Which Diablo Magazine Crowns Contra Costa Dining Favorites

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — Looking for the East Bay's best bakery, breakfast, barbecue, or date-night restaurant? Diablo Magazine's annual Best of the East Bay Food & Drink awards put a spotlight on dozens of Contra Costa County favorites, with Walnut Creek leading the way.

Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Concord, Martinez, Danville, Pleasant Hill, Crockett, and other Contra Costa communities dominated Diablo Magazine's 2026 Best of the East Bay Food & Drink issue, earning recognition in categories ranging from fine dining to bakeries, coffeehouses, and neighborhood favorites.

Subscribe

The magazine also spotlighted broader food trends, including what it called the East Bay's "Best Sweet Trend," praising a new generation of bakeries elevating traditional pastries with fine-dining techniques.

Among those recognized was The French Spot Patisserie, which opened a Concord location near the Walnut Creek border late last year.

Diablo Magazine highlighted owners Vincent Attali and Maria Zapata for creating pastries including ube mochicros, guava cream Danishes, Korean garlic buns, and other baked goods inspired by their fine-dining backgrounds.

The magazine also singled out Walnut Creek's Original Joe's as its "Best Hype Fulfilled," saying the Broadway Plaza restaurant has lived up to the excitement surrounding its arrival from San Francisco with classic Italian-American dishes, martinis, and an old-school atmosphere.

Contra Costa County winners included:

• Bakery: Model Bakery, Walnut Creek

• Breakfast Spot: Tutu's Food & Drink, Lafayette

• Brewery/Taproom: Side Gate Brewery & Beer Garden, Concord

• Brunch (tie): Katy's Kreek, Walnut Creek

• Barbecue: Back Forty Texas BBQ, Pleasant Hill

• Chef: Hasan Yildiz, La Fontaine, Walnut Creek

• Chinese Restaurant: Sunflower Garden, Martinez

• Coffeehouse: Tellus Coffee, Walnut Creek and Danville

• Deli: Morucci's, Walnut Creek

• Diner: Copper Skillet, Martinez

• Farmers Market: Walnut Creek Farmers Market

• Greek Restaurant: Elia, Walnut Creek

• Ice Cream: Lottie's Creamery, Walnut Creek and Danville

• Italian Restaurant: Benvenuti Ristorante, Walnut Creek

• Japanese Restaurant: Sasa, Walnut Creek

• Local Winery: Shadowbrook Winery, Walnut Creek

• Mexican Restaurant: Bar Camino, Walnut Creek

• New Restaurant: Stereo 41, Walnut Creek

• Outdoor Dining (tie): Bar Camino, Walnut Creek

• Outdoor Dining (tie): Va de Vi Bistro & Wine Bar, Walnut Creek

• Romantic Restaurant: La Fontaine, Walnut Creek

• Seafood Restaurant: The Dead Fish, Crockett

• Special Occasion Restaurant: La Fontaine, Walnut Creek

• Steak House: Forbes Mill Steakhouse, Danville

• Thai Restaurant: Torsap Thai Kitchen, Walnut Creek

• Vegan Restaurant: Blossom & Root Kitchen, Danville

• Vegetarian Restaurant: Sipeos, Walnut Creek

In addition to reader-selected winners, Diablo Magazine included One House Bistro in San Ramon as an editor's expert pick, describing the restaurant as an intimate, chef-driven destination known for elevated comfort food and genuine hospitality.

The annual awards, compiled through reader voting and editorial selections, recognize the restaurants, cafés, bakeries, markets, and chefs that continue to shape the East Bay's dining scene.