FOB Kitchen
FOB Kitchen in Oakland's Temescal carries a Bib Gourmand for Janice Dulce's Filipino cooking. Weekend brunch is longanisa and garlic rice in a tropical room.
Bistros, trattorias, taverns and neighbourhood rooms: the mid-tier places where Oakland actually eats.
Where to eat well, no fuss
21 places
Wood Tavern
- ★ 4.7
- New American
- $$$
- Rockridge
Wood Tavern on Rockridge's College Avenue has poured Bay Area wines and cooked New American since 2007. Bib Gourmand in the 2025 Michelin Guide California.
Tacos Oscar
Tacos Oscar's shipping-container courtyard in Oakland's Temescal serves a chalkboard menu of inventive tacos. Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide California.
Eat your way around Temescal
5 of the casual dining on this list are in Temescal. So are these tours and tastings.
Belotti Ristorante e Bottega
Belotti on Rockridge's College Avenue cooks Piemonte cuisine in a Michelin Recommended trattoria. Tajarin and brasato are the cross-town dishes worth booking.
Wahpepah's Kitchen
- ★ 4.7
- Native American
- $$
- Fruitvale
Crystal Wahpepah's Native American kitchen steps from Fruitvale BART serves bison, rabbit and squash tacos. James Beard nominated, Kickapoo tribal member.
Hawking Bird
Hawking Bird is James Syhabout's fast-casual Thai fried chicken room on Oakland's Telegraph. Kao mun gai and double-fried garlic-ginger fillets to go.
Souley Vegan
Souley Vegan returned to Jack London Square in July 2025. Tamearra Dyson's Creole vegan soul food has run since 2009 with a national following.
Town Biscuits
Town Biscuits runs a Thursday-to-Sunday biscuit breakfast in Oakland's Uptown. Fried chicken and bacon-egg sandwiches on flaky buttermilk biscuits.
Cenaduria Elvira
- ★ 4.6
- Mexican
- $$
- Jack London District
Cenaduria Elvira in Oakland's Jack London Square specializes in Jalisco-style tostadas with shells flown in from Mexico, plus tacos dorados and salsas.
Puerto Rican Street Cuisine
Puerto Rican Street Cuisine on Oakland's 23rd Avenue runs takeout pollo encebollado and fall-apart pernil with sweet plantain stuffed with ground beef.
Where to stay in Oakland
A sample of Oakland hotels from our booking partner, who list 343 here. Live prices and availability open on their site.
Bay Breeze Inn
Located in Oakland, Bay Breeze Inn is in the entertainment district, within a 5-minute drive of Oakland Mus...
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Harris Motel
Located in Oakland, Harris Motel is a 2-minute drive from Oakland Zoo and 7 minutes from Oracle Arena. Feat...
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Rice Hill Inn
Located in Oakland, Rice Hill Inn is in a regional park, within a 15-minute drive of MarshAnne Landing and ...
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Civic Center Lodge
With a stay at Civic Center Lodge in Oakland (Chinatown), you'll be within a 10-minute walk of Oakland Muse...
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Compare for next weekend: Holidu in Oakland from USD 106/night · Expedia in Oakland
Stays are listed by our booking partners, not editor picks. We earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.
Pizzaiolo
Pizzaiolo on Telegraph in Oakland's Temescal runs wood-fired pizza and pasta with organic locally-sourced produce. Dinner only, daily happy hour 5 to 6.
Almond and Oak
- ★ 4.2
- New American
- $$$
- Lake Merritt
Almond and Oak in Oakland's Lake Merritt opened in December 2018 from chef-owner Rico Rivera. California New American with weekend brunch on Grand Avenue.
Daytrip Counter
- ★ 4.2
- Californian
- $
- Temescal
Daytrip Counter on Telegraph in Temescal is chef Finn Stern's fast-fine rotisserie chicken counter. Cafeteria-style, dine-in or takeout, daily.
Viridian
- ★ 4.0
- New American
- $$$
- Uptown
Viridian on Broadway at Grand in Uptown Oakland runs contemporary Asian American small plates and cocktails. The room replaced Plum Bar in 2020.
Tay Ho Restaurant and Bar
- ★ 4.5
- Vietnamese
- $$
- Chinatown
Tay Ho in Oakland Chinatown leans into Northern Vietnamese cooking with a full bar. Bun cha Hanoi and banh xeo, plus a daily lunch crowd from BART.
Champa Garden
- ★ 4.5
- Lao
- $$
- San Antonio
Champa Garden on 8th Avenue cooks Lao and Thai family recipes since 2006. The room sits ten minutes from Lake Merritt, daily lunch and dinner.
Battambang
Battambang in Oakland Chinatown has cooked Cambodian plates since 1993. Beef lok lak and amok with thirty years of regulars at the Broadway corner.
El Huarache Azteca
El Huarache Azteca on International Boulevard in Fruitvale runs a Mexico City counter from a mother-daughter team. Huaraches and tlacoyos are the line.
Shan Dong
Shan Dong in Oakland Chinatown pulls noodles by hand in the front window. Dumplings, sesame paste noodles and chive pancakes drive the lunch line.
Itani Ramen
Kyle Itani's ramen room and izakaya runs tonkotsu bowls plus Japanese small plates on Telegraph in Uptown Oakland. Beer and sake list to match.
Nothing matches.