Eat well in Oakland for under €15 a plate: the locals'-budget edition.
Eat well in Oakland for under €15 a plate: the places locals on a budget actually use.
Hawking Bird in Oakland's Temescal is James Syhabout's fast-casual Thai fried chicken room. Kao mun gai and garlic-ginger fillets under fifteen dollars.
Order: Kao mun gai for under fifteen dollars.
Tip: James Syhabout's cheap-eats sibling to two-star Commis; same kitchen DNA, a tenth of the price.
Puerto Rican Street Cuisine on Oakland's 23rd Avenue runs takeout pollo encebollado and pernil under fifteen dollars. San Antonio neighborhood.
Order: Pernil with sweet plantain stuffed with ground beef.
Tip: Takeout only; outdoor seating at picnic tables. Cash and card.
Cenaduria Elvira in Oakland's Jack London Square cooks Jalisco-style tostadas, tacos dorados and Mexican plates under fifteen dollars per person.
Order: Jalisco tostadas with shredded pork.
Tip: The chicharron-style tostada shells are flown in from Mexico; ask which salsa pairs which dish.
Tacos Sinaloa on International Boulevard in Fruitvale is the East Bay's most-loved late-night taco truck. Family-run since 1999, two-dollar tacos.
Order: Suadero and adobada tacos, two for five dollars.
Tip: The truck cooks past midnight Friday and Saturday; cash only at the window.
Banh Mi Ba Le on International Boulevard runs the most-loved East Bay banh mi counter, weekends only. Two dozen sandwiches under eight dollars.
Order: Pork meatball banh mi with Vietnamese coffee.
Tip: Open only Friday through Sunday; cash only. Twenty-four sandwiches on the menu, all under eight dollars.
Shan Dong in Oakland Chinatown pulls hand-made noodles for under twelve dollars a bowl. Dumplings, chive pancakes and sesame noodles round out the menu.
Order: Sesame paste noodles and pork dumplings under twelve dollars.
Tip: Watch them pull the noodles in the front window; weekday lunch hours have shorter lines.
Pho Ao Sen on East 12th in Oakland's Eastlake corridor runs pho for under twelve dollars. Two decades of Sunday-morning loyalty on the corridor.
Order: Pho tai with brisket under twelve dollars.
Tip: Open Sundays. Closed Wednesdays. Bring cash for the smoothest checkout.
Vien Huong on Franklin in Oakland Chinatown cooks Chiu Chow Cantonese-Vietnamese plates under ten dollars. Hu tieu, congee, and a sub-three-dollar tea.
Order: Hu tieu noodle soup or congee under ten dollars.
Tip: Breakfast and lunch only; cash only for the smoothest check.
El Huarache Azteca on International Boulevard runs Mexico City huaraches and tlacoyos under fourteen dollars. Mother-daughter team, late close.
Order: Huarache de chicharron under fourteen dollars.
Tip: Salsa bar has six options; ask for extra cebolla curtida on the side.
Town Biscuits in Oakland's Uptown runs biscuit sandwiches under twelve dollars Thursday through Sunday. Fried chicken on flaky buttermilk biscuits.
Order: Fried chicken biscuit under twelve dollars.
Tip: Pre-order online; weekend lines snap to the corner by 10 a.m.
Tay Ho's 12th Street lunch hour runs Northern Vietnamese plates for under fifteen dollars. Bun cha Hanoi, banh xeo and rice bowls at the door.
Order: Bun cha Hanoi for thirteen dollars at lunch.
Tip: Lunch specials run 11 to 3 weekdays; the dinner menu doubles on price.
Tacos El Ultimo Baile in Fruitvale Public Market took its taco-truck queues into a brick-and-mortar. Tacos al carbon for ten dollars on flour tortillas.
Order: Tacos al carbon with hand-pressed flour tortillas.
Tip: Sub the corn tortillas; the flour version is what made the truck famous.