New rooftop bar in downtown Walnut Creek set to open later this summer

(KRON) — Through the years, Walnut Creek has been a growing destination for shopping and dining. A new rooftop bar is set to add to the already bustling downtown area of the East Bay suburb.

Calicraft Upstairs is opening this summer at 1511 Mt. Diablo Blvd. According to Calicraft CEO Blaine Landberg, the target opening date will be in either late August or early September.

The upcoming rooftop bar will be located above Va de Vi restaurant. It will span 3,000 square feet across both the indoor and outdoor areas.

The establishment is under the umbrella of Walnut Creek-based Calicraft Brewing Co., a brewery currently located on Mitchell Drive in the outskirts of the city. According to Calicraft Marketing Director Thomas Vo, there there is a market for rooftop bars in Walnut Creek that he sees that he can tap into.

Vo mentioned San Francisco cocktail bars, such as Trick Dog and Pacific Cocktail Haven, as inspiration to set up a bar like that in the East Bay suburb.

“I want to build those same kind of bars that are really pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and build that out here,” Vo said. “There’s an opportunity for that… there’s almost a moral imperative that we build it for the community.”

Although Calicraft is a known brewery, Calicraft Upstairs intends to focus on debuting its cocktail menu. There will still be at least 20 different beers on tap at the new rooftop bar.

Rooftop Restaurant & Bar, located across the street, is currently the flagship rooftop bar in Walnut Creek. That establishment opened back in 2016.

All permits and documents with the city have been approved to open Calicraft Upstairs, according to Landberg. With a rooftop bar, Landberg had more hurdles to cross when it came to permits. Landberg said they would’ve liked to open in the summer of 2024, but city paperwork and permits delayed that process.

The grand opening is now dependent on how quickly construction goes.

As a Walnut Creek-based business, Landberg was always set on opening in the city — nowhere else.

“Walnut Creek is our town, baby,” Landberg said. “We want to own it. When you think about Walnut Creek and you think about the beer (and now cocktail) scene, we want you to think about Calicraft.”

Calicraft was founded in 2012 and later opened its first sit-down brewery in 2016.

“The only thing better than a cocktail is a cocktail on a rooftop,” Vo said.

Other notable establishments set to open in Walnut Creek

San Francisco staple Original Joe’s is set to open in June. A San Francisco-based brunch spot, Sweet Maple, opened earlier this year.

At Broadway Plaza, the city’s anchor shopping mall, has eight new businesses set to open later this year.