Cheap Eats: Gott's Roadside

Why go? With a giant red Eat sign illuminating a glass-enclosed exhibition kitchen, this modern diner targets your strongest cravings: burgers, onion rings, seafood tacos, hot dogs, and classic salads—all with sustainable twists.

What’s the vibe like? Superspacious, with a wine and craft beer bar, loads of outdoor and community seating, and a soft-serve station. This first East Bay restaurant of a small Northern California chain attracts a mellow mix of millennials, families, singles, and seniors

What to order? Go wild: BLT with an IPA; kale salad with a mint chip shake; kimchee burger with kombucha; Cobb salad with Mr. Pibb; or fish and chips with Chardonnay. Our Western bacon blue ring burger was a bit dry, but the crispy side of fries and Dogfish Head ale were a perfect fix.

Added bonus: Truly fresh fish, Niman Ranch beef, Mary’s Free Range chicken, and the “Impossible” burger (a delicious and eerily meatlike plant-based patty) give Gott’s foodie cred.

How much? “Fearless Franks” cost $5.99; ahi burgers cost $15.99; salads, sandwiches, and a dozen hamburgers land everywhere in between.

1275 S. Main St., Walnut Creek, (925) 954-6243, gotts.com. Lunch and dinner daily.