Guidebook for Oakland
Food Scene
People will tell you that Tartine is the best bakery in the Bay Area, but we beg to differ. The spot at the base of the Claremont Hotel is world-class. There are no seats, just a bakery counter with insanely well-made pastries. They also do pizza and baguette sandwiches at lunch.
51 íbúar mæla með
Fournée Bakery
2912 Domingo AvePeople will tell you that Tartine is the best bakery in the Bay Area, but we beg to differ. The spot at the base of the Claremont Hotel is world-class. There are no seats, just a bakery counter with insanely well-made pastries. They also do pizza and baguette sandwiches at lunch.
While a bit longer of a walk, Bica makes excellent coffee from some of the best local roasters (Ritual, Blue Bottle, Verve). Also, this'll take you down the College Ave strip that leads from our house to Rockridge's core.
15 íbúar mæla með
Bica Coffeehouse
5701 College AveWhile a bit longer of a walk, Bica makes excellent coffee from some of the best local roasters (Ritual, Blue Bottle, Verve). Also, this'll take you down the College Ave strip that leads from our house to Rockridge's core.
Located inside a local food marketplace (reasonably named Market Hall) that houses several specialty shops (cheese, butcher, wine, fish), Highwire roasts its own beans and makes a great cappuccino.
105 íbúar mæla með
Highwire Coffee Roasters
2049 San Pablo AveLocated inside a local food marketplace (reasonably named Market Hall) that houses several specialty shops (cheese, butcher, wine, fish), Highwire roasts its own beans and makes a great cappuccino.
Soon to open on College just south of Ashby. Good coffee, all vegan everything, so you can only get almond or soy milk. Lots of vegan pastries and food. Shortest good coffee walk from here.
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Timeless Coffee
4252 Piedmont AveSoon to open on College just south of Ashby. Good coffee, all vegan everything, so you can only get almond or soy milk. Lots of vegan pastries and food. Shortest good coffee walk from here.
This is a can’t-miss dinner destination, but is also fantastic for breakfast, when they serve Japanese-French pastries over the bar (kim chi buns, matcha bear claws), spicy house-made chai, great coffee, and breakfast donburi bowls.
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Ramen Shop
5812 College AveThis is a can’t-miss dinner destination, but is also fantastic for breakfast, when they serve Japanese-French pastries over the bar (kim chi buns, matcha bear claws), spicy house-made chai, great coffee, and breakfast donburi bowls.
Closest bakery to the house with very good classic pastries (though see below for La Fournée, which is different, and better). Good morning buns, tarts, cakes, bread. Terrible coffee. You can get coffee at Cole a few doors down (mediocre) or Philz across the street.
57 íbúar mæla með
La Farine Boulangerie Patisserie
6323 College AveClosest bakery to the house with very good classic pastries (though see below for La Fournée, which is different, and better). Good morning buns, tarts, cakes, bread. Terrible coffee. You can get coffee at Cole a few doors down (mediocre) or Philz across the street.
This place makes a mean egg sandwich. They also have great baked goods. Be forewarned: they are not super fast. But that's part of the place's charm. Plan to sit down, do a little reading, and soak in the cheery farmhouse ambience. (Oh, and buy a salted chocolate chip cookie for "later.")
52 íbúar mæla með
Elmwood Cafe
2900 College Avenue This place makes a mean egg sandwich. They also have great baked goods. Be forewarned: they are not super fast. But that's part of the place's charm. Plan to sit down, do a little reading, and soak in the cheery farmhouse ambience. (Oh, and buy a salted chocolate chip cookie for "later.")
Big fat hangover breakfast sandwich/burritos. Not a divey place, they just like to pile on the salt and fat. In a good way.
40 íbúar mæla með
Southie
6311 College AveBig fat hangover breakfast sandwich/burritos. Not a divey place, they just like to pile on the salt and fat. In a good way.
This may be our favorite restaurant in the world. You pretty much need a car or bike to get here, but they make delicious Mexican food. At breakfast, the chilaquiles are dynamite. Also, get a cafe de olla, which is a coffee with a big fat stick of canela (Mexican cinnamon). It's located on a cute strip of yuppie stores on 4th Street in Berkeley.
60 íbúar mæla með
Tacubaya
1782 Fourth StThis may be our favorite restaurant in the world. You pretty much need a car or bike to get here, but they make delicious Mexican food. At breakfast, the chilaquiles are dynamite. Also, get a cafe de olla, which is a coffee with a big fat stick of canela (Mexican cinnamon). It's located on a cute strip of yuppie stores on 4th Street in Berkeley.
We want to eat here almost every day. Get the turkey sandwich, which is the best turkey sandwich in the world. Everything else is delicious, too.
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Summer Kitchen +bakeshop
2944 College AveWe want to eat here almost every day. Get the turkey sandwich, which is the best turkey sandwich in the world. Everything else is delicious, too.
After Chez Panisse, Oliveto is one of the most established California cuisine restaurants in the Bay. They have a great dinner, but their lunch service is a good secret. Lots of great sandwiches under $10. If you can't decide, get the egg salad.
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Oliveto
5655 College AveAfter Chez Panisse, Oliveto is one of the most established California cuisine restaurants in the Bay. They have a great dinner, but their lunch service is a good secret. Lots of great sandwiches under $10. If you can't decide, get the egg salad.
This is kind of a fancy place to go to lunch. But if you want delicious food and a midday glass of wine, you could do no better. (Also: it may be hard to get a table.)
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Wood Tavern
6317 College AveThis is kind of a fancy place to go to lunch. But if you want delicious food and a midday glass of wine, you could do no better. (Also: it may be hard to get a table.)
This is a deep dish pizza place that people in Oakland just love. It's pretty good, but not as good as Little Star in San Francisco/Albany/Oakland, if you know that place.
247 íbúar mæla með
Zachary's Chicago Pizza
5801 College AveThis is a deep dish pizza place that people in Oakland just love. It's pretty good, but not as good as Little Star in San Francisco/Albany/Oakland, if you know that place.
This is our favorite place to eat dinner. Amazing food, amazing vibe, amazing drinks. Try the homemade tonic. And if it's warm outside, check out the back courtyard.
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Pizzaiolo
5008 Telegraph AveThis is our favorite place to eat dinner. Amazing food, amazing vibe, amazing drinks. Try the homemade tonic. And if it's warm outside, check out the back courtyard.
Before we were obsessed with Pizzaiolo, we were obsessed with its next-door neighbor Doña Tomas. This is upscale Mexican food done right. They also make a mean margarita.
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Doña Tomás
3770 Piedmont AvenueBefore we were obsessed with Pizzaiolo, we were obsessed with its next-door neighbor Doña Tomas. This is upscale Mexican food done right. They also make a mean margarita.
Oh man, this place is gorgeous. Housed in an old Art Deco building across the street from the remodeled Fox Theater (the kind of place where Wilco or Common would play), Flora is one of the all-time great places to have a drink and dinner at the bar. We love their burgers and their cocktails. And Uptown, the restaurant's neighborhood, has become one of the coolest and liveliest places in the East Bay.
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Flora
1900 Telegraph AveOh man, this place is gorgeous. Housed in an old Art Deco building across the street from the remodeled Fox Theater (the kind of place where Wilco or Common would play), Flora is one of the all-time great places to have a drink and dinner at the bar. We love their burgers and their cocktails. And Uptown, the restaurant's neighborhood, has become one of the coolest and liveliest places in the East Bay.
A beautiful airy former fire house with big long tables, most of the menu is cooked in a wood oven. A small menu of beautiful, delicious, creative food. You may detect a slight Moroccan influence. (We do.) This place is in the Grand Lake neighborhood of Oakland, which is very cool, and kind of feels like Los Angeles.
45 íbúar mæla með
Camino
3917 Grand AveA beautiful airy former fire house with big long tables, most of the menu is cooked in a wood oven. A small menu of beautiful, delicious, creative food. You may detect a slight Moroccan influence. (We do.) This place is in the Grand Lake neighborhood of Oakland, which is very cool, and kind of feels like Los Angeles.
This is a bright, ultraquiet vegetarian Japanese place in Berkeley. We recommend it solely based on the food, which is so good that you forget how healthy it is for you. This food, called shojin ryori, has its roots in 13th-century Japan.
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Cha-Ya
762 Valencia StThis is a bright, ultraquiet vegetarian Japanese place in Berkeley. We recommend it solely based on the food, which is so good that you forget how healthy it is for you. This food, called shojin ryori, has its roots in 13th-century Japan.
Drinks & Nightlife
The best! We like to get here early in the evening and find a spot at the bar in the back. After you sip a cocktail, start ordering some food, which is also awesome. The place is run by the same guy who created Pizzaiolo and they both have the same awesome feeling: Everyone feels handsomer after a night at Boot and Shoe.
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Sister
3308 Grand AveThe best! We like to get here early in the evening and find a spot at the bar in the back. After you sip a cocktail, start ordering some food, which is also awesome. The place is run by the same guy who created Pizzaiolo and they both have the same awesome feeling: Everyone feels handsomer after a night at Boot and Shoe.
This drink-in or take-out beer joint place is a nice mellow spot for a drink. There are loads of bottled beers, a nice array on tap, and a few high tables.
23 íbúar mæla með
Trappist Provisions
6309 College AveThis drink-in or take-out beer joint place is a nice mellow spot for a drink. There are loads of bottled beers, a nice array on tap, and a few high tables.
This falling-down, roof-sloping, shuffleboard-having joint is very close to the platonic ideal for a dive bar. (Unfortunately, that title is already held by Shotwell's in San Francisco's Mission District.) Seriously, though: if there's an As game, it'll be on. If it's open, there will be people drinking.
67 íbúar mæla með
Kingfish Pub & Cafe
5227 Telegraph AveThis falling-down, roof-sloping, shuffleboard-having joint is very close to the platonic ideal for a dive bar. (Unfortunately, that title is already held by Shotwell's in San Francisco's Mission District.) Seriously, though: if there's an As game, it'll be on. If it's open, there will be people drinking.
Cocktails, charcuterie, and cheese in Uptown, which is awesome, as previously noted. If it's too highfalutin for you, cross the street to Van Kleef's, which is a dive bar in a mostly good way. (And they use fresh-pressed juice in their drinks: try a greyhound.)
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Dogwood
1644 Telegraph AveCocktails, charcuterie, and cheese in Uptown, which is awesome, as previously noted. If it's too highfalutin for you, cross the street to Van Kleef's, which is a dive bar in a mostly good way. (And they use fresh-pressed juice in their drinks: try a greyhound.)
The reason to come here is not for the drinks or the food. It is to see the old Claremont Hotel, which was built over a hundred years ago as the lynchpin of the community. It is not an exaggeration to say that the cottage you're staying in exists because of the Claremont Hotel. Also, the views of the Bay from the deck are ridiculous. (If you're adventurous, as you walk up Claremont Ave, wander into the neighborhood on your right. It's one of the most gorgeous in the country.)
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Limewood Bar and Restaurant
41 Tunnel RdThe reason to come here is not for the drinks or the food. It is to see the old Claremont Hotel, which was built over a hundred years ago as the lynchpin of the community. It is not an exaggeration to say that the cottage you're staying in exists because of the Claremont Hotel. Also, the views of the Bay from the deck are ridiculous. (If you're adventurous, as you walk up Claremont Ave, wander into the neighborhood on your right. It's one of the most gorgeous in the country.)
Shopping
Closest market to the house, just at the corner of Telegraph and Ashby. Organic, natural, etc.
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Whole Foods Market
230 Bay PlClosest market to the house, just at the corner of Telegraph and Ashby. Organic, natural, etc.
Trader Joe's
3250 Lakeshore AveAbsolutely awesome, European-style shopping experience with a whole array of specialty areas (cheese, deli, fresh pasta, bakery, produce, wine, fish, butcher). Expensive but if you’re into food, it’s a worthwhile experience and the food itself is fantastic.
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Rockridge Market Hall
5655 College AveAbsolutely awesome, European-style shopping experience with a whole array of specialty areas (cheese, deli, fresh pasta, bakery, produce, wine, fish, butcher). Expensive but if you’re into food, it’s a worthwhile experience and the food itself is fantastic.
This is a deluxe Safeway, brand new, and almost as close as Whole Foods. Has a Pharmacy, too.
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Safeway
6310 College AveThis is a deluxe Safeway, brand new, and almost as close as Whole Foods. Has a Pharmacy, too.
This place has been around for like a century and feels like it. It’s like an old general store, but they sell excellent produce from the local farms, have a nice butcher in the back, and make sandwiches in the back that people like.
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Star Grocery
3068 Claremont AveThis place has been around for like a century and feels like it. It’s like an old general store, but they sell excellent produce from the local farms, have a nice butcher in the back, and make sandwiches in the back that people like.