Broadway Plaza, . As one of the first post-WWII malls, Broadway plaza was designed on an open-air model. In subsequent years the trend in mall design gravitated toward the self-contained monstrosities that have become the signature of the suburban lifestyle. As an open-air mall, Broadway Plaza integrates well with the existing downtown. Parking is perhaps the only negative, although expensive valet service is available on weekends and during peak shopping seasons. Three large parking structures remind the visitor that after all this is still a mall. Major tenants include Nordstrom, Macy*s, Banana Republic, California Pizza Kitchen, J. Crew, P.F.Chang's, and other upscale chain retailers.
Downtown Walnut Creek, . More interesting than Broadway Plaza are the many stores comprising downtown Walnut Creek. After your next shopping spree to Baby Gap or Pottery Barn for Kids, make a detour down Locust and Main Streets. Downtown Walnut Creek complements its mall counterpart and preserves Walnut Creek's small town feel. The downtown stores and restaurants offer a variety and unique quality that would be impossible to find in Broadway Plaza, and you may find that you like them more. Many restaurants offer sidewalk or patio seating except in mid-winter, creating a Mediterranean pedestrian feel. Occasionally, Walnut Creek will close down one of the downtown streets for an "art festival."
Diablo Oriental Foods, 2590 N. Main St. (925) 933-2590. This small market is more than it appears (i.e. dilapidated shack); and although its name contains "oriental," implying an assortment of pan-Asian foodstuffs, in actuality, this is a specialty Japanese market that is jammed with Japanese foodstuffs that are nearly impossible to find this side of the Bay Bridge. From Natto and fresh tuna to sake and santoku knives, this market has more Japanese foodstuffs per square foot than any other place in the Bay Area. Whether you're a Japanese food fanatic or looking for a change from the usual, check it out and you might find something tasty.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Walnut Creek
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Walnut Creek - updated May 2024
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Walnut Creek Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
