Commis
- ★ 4.9
- Californian
- $$$$
- Piedmont Avenue
Chef James Syhabout's Commis holds two Michelin stars on Piedmont Avenue. A spare ten-course tasting changes nightly across two seatings in Oakland.
The restaurants worth the trip in Oakland: bistros, neo-classics, neighbourhood favourites, and the rooms locals book first.
Our picks in Oakland
21 places
Burdell
Geoff Davis's soul food room in Oakland's Temescal carries Michelin Recommended status and made Food and Wine's Best Restaurants in America list.
Mago
- ★ 4.6
- Latin American
- $$$
- Piedmont Avenue
Mark Liberman's Latin American tasting room in Oakland sits on Piedmont Avenue. Michelin Recommended in 2026, with a nightly-changing Colombian-rooted menu.
Eat your way around Temescal
3 of the restaurants on this list are in Temescal. So are these tours and tastings.
FOB Kitchen
Janice Dulce's Filipino kitchen on Oakland's Telegraph carries a Michelin Bib Gourmand. Weekends shift to brunch only with longanisa and garlic rice.
Wood Tavern
- ★ 4.4
- New American
- $$$
- Rockridge
Wood Tavern in Oakland's Rockridge has anchored College Avenue since 2007 and holds a 2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand for reliable New American cooking.
Belotti Ristorante e Bottega
Belotti in Oakland's Rockridge cooks Piemonte cuisine in a tight Michelin Recommended trattoria. House-made tajarin and brasato are the cross-town dishes.
Wahpepah's Kitchen
- ★ 4.5
- Native American
- $$
- Fruitvale
Crystal Wahpepah's Native American kitchen in Oakland sits steps from Fruitvale BART. Bison, rabbit and squash tacos draw from Indigenous nations.
Souley Vegan
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.
Hawking Bird
Hawking Bird is James Syhabout's fast-casual Thai fried chicken room on Oakland's Telegraph Avenue. Kao mun gai and double-fried garlic-ginger fillets.
Pomet
- ★ 4.5
- Californian
- $$$
- Piedmont Avenue
Pomet on Piedmont Avenue pairs Capay Valley farmer Aomboon Deasy with chef Alan Hsu. Menu changes with K and J Orchards produce, Michelin Green Star.
Where to stay in Oakland
A sample of Oakland hotels from our booking partner, who list 343 here. Live prices and availability open on their site.
Bay Breeze Inn
Located in Oakland, Bay Breeze Inn is in the entertainment district, within a 5-minute drive of Oakland Mus...
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Harris Motel
Located in Oakland, Harris Motel is a 2-minute drive from Oakland Zoo and 7 minutes from Oracle Arena. Feat...
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Rice Hill Inn
Located in Oakland, Rice Hill Inn is in a regional park, within a 15-minute drive of MarshAnne Landing and ...
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Civic Center Lodge
With a stay at Civic Center Lodge in Oakland (Chinatown), you'll be within a 10-minute walk of Oakland Muse...
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Compare for next weekend: Holidu in Oakland from USD 106/night · Expedia in Oakland
Stays are listed by our booking partners, not editor picks. We earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.
Ramen Shop
Ramen Shop on Rockridge's College Avenue runs a daily-changing ramen lineup with a full bar and a private karaoke room. Open every night, dinner only.
A16 Rockridge
A16's Rockridge dining room runs the wood-fired Neapolitan pizza and southern Italian menu the brand built in San Francisco. Pizza is the entry point.
Itani Ramen
Kyle Itani's izakaya and ramen kitchen on Telegraph Avenue runs a tonkotsu-forward menu with Japanese small plates. Bowls, beer and sake, daily.
Champa Garden
- ★ 4.4
- Lao
- $$
- San Antonio
Champa Garden on 8th Avenue has cooked Lao and Thai cuisine in Oakland's San Antonio neighborhood since 2006. Family-run, lunch and dinner daily.
Vientian Cafe
Vientian Cafe in Oakland's Allendale neighborhood runs a Lao-Thai-Vietnamese counter that locals have voted into a regional Lao standard for two decades.
Battambang
Battambang on Broadway in Oakland's Chinatown has cooked Cambodian cuisine since 1993. Beef lok lak and amok lead a menu locals have leaned on for years.
Tay Ho Restaurant and Bar
- ★ 4.4
- Vietnamese
- $$
- Chinatown
Tay Ho on 12th Street on the edge of Oakland Chinatown cooks Northern Vietnamese plates with a full bar. Bun cha Hanoi is the lead order at the door.
Pho Ao Sen
- ★ 4.3
- Vietnamese
- $
- Eastlake
Pho Ao Sen on East 12th in Oakland's Eastlake neighborhood runs the city's standard for pho, a Sunday-morning regular for two decades on the corridor.
Shan Dong
Shan Dong on 10th Street in Oakland Chinatown pulls noodles by hand behind a glass counter. Dumplings, sesame noodles and chive pancakes anchor the menu.
Geta Sushi and Bento
- ★ 4.4
- Japanese
- $$
- Piedmont Avenue
Geta is the small Piedmont Avenue sushi counter that quietly serves an omakase in ten or fifteen pieces. Lunch and dinner Tuesday to Saturday only.
Mua Oakland
- ★ 4.2
- New American
- $$$
- Uptown
Mua on Webster in Uptown Oakland opened in 2008 as one of the first restaurants on then-Auto Row. Family-owned New American with a strong cocktail program.
Nothing matches.