Walnut Creek, CA Dating Guide
This is Walnut Creek’s best breakfast and lunch destination, serving delicious home-style favorites in a cozy environment. With friendly and courteous staff who make you feel welcome, it’s the perfect place to calm those first-date nerves.
Menu prices are in the $10-$20 range.
A California favorite, World Famous Hotboys serves delicious fried chicken with five levels of spice alongside a menu of classic American sides. The retro-cool interior will put you both at ease, so come have a beer and some hot chicken at Hotboys.
Most entrees are around $15.
Like a perfect date, Third Culture Bakery is sweet, wholesome, and always original. Inspired by their upbringing as “third culture kids”—kids who grew up in a culture different than that of their parents – at Third Culture Bakery they’re serving up delicious mochi baked creations, including butter mochi donuts and their original Mochi Muffin.
This is a great place to find a delicious sweet treat for under $5.
Main Street Kitchen & Bar is a family-owned and operated restaurant in the heart of downtown Walnut Creek. After the recent major expansion & remodel, this place is truly spectacular. Enjoy a romantic dinner in the warm atmosphere inside, or take advantage of the great outdoor seating with a view of Main Street.
Entrees on the brunch/lunch menu are priced around the $20 mark, while the dinner menu features larger portions and prices in the $25-$30 range. Happy hour specials are also available.
Housed in the Lesher Center for the Arts, Bedford Gallery exhibits the work of historic, modern, and contemporary artists. Stroll with your date through rotating exhibitions, and keep an eye on the Gallery’s events calendar for more exciting programs, from workshops to panel discussions, and more.
Instead of charging a flat admission fee, the gallery asks visitors to pay what they can.
Tipsy Putt $$
Mini golf has been a go-to date activity for decades, but Tipsy Putt offers a welcome spin on the classic. Come enjoy a local beer while you and your date putt your way through this unique and challenging miniature golf course. And don’t worry about whether to let your date win – just enjoy the friendly (more like flirty) competition!
Play a game for $15-$18, or unlock unlimited play for around $30 each.
For a sophisticated evening you’ll both remember, try seeing a show at the Festival Opera. This company is committed to making opera more accessible and inclusive for communities in the East Bay. They host events at several venues, including several options that are completely free to attend.
California Symphony is the perfect choice for a night out to the symphony without the stuffy feeling we associate with the orchestra. Their goal is to make classical performances more fun for audiences. They host a free talk before every performance, and they encourage attendees to applaud whenever they’d like throughout the show.
Book your ticket ahead to save. Regular tickets are $90, while last minute seats could cost you $105
The Rooftop Restaurant & Bar $$$
It really doesn’t get more romantic than this. Rooftop offers world-class cuisine, hand-crafted cocktails, and carefully selected wines with unparalleled views of Mt. Diablo. Whether enjoying sunset vistas or star-filled nights, this alluring lounge and outdoor terrace is always breathtaking. Several dining areas separated by reclaimed brick make the Rooftop feel more private than an open dining room.
Most entrees are in the $30-$35 range. The menu also features several small plates and shareable appetizers.
What’s more romantic than a dozen roses? How about more than 3 acres of roses? The Berkeley Rose Garden is the perfect place to stop for a picnic date. Featuring a redwood pergola, hiking trails, and foot bridges, this place is something out of a romance novel. If that’s not enough to make you swoon, the ornamental pool fed by Codornices Creek, which runs through the garden, surely will.
Admission is free.
Va de Vi Bistro and Wine Bar $$
Executive Chef Mike Fischetti’s menu features a variety of eclectic, international small plate portions. Choose a few to share with your date, and enjoy bold flavors in their elegant dining room. For a more romantic vibe, select from their impressive international wine list and dine outdoors under an ancient oak tree.
Their wide variety of small plates are priced in the $15-$20 range. The shareable cheese plate option is around $25, and desserts are in the $15 range.
Torsap Thai Kitchen highlights award-winning Thai cuisine in the heart of Walnut Creek. Brought to you by the influential Lalita Souksamlane, the menu features incredible Thai dishes, as well as a weekend brunch menu full of delicious eats.With gorgeous seating areas both indoors and outside, Torsap’s ambiance is perfect for sophisticated couples looking for a new favorite date night spot.
For a meal at Torsap Thai Kitchen, patrons can expect to pay around $30-$50 per person.
