Guidebook for Oakland

Jessica
Guidebook for Oakland

Food Scene

So many great restaurants in Oakland and Berkeley! These are just a few nearby.
Great fast-casual Mexican restaurant. The crispy chicken tacos are really special.
62 moradores locais recomendam
Cactus Taqueria
5642 College Ave
62 moradores locais recomendam
Great fast-casual Mexican restaurant. The crispy chicken tacos are really special.
Really great chicken dishes with a southeast Asian flavor. "The Hawking Bird" sandwich is our favorite - fried chicken thigh with coleslaw on a nice bun. Great cocktails too, and incredibly fast service - fast-casual restaurant. Also very fast to order delivery via Caviar. http://www.hawkingbird.com/ https://www.trycaviar.com/sf-east-bay/hawking-bird-7551
10 moradores locais recomendam
Hawking Bird
4901 Telegraph Ave
10 moradores locais recomendam
Really great chicken dishes with a southeast Asian flavor. "The Hawking Bird" sandwich is our favorite - fried chicken thigh with coleslaw on a nice bun. Great cocktails too, and incredibly fast service - fast-casual restaurant. Also very fast to order delivery via Caviar. http://www.hawkingbird.com/ https://www.trycaviar.com/sf-east-bay/hawking-bird-7551
Inspired by Thai street food, a very nice but affordable meal. Popular but usually has seating without reservations so it is very convenient. https://oakland.soifour.com/
28 moradores locais recomendam
Soi 4 Bangkok Eatery
5421 College Ave
28 moradores locais recomendam
Inspired by Thai street food, a very nice but affordable meal. Popular but usually has seating without reservations so it is very convenient. https://oakland.soifour.com/
Great locally-roasted coffee and espresso prepared by very skilled baristas. https://www.highwirecoffee.com/
105 moradores locais recomendam
Highwire Coffee Roasters
2049 San Pablo Ave
105 moradores locais recomendam
Great locally-roasted coffee and espresso prepared by very skilled baristas. https://www.highwirecoffee.com/
If you've never had Burmese food, now is the time to try it! This restaurant tends to get packed on weekends, so expect a wait. Be sure to order their tea leaf salad - it's quite impressive and they toss it in front of you. https://www.burmasuperstar.com/
458 moradores locais recomendam
Burma Superstar
309 Clement St
458 moradores locais recomendam
If you've never had Burmese food, now is the time to try it! This restaurant tends to get packed on weekends, so expect a wait. Be sure to order their tea leaf salad - it's quite impressive and they toss it in front of you. https://www.burmasuperstar.com/
Great pizzas and Italian food. A bit pricy, but our favorite. Recommended over the similar A16 on College.
237 moradores locais recomendam
Pizzaiolo
5008 Telegraph Ave
237 moradores locais recomendam
Great pizzas and Italian food. A bit pricy, but our favorite. Recommended over the similar A16 on College.
Fast-casual with great sandwiches and tortas. The interior is designed to look like a colorful street in Peru. Also a nice patio out back for warm days. Expect a bit of a line on a nice weekend day.
173 moradores locais recomendam
Cholita Linda
4923 Telegraph Ave
173 moradores locais recomendam
Fast-casual with great sandwiches and tortas. The interior is designed to look like a colorful street in Peru. Also a nice patio out back for warm days. Expect a bit of a line on a nice weekend day.
Of the many local Ethiopian restaurants, this one is our go-to for takeout or for watching a Warriors game in their newly-renovated bar.
20 moradores locais recomendam
Asmara Restaurant
5020 Telegraph Ave
20 moradores locais recomendam
Of the many local Ethiopian restaurants, this one is our go-to for takeout or for watching a Warriors game in their newly-renovated bar.
A neighborhood gem! Delicious Italian food in an intimate setting. Not for the faint of wallet. If you are interested, try to book a reservation in advance online or arrive early or late and try to get a bar seat. Almost always booked solid.
41 moradores locais recomendam
Belotti Ristorante E Bottega
5403 College Ave
41 moradores locais recomendam
A neighborhood gem! Delicious Italian food in an intimate setting. Not for the faint of wallet. If you are interested, try to book a reservation in advance online or arrive early or late and try to get a bar seat. Almost always booked solid.
If you are vegan, this is THE place to go. End of story. http://www.millenniumrestaurant.com/
57 moradores locais recomendam
Millennium
5912 College Ave
57 moradores locais recomendam
If you are vegan, this is THE place to go. End of story. http://www.millenniumrestaurant.com/

Drinks & Nightlife

Very close (walkable) and great cocktails. Lots of space inside and many things to keep you busy - pac man, shuffleboard, Jenga, and board games.
6 moradores locais recomendam
Rockridge Improvement Club
5515 College Ave
6 moradores locais recomendam
Very close (walkable) and great cocktails. Lots of space inside and many things to keep you busy - pac man, shuffleboard, Jenga, and board games.
Cheaper than many alternatives, this is not a super-classy bar. However, what it lacks in sophistication it makes up for in intimacy. Really friendly bartenders and customers that always seem happy to strike up a conversation - even with tourists.
12 moradores locais recomendam
McNally's Irish Pub
5352 College Ave
12 moradores locais recomendam
Cheaper than many alternatives, this is not a super-classy bar. However, what it lacks in sophistication it makes up for in intimacy. Really friendly bartenders and customers that always seem happy to strike up a conversation - even with tourists.
Good pub food, and a nice selection of beers and cocktails, lots of TVs, and a small patio for warmer days. Very friendly atmosphere.
The Golden Squirrel
5940 College Avenue
Good pub food, and a nice selection of beers and cocktails, lots of TVs, and a small patio for warmer days. Very friendly atmosphere.
Upscale wine bar with small bites as well. Very nice quiet atmosphere and great wines. I recommend the red flight both for selection and value. For food, the mousse and burrata are great choices, although it's hard to go wrong with charcuterie as well.
14 moradores locais recomendam
The Barrel Room
415 Sansome Street
14 moradores locais recomendam
Upscale wine bar with small bites as well. Very nice quiet atmosphere and great wines. I recommend the red flight both for selection and value. For food, the mousse and burrata are great choices, although it's hard to go wrong with charcuterie as well.
A new upscale beer-focused bar with local and unusual beers and small bites. http://www.rosestaproom.com/
34 moradores locais recomendam
Roses' Taproom
4930 Telegraph Ave
34 moradores locais recomendam
A new upscale beer-focused bar with local and unusual beers and small bites. http://www.rosestaproom.com/
Great outdoor space to grab a beer with some friends. Certain days and weekends there is a food truck parked out front too.
74 moradores locais recomendam
Temescal Brewing
4115 Telegraph Ave
74 moradores locais recomendam
Great outdoor space to grab a beer with some friends. Certain days and weekends there is a food truck parked out front too.

Essentials

Great foods that require minimal preparation for when you want to cook but don't really want to cook from scratch. Also very good prices on alcohol.
582 moradores locais recomendam
Trader Joe's
3250 Lakeshore Ave
582 moradores locais recomendam
Great foods that require minimal preparation for when you want to cook but don't really want to cook from scratch. Also very good prices on alcohol.
Large selection - they should have just about anything you're looking for. There is also a pharmacy in the back.
44 moradores locais recomendam
Safeway
5100 Broadway
44 moradores locais recomendam
Large selection - they should have just about anything you're looking for. There is also a pharmacy in the back.

Getting Around

Find your destination station on the chart next to the ticket machines and purchase a round-trip ticket for convenience. Use a credit card to avoid getting lots of coins as change. You will be given a paper ticket with a magnetic stripe that allows you to swipe in and out of stations.
BikeLink eLockers: Rockridge BART
5660 College Ave
Find your destination station on the chart next to the ticket machines and purchase a round-trip ticket for convenience. Use a credit card to avoid getting lots of coins as change. You will be given a paper ticket with a magnetic stripe that allows you to swipe in and out of stations.

Shopping

Sundays only, 9 AM to 1 PM. Lots of local produce, meats, cheeses, etc. Some food vendors as well, and live music for kids. Lots of fun.
96 moradores locais recomendam
Temescal Farmer's Market
5300 Claremont Ave
96 moradores locais recomendam
Sundays only, 9 AM to 1 PM. Lots of local produce, meats, cheeses, etc. Some food vendors as well, and live music for kids. Lots of fun.
Great local bookstore.
29 moradores locais recomendam
Pegasus Books
1855 Solano Ave
29 moradores locais recomendam
Great local bookstore.
A unique local market with several different vendors - fish, cheese, wine, groceries, a bakery, and produce. You can get pre-prepared foods at a large deli counter as well. A great place to find high-quality ingredients, including some specialty ingredients like squid-ink pasta or truffle salt. Not particularly cheap for everyday grocery shopping.
51 moradores locais recomendam
Market Hall Produce
5655 College Ave
51 moradores locais recomendam
A unique local market with several different vendors - fish, cheese, wine, groceries, a bakery, and produce. You can get pre-prepared foods at a large deli counter as well. A great place to find high-quality ingredients, including some specialty ingredients like squid-ink pasta or truffle salt. Not particularly cheap for everyday grocery shopping.

Parks & Nature

A really nice lake and bird reserve with a path running around the entire lake. It's just over 3 miles around, and there are lots of nice grassy areas to picnic or enjoy the sun, as well as some restaurants including Lake Chalet where you can sit on the dock and enjoy food and drinks. Because it connects to the bay, if you watch closely you may see a ray or two gliding in the water.
751 moradores locais recomendam
Anfiteatro do Lago Merritt
Lake Merritt Boulevard
751 moradores locais recomendam
A really nice lake and bird reserve with a path running around the entire lake. It's just over 3 miles around, and there are lots of nice grassy areas to picnic or enjoy the sun, as well as some restaurants including Lake Chalet where you can sit on the dock and enjoy food and drinks. Because it connects to the bay, if you watch closely you may see a ray or two gliding in the water.
Normally goes by the name "Frog Park". This is a small park with a fenced-in dog area as well as a great kids' area with lots of structures to climb and slide on. Swings as well.
23 moradores locais recomendam
Rockridge-Temescal Greenbelt
5500 Claremont Ave
23 moradores locais recomendam
Normally goes by the name "Frog Park". This is a small park with a fenced-in dog area as well as a great kids' area with lots of structures to climb and slide on. Swings as well.

Arts & Culture

Lots of information about the history of California, among other things.
547 moradores locais recomendam
Museu de Oakland da Califórnia
1000 Oak St
547 moradores locais recomendam
Lots of information about the history of California, among other things.
Art and unique films, in a newly-redesigned building.
171 moradores locais recomendam
Museu de Arte de Berkeley e Arquivo de Filme do Pacífico
2155 Center St
171 moradores locais recomendam
Art and unique films, in a newly-redesigned building.
Newly-reopened world-class art museum. Take BART to get there - catch a San Francisco train and get off at Montgomery station. Driving is not recommended because traffic on the Bay Bridge can mean a trip of over an hour, and parking is very expensive.
813 moradores locais recomendam
Museu de Arte Moderna de San Francisco
151 3rd St
813 moradores locais recomendam
Newly-reopened world-class art museum. Take BART to get there - catch a San Francisco train and get off at Montgomery station. Driving is not recommended because traffic on the Bay Bridge can mean a trip of over an hour, and parking is very expensive.
One side is dedicated to children and has lots of toys in addition to books. The other (adult) side has some good reading areas as well as computers that are free to use.
10 moradores locais recomendam
Oakland Public Library: Rockridge Branch
5366 College Ave
10 moradores locais recomendam
One side is dedicated to children and has lots of toys in addition to books. The other (adult) side has some good reading areas as well as computers that are free to use.