North Italia Restaurant Celebrates Diablo Valley Debut

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North Italia, an Arizona-based Italian restaurant chain, is opening its first Bay Area location in Walnut Creek, California. The new 8,500-square-foot restaurant at Plaza Escuela will feature a fully open kitchen, serving lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. To celebrate the opening on March 25, the restaurant will host a slate of high-energy attractions including a live DJ, a vintage Vespa photo station, and a custom flower wall backdrop. The menu will showcase scratch-made Italian fare such as White Truffle Garlic Bread, Bolognese, Spicy Rigatoni Vodka, and Sunday Night Lasagna, as well as brunch items like Strawberries & Cream French Toast. North Italia will also donate 10% of opening day sales to White Pony Express, a local organization that redistributes surplus food to residents in need.

Why it matters

Walnut Creek's dining scene is already crowded with Italian restaurants, so North Italia's debut will intensify competition in this category. The restaurant is betting that its atmosphere, scale, and opening day festivities will help it stand out and attract diners to its first Bay Area location.

The details

North Italia has built an 8,500-square-foot space at 1179 Locust St. in Walnut Creek's Plaza Escuela. The restaurant will feature a fully open kitchen where chefs will prepare the Italian-inspired menu. On opening day, March 25, North Italia will host a variety of high-energy attractions, including a live DJ, a vintage Vespa photo station, and a custom flower wall backdrop, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The menu will feature dishes such as White Truffle Garlic Bread, Bolognese, Spicy Rigatoni Vodka, and Sunday Night Lasagna, as well as brunch items like Strawberries & Cream French Toast.

• North Italia will open its first Bay Area location on March 25, 2026.
• The opening day festivities will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on March 25, 2026.