Restaurants in Walnut Creek

Little Red Bistro, an idyllic café splashed in vivid crimson accents, suffuses its intimate interior with eyelid-unfurling aromas wafting off three kinds of espresso. As the sun inches over the horizon and the boogeyman dives beneath the bed, the bistro’s chefs fold 17 kinds of crepes, ranging from sweet creations stuffed with peanut butter and jelly to savory pockets piled with green eggs and ham. Golden sear marks color seven piping-hot paninis that swaddle gourmet ingredients such as prosciutto, pesto, and roasted red peppers. Sips of frappes flavored with white chocolate and irish cream forge a fitting accompaniment to the café’s homemade desserts, which rotate daily.

The stout, mottled brick front and black and white striped awning of BFC Cajun Seafood's storefront conceal the carefully crafted and spicy Cajun fare waiting inside. Bone-in catfish fillets come on sandwiches or as part of fried-fish plates sporting rich batter with an extra crunch that frequently alarms local seismologists. Beneath the glittering shell of a glass counter, an array of fresh-baked homemade pies and cakes divest themselves of single slices or travel whole to patrons' homes packaged in carry-out orders.

The Ayyad family opened the Zaki Kabob House after years of perfecting Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking in their own kitchen. The Ayyads' menu of Egyptian, Jordanian, and Greek fare unearths their Middle Eastern roots with the familiar flavors of lamb shawarma, pita, and baba ghanouj. Conversely, Zaki chicken intrigues the tongue with tender rotisserie poultry marinated in a seasoning whose recipe, like the address of the White House, is a carefully guarded secret. Brunch, lunch, and dinner at the lushly pattered restaurant might end with the Turkish sweetness of organic baklava.

Touch of Soul’s chefs translate homestyle Southern recipes into platters of comforting standbys. Land-dwelling favorites such as fried chicken and poboys mingle with Gulf staples such as red snapper, sole, and oysters that arrive tableside decked in delicate grill marks or donning healthy coats of fresh-fried batter. From Tuesday through Sunday, the kitchen also preps nightly dinner specials such as marinated steak smothered in beef gravy, or turkey wings seasoned and slow cooked to perfection. These dinners come flanked by three authentic Dixie side dishes, including red beans and rice, fresh yams, or corn bread baked into the shape of Jimmy Carter’s silhouette.

Once upon a time, a bubblegum-pink catering truck was the only outlet for ShugaHill Ice Creamery's fried fare. Today, the catering truck continues to ferry burgers, barbecue, and seafood around town, but a brick-and-mortar eatery also doles out the sizzling eats. The eatery’s menu grants patrons artistic license over their plates, showcasing meal components such as mac ‘n’ cheese, smoky turkey wings, and po boys stuffed with oyster, snapper, catfish, or sole. Beneath the murals of various sweets that line the walls, main courses culminate in cool hillocks of ice cream, which delight any diner who hasn’t just lost a pet glacier.