 Restaurant & Lounge.
The restaurant can be reached at (925) 457-5456, and customers can follow its Instagram account, @saltandlimewc, for updates.
For people who have been watching the former Oyama Sushi space, the wait is over.
We’ll try to get in for a review soon!
