
5

"Opened November 26, this Walnut Creek outpost sits at 1686 Locust Street a few blocks from Broadway Plaza and marks Montesacro’s fourth location. I note that the San Francisco–based restaurant bills itself as the first to serve Roman-style pinsa in the U.S.; owner Gianluca Legrottaglie says he first imported pinsa in 2015 and the pinsas here are made with a soy–rice–wheat flour blend sourced from Rome, hand-shaped after a long 72-hour rise to produce an airy interior and crisp exterior. Each pinsa is named for a Roman neighborhood—the Grottaferrata comes with tomato, wild mushrooms, Calabrian chile, and garlic, while the Maranella pairs fiordilatte, broccolini, spicy pork sausage, and stracciatella di burrata—and the menu also includes pastas like cacio e pepe and rigatoni carbonara, heartier plates such as roasted chicken and cast iron lamb chops, and smaller plates including a golden beet salad, grilled octopus, and braised tripe. The wine list is all organic or biodynamic with a barbera and a cannonau that Legrottaglie produces with a Sardinian partner, and the cocktail program ranges from aperitivi and classics (gimlet, margarita, old fashioned) to three “luxury classics,” including a $79 Tommy’s margarita made with Tapatio Reserva Exclusiva and an $85 VIP Martini served with a side of caviar. Legrottaglie designed the space himself, blending midcentury modern design with vintage touches like an Italian chandelier, and the restaurant will also serve weekend brunch with items such as eggs benedict, a frittata, and a Montesacro burger on a housemade bun with crispy potatoes; hours are Sunday–Thursday 5–10 p.m. and Friday–Saturday 10 a.m.–3 p.m." - Lauren Saria