Taking advantage of its scenic setting in the Mount Diablo foothills and proximity to the Livermore Valley vineyards, Belmont Village Senior Living San Ramon in San Ramon, Calif., delivers dining spaces that open to courtyards and exterior spaces, creating a year-round connection to the outdoors.
The Gold award-winning project, submitted to the 2026 EFA Dining Competition by HKIT Architects (Oakland, Calif.), comprises two distinct dining venues. Josephine’s Kitchen, a full-service restaurant, connects to an alfresco dining patio that offers the same level of service indoors and out. The covered patio includes heating for cooler evenings and misting for warmer afternoons. The Bistro, meanwhile, offers quick-service dine-in or takeout and features its own outdoor kitchen, dining area, and pizza oven.
Both venues draw inspiration from the surrounding landscape. Green hues in the furniture and finishes echo the local hills, while salvaged wood from the project site forms custom dining tables and signage, tying the interior spaces to the natural environment outside.
The jury noted the project for blurring “the boundary between architecture and landscape, creating a dining experience uniquely rooted in its California setting.”
Read more about the 2026 EFA Dining Competition winners here.
