Wahpepah's Kitchen
- ★ 4.7
- Native American
- $$
- Fruitvale
Order Bison taco with native squash.
Wahpepah's Kitchen in Oakland's Fruitvale is a rare Native American restaurant. Bison, rabbit and squash tacos by Kickapoo tribal member Crystal Wahpepah.
The places in Oakland the guidebooks miss. locals-only counters, after-hours rooms and the spots tourists walk past.
Off the beaten plate
10 places
Cenaduria Elvira
- ★ 4.2
- Mexican
- $$
- Jack London District
Order Tostadas Jalisco with shredded pork.
Cenaduria Elvira in Oakland's Jack London district makes Jalisco-style tostadas with Mexico-imported shells. Quietly off the tourist radar for now.
Geta Sushi
- ★ 4.6
- Japanese
- $$
- Piedmont Avenue
Order Ten-piece omakase at the counter.
Geta on 41st Street is the small sushi counter that quietly runs a ten or fifteen-piece omakase, hidden behind Piedmont Avenue's higher-profile rooms.
Book food experiences in Oakland
Champa Garden
- ★ 4.5
- Lao
- $$
- San Antonio
Order Nam khao crispy rice salad.
Champa Garden on 8th Avenue in Oakland's San Antonio neighborhood runs Lao family recipes since 2006. Quiet block, line out the door on weekends.
Vientian Cafe
Order Lao sausage with sticky rice and papaya salad.
Vientian Cafe on Allendale Avenue in Oakland has cooked Lao-Vietnamese-Thai plates for two decades. Off the main strips, regulars only know.
Battambang
Order Beef lok lak.
Battambang on Broadway in Oakland Chinatown has run a Cambodian counter since 1993. Beef lok lak and amok at thirty-year regulars-only prices.
Vien Huong
Order Hu tieu noodle soup.
Vien Huong on Franklin in Oakland Chinatown cooks Chiu Chow Cantonese-Vietnamese plates breakfast through lunch. Quietly the corridor's best hu tieu.
Snail Bar
- ★ 4.8
- Californian
- $$
- Temescal
Order Daily oyster pour and the chalkboard veg plate.
Snail Bar on Shattuck in Temescal carries a Bib Gourmand and a natural wine glass list. Six-top max, no reservations and a quiet off-strip surprise.
Cafe Gabriela
- ★ 4.4
- Filipino
- $$
- Old Oakland
Order Pulled pork adobo sandwich with house coffee.
Cafe Gabriela in Old Oakland is the queer Filipino cafe that has poured small-batch coffee and pulled pork adobo sandwiches since 2010 on Broadway.
Nothing matches.
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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