North Italia Restaurant Opens in Walnut Creek
Scratch-kitchen Italian restaurant chain North Italia will open its first San Francisco Bay Area location in Walnut Creek on March 25th. The new restaurant will bring the fast-growing chain's fresh pasta and Italian cuisine to the East Bay.
North Italia was founded in 2002 by Sam Fox of Fox Restaurant Concepts, a nine-time James Beard Award nominee for "Outstanding Restaurateur." The brand's philosophy centers on a modern interpretation of Italian cooking, with a commitment to handmade pasta and using fresh, seasonal ingredients. The Cheesecake Factory first made a minority investment in the chain in 2016 before fully acquiring it, along with the rest of Fox Restaurant Concepts, in a 2019 deal worth approximately $353 million. This acquisition has fueled a significant national expansion for the North Italia brand. The new 8,500-square-foot Walnut Creek restaurant, located at 1179 Locust Street in Plaza Escuela, will seat over 200 guests and features an open kitchen and an outdoor bar. To honor its new Northern California home, the restaurant's interior will include a custom mural inspired by local landscapes. Now with more than 50 locations across the United States, the Walnut Creek opening marks the chain's seventh restaurant in California. The company is continuing its growth trajectory, with another Southern California location planned for Brea later in the year.
