Their kids took over this Bay Area diner chain of 37 years. Soup is still $7.

"As cars speed toward BART and Highway 680 on Ygnacio Valley Road in Walnut Creek, slowing down to pull into the Buttercup Diner and Bar's parking lot can feel ill-advised, even dangerous. But that's exactly what you should do. In a suburb increasingly known for high prices and hyped openings, the family-owned restaurant of nearly four decades is like a warm hug for the restaurant-weary: an off-the-beaten-path spot that serves celebrity-approved pies and pancakes and a cup of scratch-made soup for $7."

"David and Debbie Shahvar started Buttercup 37 years ago as a homey restaurant offering generous American dishes, which are made using ingredients from local purveyors whenever possible. And they have not wavered from that mission. Now, as the family's second generation takes over the Bay Area mini-chain, which has locations in Concord, Vallejo and Oakland and counts Joe Biden and Steph Curry among its customers, they are honoring the soul of the restaurant while bringing Buttercup into 2026."

"I meet the Shahvars - David, Debbie, Jessica, Jonathan and Benjamin - on a brisk Friday that has me pining for a bowl of their matzo ball soup. They are a tight-knit, opinionated bunch. They passionately debate old menu items - do not even mention the beefy rice soup or Spanish omelet sauce - and make an effort to eat lunch together every day."

Buttercup Diner and Bar is a family-owned, nearly four-decade restaurant serving generous, homey American dishes made with local ingredients when possible. The Bay Area mini-chain has locations in Walnut Creek, Concord, Vallejo and Oakland and offers budget-friendly items like a cup of scratch-made soup for $7, along with celebrity-favored pies and pancakes. Founders David and Debbie Shahvar maintain the restaurant's mission as their second generation assumes leadership, balancing tradition with updates toward 2026. The family is closely involved in daily operations and menu decisions, preserving recipes and camaraderie while honoring the restaurant's warm, off-the-beaten-path character.

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