From simple street food fare to electric California cuisine fusion, the food in the Oakland/Berkeley area has something to offer everyone. The area has nurtured a variety of choices with a wide diversity of crowds, so any dining experience is sure to satisfy the foodie in you. The Local Arrangements Committee has gathered a list of dining options that we hope you will find useful as you explore our wonderful cities by the Bay.
Download the Oakland-Berkeley Restaurant Guide (pdf)
Cost per entreé: $ = $10 or less; $$ = $11-30; $$$ = $31-60
OAKLAND
Downtown/Old Oakland
Beer Revolution
464 3rd St.
Beer, $$
50 constantly rotating beers on tap.
Breads of India
948 Clay St. / (510) 834-7684
Indian (Colonial/Raj) $$
A daily changing menu of breads, curries & other Indian fare served amid traditional, ornate decor.
Cock-a-Doodle Café
719 Washington St.
American, $$
Breakfast and lunch standards, including options with some Mexican flare. Indoor and outdoor seating.
El Gusano
1015 Clay St. / (510) 444-9676
Mexican, $$
Taqueria with seating.
Faz
1111 Broadway
Mediterranean, $$
Full-service Mediterranean restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating located across the street from the Marriott Hotel.
Galeto
1019 Clay St. / (510) 238-9388
Brazilian, $$$
In a sprawling space with a huge salad bar, this classic Brazilian steakhouse serves meat & pasta.
Golden Lotus
1301 Franklin St. / (510) 893-0383
Vegetarian Vietnamese, $$
Entirely vegetarian restaurant.
Le Cheval
1007 Clay St. / (510) 763-8495
Vietnamese, $$
Bustling Vietnamese eatery offers classic dishes & noodle soups in a spacious, airy setting. An Oakland institution.
Oakland City Center
Loads of quick and cheap options at this outdoor food court located between the 12th Street BART station and the Oakland City Hall (just across the street from the Marriott). Grab a bite at one of several restaurants, such as 475 Cafe, Tia Maria, Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen, Panda Express, City Center Grill, Cupcake Cove, Starbucks, and many more …
Spices! 3
369 12th St. / (510) 625-8889
Chinese, $$
Affordable, speedy Chinese food, and with plenty of spice. Lots of vegetarian and vegan options, too.
Swan’s Market
930 Clay St.
Want lots of options? Try Swan’s Market, adjacent to the Marriott Hotel. Food court-style seating with many amazing one-of-a-kind Oakland restaurants to choose from.
- Real Miss Ollie’s (510) 285-6188
- The Cook and Her Farmer (510) 285-6140
- Cosecha (510) 452-5900
- Periscope Cellars (510) 655-7827
- Rosamunde Sausage Grill (510) 338-3108
- B-Dama (510) 251-1113
The Trappist
468 8th St. / (510) 238-8900
Beer + Sandwiches, $$
Belgian & specialty beer, plus meat & cheese plates, in a snug space in an 1870s Victorian building.
Tribune Tavern
410 13th St. / (510) 452-8742
Pub, $$
Fresh, housemade sandwiches, salads, and more. Delicious housemade sodas and cocktails, a variety of beer. Located in the historic Oakland Tribune building, many of the restaurant’s furnishings are re-purposed from materials left by the former occupant newspaper.
Xolo Taqueria
1916 Telegraph Ave. / (510) 986-0151
Mexican, $$
Late-night taqueria offers creative tacos, burritos & other Mexican comfort eats in a cool setting.
Uptown
Awaken Café
1429 Broadway / (510) 836-1440
Coffee, $$
Organic, hipster, vegan donuts.
Café Van Kleef
1621 Telegraph Ave. /(510) 763-7711
Coffee, $$
Cafe, cocktails, live music.
Camber
1707 Telegraph Ave. / (510) 663-4560
Bar, $$
Asian-inspired fare & cocktails.
Catered to You
1711 Telegraph Ave. / (510) 208-2522
Southern, $
Let Mama T. make you some of her southern home-style fried catfish.
Diving Dog Brewhouse
1802 Telegraph Ave. / (510) 306-1914
Bar, $$
Small-batch brewery with draft items, house beer, & DIY options . Also offers a menu of basic bites.
Dogwood
1644 Telegraph Ave. / (510) 444-6669
Bar, $$
Cocktails, grilled cheese, charcuterie.
Duende
468 19th St. / (510) 893-0174
Spanish, $$$
Spanish menu with interesting cocktails. Adjacent to the Fox Theater.
Fauna
1900 Telegraph Ave.
Bar, $$
Sister bar to the next-door Flora. Fabulous cocktails—ask for the Marlowe gimlet!
Flora
1900 Telegraph Ave. / (510) 286-0100
California, $$$
Housed in the beautifully ornate Oakland Floral Depot building, built in 1931, this art deco restaurant and bar evokes the opulence of a bygone era with carefully crafted cocktails and a menu of reinvented American classics. Located across the street from the Fox Theater.
Make Westing
1741 Telegraph Ave. / (510) 251-1400
Bar, $$
Sip a cocktail, eat some snacks, and play a game of bocce. The name “Make Westing” comes from a short story by Oakland native Jack London.
Mua Oakland
2442 Webster St., Ste. A / (510) 238-1100
American + Bar, $$
Small plates and drinks galore.
Picán
2295 Broadway / (510) 834-1000
Southern + Bourbon, $$$
“Where Broadway meets Bourbon Steet!”
Rudy’s Can’t Fail Café
1805 Telegraph Ave. / (510) 251-1338
American, $$
Classic American diner fare. Open early; open late. Who gets the name reference?
Woods Beer
1701 Telegraph Ave.
Beer, $$
House-made beers with an outdoor patio on which to enjoy them.
Lake Merritt/Grand Lake
Blue Oak Café
1000 Oak St. / (510) 318-8571
California/American, $
Inside the Oakland Museum of California, this cafe offers sandwiches al fresco with free wi-fi to top it off.
Camino
3917 Grand Ave. / (510) 547-5035
American, $$$
Wood-burning oven of delights and great cocktails at wooden communal tables.
Colonial Donuts
3318 Lakeshore Dr. / (510) 893-2503
Donuts, $
Mmm, donuts. Open 24 hours.
The Lake Chalet
1520 Lakeside Dr. / (510) 208-5253
American, $$
Lakeside dining just down the street from the Oakland Museum.
The Star
3425 Grand Ave. / (510) 843-7827
Pizza, $$
Chicago-style pizza, subs & salads in airy digs with exposed-brick walls, chandeliers & a full bar.
Jack London Square
Bocanova
55 Webster St. / (510) 444-1233
Pan-American, $$$
Pan-Latin cuisine & creative cocktails served in a swank waterfront spot with patio seating.
Blue Bottle Coffee
300 Webster St.
Coffee, $$
Grab a cup of coffee at Blue Bottle’s production facility, which features a pastry kitchen, training lab, offices, and a cupping room. The straightforward materials – brick, timber, concrete, glass, structural steel – make 300 Webster a peaceful and inspiring environment for enjoying coffee. (Blue Bottle has other locations throughout Oakland and San Francisco as well.)
Everett & Jones
126 Broadway / (510) 663-2350
Barbeque, $$
A family-owned Oakland institution since 1973.
Forge
66 Franklin St. / (510) 268-3200
Pizza, $$
Handcrafted Neapolitan-style pizza.
Heinhold’s First and Last Chance Saloon
48 Webster St. / (510) 839-6761
Bar, $$
A historic landmark, built in 1883 and also known as “Jack London’s Rendezvous.” Great pseudo-dive bar with lots of local history.
Plank
98 Broadway / (510) 817-0980
American, $$
Beer garden with food, bowling, and bocce. Massive TVs over the bowling alley for those trying to keep up with sporting events.
Souley Vegan
301 Broadway / (510) 922-1615
Vegan Soul Food, $$
Yoshi’s Oakland
510 Embarcadero West / (510) 238-9200
Japanese Jazz Club, $$$
Food & live music almost every night of the week.
North Oakland/Temescal
Aunt Mary’s Cafe
4640 Telegraph Ave. / (510) 601-9227
Southern, $
Creative comfort food in a casual atmosphere. Dishes range from posole verde, a redolent pork stew, to an oyster po’boy, a classic Southern sandwich modernized with a side of fennel slaw.
Bakesale Betty
5098 Telegraph Ave. / (510) 985-1213
Sandwiches, $
Don’t be intimidated by the line, it moves fast and the famous fried chicken sandwich is more than worth the wait (especially when topped off with strawberry shortcake or a cookie!).
Burma Superstar
4721 Telegraph Ave. / (510) 652-2900
Burmese, $$
Best known for its tea leaf salad, this Burmese/Myanmarian spot has a range of dishes that draw crowds.
Juhu Beach Club
5179 Telegraph Ave. / (510) 652-7350
Indian, $$
A modern takes on Indian cuisine, featuring pav sliders or spicy fries.
Pizzaiolo
5008 Telegraph Ave. / (510) 652-4888
Italian-Californian, $$
Chez Panisse alum Charlie Hallowell and his crew (including former printmaker and chef de cuisine Julya Shin) offer Italian-Californian food at its best as well as pastries and coffee in the morning (until 12:00 noon). Breakfast includes fruit turnovers, spice donuts, and Four Barrel espresso drinks. Their pizzas were just voted the best in California but the rest of the menu is equally fresh and filled with flavor. Be sure to try one of their excellent cocktails with housemade ingredients. You can eat inside or outside on their back patio. N.B. This is Shannon’s favorite restaurant in the world.
Pyeongchang Tofu House
4701 Telegraph Ave. / (510) 658-9040
Korean, $
Soft tofu soup! Even better, order the bibimbap and get a free small bowl of soft tofu soup!
Restaurante Doña Tomás
5004 Telegraph Ave. / (510) 450-0522
Mexican, $$
Mexican fare gets a contemporary spin at this colorful cantina with a festive courtyard patio.
Rockridge
Take the Pittsburg/Bay Point line BART train 3 stops to Rockridge Station for a wide selection of interesting and unique East Bay dining options.
A16
5356 College Ave. / (510) 768-8003
Southern Italian, $$$
Barney’s Hamburgers
5819 College Ave. / (510) 602-0449
Burgers, $$
Becky’s Chinese Restaurant
5620 College Ave. / (510) 601-9888
Chinese, $$
Bourbon & Beef
5634 College Ave. / (510) 788-4821
Steakhouse, $$
Cactus Taqueria
5642 College Ave. / (510) 658-6180
Mexican, $
Oliveto
5655 College Ave. / (510) 547-5356
Italian, $$
Toast
5900 College Ave. / (510) 658-5900
American, $$
Farmer’s market finds feature heavily on the ever-changing American menu at this modern bistro.
Zachary’s Pizza
5801 College Ave. / (510) 655-6385
Chicago-Style Pizza, $$
Better Chicago pizza than in Chicago! The pesto is to die for.
BERKELEY
Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen
2261 Shattuck Ave. / (510) 548-6900
Cajun/Creole, $$
Jambalaya, gumbo, shrimp creole, crawfish etouffée, hush puppies, beignets – the best New Orleans restaurant that is not in New Orleans.
Babette
2625 Durant Ave. / (510) 684-3046
Coffee, $$
Salads and other fresh fare for lunch, along with housemade pastries and the best coffee near the Berkeley campus. Located inside the Berkeley Art Museum with outdoor patio seating too.
Cancun Taqueria
2134 Allston Way / (510) 549-0964
Mexican, $
Fresh local ingredients.
Chez Panisse
1517 Shattuck Ave. / (510) 548-5525
California, $$$
Co-founded in 1971 by famed restaurateur and food activist, Alice Waters, Chez Panisse is the epicenter of California cuisine and Berkeley’s famed Gourmet Ghetto. Diners regularly enjoy sustainably-sourced, organic, seasonal foods brought in daily by an established network of local farmers, ranchers, and dairies. The Restaurant, located downstairs, offers a fixed dinner menu consisting of three to four courses (with no substitutions). Menus change every night and feature seasonal ingredients including meat, fish, and poultry. The downstairs Restaurant accepts reservations for dinner up to one month in advance, to the calendar date. The upstairs Café serves a moderately priced à la carte menu for both lunch and dinner. The menu is inspired by the market and changes every day. The Café upstairs accepts reservations for lunch and dinner up to one month in advance, to the calendar date.
Comal
2020 Shattuck Ave. / (510) 926-6300
Mexican, $$
Earthy, modern interpretations of dishes from throughout Mexico, with emphasis on Oaxaca and neighboring coastal regions; an “all-Mexican” list of craft cocktails, house-made sangritas paired with our curated collection of agave spirits, and a diverse selection of local beer and wine on tap.
East Bay Spice Co.
2134 Oxford St. / (510) 845-4427
Indian + Cocktails, $$
Craft cocktails and Indian food.
Eureka!
2068 Center St. / (510) 809-8282
Beer, $$
Focus on cocktails – especially whiskey – and burgers.
Five
2086 Shattuck Ave. / (510) 225-6055
American, $$
A modern American restaurant & bar, featuring a menu of familiar favorites reinvented, served by friendly and knowledgeable staff in a comfortable, yet stylish setting. Located in the Hotel Shattuck Plaza.
Free House
2700 Bancroft Way / (510) 647-2300
Pub, $$
Pubby eatery with courtyard seating & pool tables serving creative American cuisine & craft beers.
Gather
2200 Oxford St. / (510) 809-0400
California, $$
Northern California food, West Coast wines, and innovative organic cocktails. A daily-changing menu ranging from braised meats and whole-roasted fish to brick-oven pizzas and composed vegetable dishes.
Great China
2190 Bancroft Way / (510) 843-7996
Chinese, $$
Delicious food, generous portions, extensive menu, sparkling new space with lots of big tables
Herbivore
2451 Shattuck Ave. / (510) 665-1675
Vegan, $$
Vegetarian with wide-ranging breakfast, lunch & dinner menus plus juices & smoothies.
Jupiter
2181 Shattuck Ave. / (510) 843-8277
Pizza & beer, $$
Jupiter is the East Bay’s most popular beerhouse, locally owned & operated, serving its own handcrafted beers & ales along with award-winning wood-fired pizzas. Housed in an old livery stable from the 1890’s, Jupiter exudes a European atmosphere (the design was inspired by the oldest bar in Berlin). N.B. This is Randy’s favorite restaurant in the world.
La Note
2377 Shattuck Ave. / (510) 843-1535
French, $$
La Note is an authentic Provençal restaurant in the heart of downtown Berkeley.
Perdition Smokehouse
2050 University Ave. / (510) 900-5858
Texas-Style Barbeque + Beer, $$
Great eats and an amazing beer list.
Revival Bar + Kitchen
2102 Shattuck Ave. / (510) 549-9950
California, $$$
From snout to tail, from root to shoot, from toes to nose, Revival Bar + Kitchen is going whole-hog on local, sustainable, farm-to-table cuisine. By complementing the menu with biodynamic wines from innovative local vintners and a seasonal selection of cocktails (traditional, original, and traditional-with-a-twist), Revival is all about showing just how exciting sustainability can be.
Saturn Café
2175 Allston Way / (510) 845-8505
Vegetarian, $
Saturn Cafe offers traditional American diner fare with a vegetarian twist. The menu features local and organic ingredients, served in a vibrant atmosphere.
Sliver Pizzeria
2132 Center St. / (510) 356-4044
Vegetarian Pizza, $
Fast, inexpensive, and delicious. Includes full bar. Eat in or get a slice to go.
Venus
2327 Shattuck Ave. / (510) 540-5950
California, $$
Californian eatery featuring seasonal dishes & organic wine in a bustling brick-walled space.
