Commis ★ 4.9
Chef James Syhabout's Commis holds two Michelin stars on Piedmont Avenue. A spare ten-course tasting changes nightly across two seatings in Oakland.
Signature: Slow-poached egg yolk, Ten-course tasting
The restaurants worth the trip in Oakland. bistros, neo-classics, neighbourhood favourites, and the rooms locals book first.
Our picks in Oakland
Burdell ★ 4.7
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.
Signature: Fried chicken, Collard greens, Dry-aged duck
Mago ★ 4.6
Mark Liberman's Latin American tasting room in Oakland sits on Piedmont Avenue. Michelin Recommended in 2026, with a nightly-changing Colombian-rooted menu.
Signature: Churros with chicken liver, Swordfish escabeche, Carne asada
FOB Kitchen ★ 4.5
Janice Dulce's Filipino kitchen on Oakland's Telegraph carries a Michelin Bib Gourmand. Weekends shift to brunch only with longanisa and garlic rice.
Signature: Sinigang, Coffee-braised ribs, Adobo
Wood Tavern ★ 4.4
Wood Tavern in Oakland's Rockridge has anchored College Avenue since 2007 and holds a 2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand for reliable New American cooking.
Signature: Burger, Pork chop, Charcuterie board
Belotti Ristorante e Bottega ★ 4.5
Belotti in Oakland's Rockridge cooks Piemonte cuisine in a tight Michelin Recommended trattoria. House-made tajarin and brasato are the cross-town dishes.
Signature: Tajarin, Brasato, Spaghettini with burrata
Wahpepah's Kitchen ★ 4.5
Crystal Wahpepah's Native American kitchen in Oakland sits steps from Fruitvale BART. Bison, rabbit and squash tacos draw from Indigenous nations.
Signature: Bison taco, Rabbit taco, Squash taco
Souley Vegan ★ 4.4
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.
Signature: BBQ tofu, Cajun mac and cheese, Southern fried tofu
Hawking Bird ★ 4.3
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.
Signature: Kao mun gai, Garlic-ginger fried chicken, Hawking Bird sandwich
Pomet ★ 4.5
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.
Signature: Farm-driven seasonal plates, Stone-fruit dessert
Ramen Shop ★ 4.5
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.
Signature: Spicy miso ramen, Yuzu shio ramen, Karaage
A16 Rockridge ★ 4.3
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.
Signature: Margherita pizza, Maccaronara, Burrata
Itani Ramen ★ 4.3
Kyle Itani's izakaya and ramen kitchen on Telegraph Avenue runs a tonkotsu-forward menu with Japanese small plates. Bowls, beer and sake, daily.
Signature: Tonkotsu ramen, Shoyu ramen, Karaage
Champa Garden ★ 4.4
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.
Signature: Nam khao, Laotian sausage, Papaya salad
Vientian Cafe ★ 4.3
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.
Signature: Larb, Papaya salad, Lao sausage
Battambang ★ 4.2
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.
Signature: Beef lok lak, Amok, Cambodian noodles
Tay Ho Restaurant and Bar ★ 4.4
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.
Signature: Bun cha Hanoi, Banh xeo, Pho ga
Pho Ao Sen ★ 4.3
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.
Signature: Pho tai, Pho ga, Bun bo Hue
Shan Dong ★ 4.4
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.
Signature: Hand-pulled noodles, Pork dumplings, Sesame paste noodles
Geta Sushi and Bento ★ 4.4
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.
Signature: Omakase, Chirashi bowl, Bento box
Mua Oakland ★ 4.2
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.
Signature: Steak frites, Lamb chops, Cocktails