9 soul food places in Oakland we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in Oakland | Soul Food across every city.
Soul food carries real weight in Oakland's Black culinary history, and it shows up here in both traditional and reimagined forms. Burdell on Telegraph Avenue in Temescal takes an elevated, chef-driven approach, while Souley Vegan in the Jack London district built a national name reworking the canon without meat. Town Biscuits in Uptown keeps the comfort-breakfast side of the tradition front and center.
Burdell ★ 4.7
temescal · 4640 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
Geoff Davis's soul food room in Oakland's Temescal carries Michelin Recommended status and made Food and Wine's Best Restaurants in America list.
Souley Vegan ★ 4.4
jack-london-district · 101 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94607
Tamearra Dyson's vegan soul food started in Oakland in 2009 and returned to Jack London Square in July 2025. Creole classics, no animal products.
Souley Vegan ★ 4.6
jack-london-district · 101 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94607
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 ★ 4.3
uptown · 434 25th Street, Oakland, CA 94612
Town Biscuits runs a Thursday-to-Sunday biscuit breakfast in Oakland's Uptown. Fried chicken and bacon-egg sandwiches on flaky buttermilk biscuits.
Burdell ★ 4.7
temescal · 4640 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
Burdell is Geoff Davis's Michelin Recommended soul food room in Oakland's Temescal. Collards and fried chicken alongside contemporary Southern plates.
Town Biscuits ★ 4.1
uptown · 434 25th Street, Oakland, CA 94612
Town Biscuits in Oakland's Uptown runs biscuit sandwiches under twelve dollars Thursday through Sunday. Fried chicken on flaky buttermilk biscuits.
Town Biscuits ★ 4.3
uptown · 434 25th Street, Oakland, CA 94612
Town Biscuits runs a Thursday-to-Sunday biscuit breakfast in Oakland's Uptown. Fried chicken and bacon-egg sandwiches on flaky buttermilk biscuits.
Burdell ★ 4.8
temescal · 4640 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
Burdell in Oakland's Temescal opens for Sunday brunch with a Southern gravy-anchored menu. The Michelin Recommended room flips to brunch service on Sundays.
Souley Vegan ★ 4.4
jack-london-district · 101 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94607
Souley Vegan at Jack London Square runs weekend brunch on its vegan Creole menu. BBQ tofu, mac and cheese, cornbread, plant-based and very busy.