Walnut Creek businesses swept Diablo magazine's 2026 Best of the East Bay readers' choice awards, claiming 56 winning categories and outpacing every other city in Contra Costa County.

Lafayette followed with 21 wins and Concord with 12, according to a Patch report published July 14. The full winners list appeared in Diablo magazine's July 2026 issue, published July 2. Winners are chosen through reader voting across dozens of categories, while magazine editors select a smaller number of editorial favorites. The program has run annually for more than three decades.

Broadway Plaza won Best Shopping Center. The Macerich-owned open-air center, which notes on its website that it has been "consistently recognized" in the annual awards, features more than 80 retailers including Nordstrom, Macy's, Apple and lululemon.

La Fontaine leads the restaurant haul

Chef Hasan Yildiz's La Fontaine, the French-Italian restaurant at 1375 N. Broadway, took home five categories: Best Chef, Best Romantic Restaurant, Best Special Occasion Restaurant, Best Cocktail Menu and Best Martini, according to Diablo magazine's published list.

Yildiz moved to California from Turkey in 2002 and started his culinary career as a dishwasher before opening the first La Fontaine in Mountain View in 2013, according to City Lifestyle magazine. He and General Manager Eric Albuz launched the Walnut Creek location in 2021. His son Onur also helps run the restaurant.

Stereo 41 earns Best New Restaurant

Stereo 41, the music-themed restaurant and bar at 1535 Bonanza St., captured Best New Restaurant and Best Late-Night Dining. The venue held its ribbon cutting on November 13, 2025, in a former PG&E customer service office, according to the city of Walnut Creek.

Victor Ghaben and Berk Gibbs of World Famous Hotboys founded Stereo 41 alongside Sofia Ghaben-Sabet and Helmy Sabet. The restaurant serves Middle Eastern food with Japanese influences and features live DJ sets, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

"I know we deliver something that will hit the same highs as what you can find in San Francisco and the Peninsula," Sabet told the Chronicle.

Multi-category winners across downtown

Several other Walnut Creek businesses picked up multiple awards, according to Diablo magazine's list:

  • Bar Camino — Best Mexican Restaurant, Best Outdoor Dining (co-winner), Best Margarita
  • The Ballet School Performing Arts — Best Dance Company, Best Day Camp, Best Music Lessons, Best Dance Studio
  • Benvenuti Ristorante — Best Italian Restaurant, Best Happy Hour
  • Retro Junkie — Best Bar, Best Dance Club
  • Changes Salon and Day Spa — Best Nail Salon, Best Waxing

The salon's website claims more than 50 Best of the East Bay honors over the program's history.

Other notable Walnut Creek winners include Model Bakery (Best Bakery), Morucci's (Best Deli), Katy's Kreek (Best Brunch, co-winner), Footwear Etc. (Best Independent Shoe Store), Wish (Best Gift Shop and Best Children's Clothing), Lesher Center for the Arts (Best Performing Arts Venue) and Ruth Bancroft Garden and Nursery (Best Place to Take Visitors and Best Wedding Venue).

The full 2026 winners list is available at diablomag.com.