A huge new beer garden is coming to Walnut Creek in 2024

Mike Hess Brewing and the Rotator Taproom are soon going to have some competition in Walnut Creek. A sprawling beer garden from the folks at Headlands Brewing is scheduled to open in summer 2024, where visitors can quaff West Coast IPAs and munch smashburgers under the shade of redwood trees.

This will be the second Headlands location — the original is in downtown Lafayette — and will be noticeably bigger, says Joel DiGiorgio of the Farm League Restaurant Group, which is overseeing the design-build phase of the project.

“The Walnut Creek project is much larger than the original location and will boast multiple fire pits, a custom water feature, a kids’ play area and a lot of outdoor seating,” DiGiorgio says. “The unique property was a perfect fit for the Headlands brand, because it features an amazing redwood grove. Redwood trees actually have very shallow roots, so it was very challenging to build a beer garden without damaging the trees.”

Headlands Walnut Creek will be located at 2999 Oak Road in unincorporated Walnut Creek. The beer garden is directly across the street from the Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre BART station.

What will be on offer? Well, the beers that Headlands make tend to “honor the unique rugged glory of the region,” according to its website. Customers can expect suds like a Point Bonita Pilsner, Alcatraz West Coast IPA, Hawk Hill Hefeweizen and “Solar Sours” in flavors like peach-apricot. In terms of food, the kitchen will serve up hearty grub, like crispy smashburgers, Bavarian-style soft pretzels and elevated sausages.

Here’s a peek at artist renderings of the upcoming space provided by the Farm League Restaurant Group: