A nearly 10,000-square-foot food, drink and event complex is taking shape at 31 Orinda Way in downtown Orinda Village. However, the original end-of-summer opening won't happen on schedule.

CreekHaus, the project from Orinda resident Ben Zarrin and his design-build firm Paymun, will roll out in phases with no firm opening date, Zarrin told Diablo Magazine in a report published Wednesday, Aug. 5. He described the timeline as "evolved," citing the need to coordinate across partners, subcontractors, consultants, engineers, utility providers, inspectors and city staff.

The first phase will bring a café from Marin County-founded roaster Equator Coffees, its 13th location, alongside the CreekHaus Beer Garden serving local craft beer, wine and sourdough thin-crust pizza from PizzaHacker, which operates in Mill Valley and San Francisco's Bernal Heights. Guests will eat and drink al fresco on an oak tree-shaded patio along San Pablo Creek.

A second phase will add an upscale bistro and cocktail lounge. Paymun's offices will occupy the upper floors, along with event space for corporate gatherings, weddings and private dinners.

Zarrin, who lives in Orinda's Wilder neighborhood with his wife and four children, purchased the former Bank of America branch property in 2022 for $2.8 million, according to The Orinda News. The property is controlled by Orinda Way LLC, an affiliate of Paymun LLC.

"There are a lot of younger families that have moved here with their kids," Zarrin told Diablo Magazine. "So, we want to make sure that this is somewhere that everybody in the community can enjoy and be proud of."

Zarrin told the magazine he envisions CreekHaus as "Orinda's backyard," a place where multiple generations of neighbors can gather from morning through nighttime. The rear of the property features decks, patios and green space facing San Pablo Creek, buffering the site from Camino Pablo.

The project arrives as Orinda actively works to revitalize its downtown commercial corridor. In July, the city launched a $75,000 pilot facade improvement grant program offering businesses up to $30,000 each to upgrade storefronts, its most visible downtown investment since a 2024 court ruling shelved a broader planning initiative.

Alex Soloway, Paymun's director of operations, told The Orinda News in September 2025 that the team believes it is "building something special for Orinda." No updated timeline has been announced. Progress can be tracked at creekhaus.com.