After months of delays and plenty of “when is that rooftop opening?” chatter from downtown regulars, Calicraft Brewing’s long-awaited sky-high outpost, Calicraft Upstairs, is now slated for a soft opening next Friday, Dec. 12. The upstairs space will bring an indoor-outdoor cocktail program to one of Walnut Creek’s busiest restaurant blocks. It will serve both Calicraft beers and a cocktail-forward menu. Neighbors and diners who have watched the buildout say they have been asking about the opening as the timeline slipped throughout the year.
As reported by KRON4, Calicraft Upstairs will take over roughly 3,000 square feet above Va de Vi at 1511 Mt. Diablo Blvd and plans to keep at least 20 beers on tap alongside a cocktail program. The outlet notes that the upstairs venture is part of Walnut Creek-based Calicraft Brewing Co.'s broader push into downtown and that the bar will pair drinks with small plates rather than offer a full dinner menu.
Calicraft CEO Blaine Landberg told KRON4 the opening was delayed by “paperwork and permits,” which pushed an initial late summer target into December. The company had previously penciled the space in for an August or September debut, then moved that to October, and is now focused on this month’s soft launch.
Menu and mood
Marketing director Thomas Vo has described the concept as “your neighborhood cocktail bar,” designed to push boundaries while still serving the local community. He told reporters the menu will pair apero and wine bar-style small plates with house-made spirits and cocktails, including a zero-waste strawberry margarita and a Japanese-inspired Cosmo, while maintaining a broad beer selection.
Where it sits in downtown
The rooftop will sit directly above Va de Vi’s downtown location. The restaurant lists its address as 1511 Mt. Diablo Blvd on its website, Va de Vi. That stretch of Mount Diablo already draws plenty of evening traffic, and Calicraft’s arrival gives Walnut Creek another rooftop option for nights out.
Calicraft's growth
Founded in 2012, with its first sit-down brewery opening in 2016, Calicraft has been expanding its footprint with additional taprooms and projects, according to What Now San Francisco. Coverage of the company’s broader plans positions the downtown rooftop as part of a larger growth strategy for the Walnut Creek-based brewer.
The company had not released soft opening hours when local outlets published their coverage.
