Guidebook for Oakland

Shannon
Guidebook for Oakland

Food Scene

Delicious and authentic Mexican food with an emphasis on locally sourced, organic food. Don't confuse this with "health food". It's the perfect combination of rich, flavorful, and healthy. Handmade tortillas, good prices, and a 5 minute walk from our place.
Obelisco Restaurant
3411 E 12th St
Delicious and authentic Mexican food with an emphasis on locally sourced, organic food. Don't confuse this with "health food". It's the perfect combination of rich, flavorful, and healthy. Handmade tortillas, good prices, and a 5 minute walk from our place.
Hands down the best Cambodian food I've ever tasted.
11 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Nyum Bai
3340 E 12th St
11 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Hands down the best Cambodian food I've ever tasted.
Mangonadas + Ice Cream = Heaven
Nieves Cinco de Mayo
3340 E 12th St
Mangonadas + Ice Cream = Heaven
For the Vegans! A popular, neighborhood weekend brunch spot.
7 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Two Mammas' Vegan Kitchen
3700 E 12th St
7 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
For the Vegans! A popular, neighborhood weekend brunch spot.
This coffee roastery is gorgeous. Coffee bar on the inside + outdoor garden across the street where you can sit and drink your coffee. Delicious lattes.
13 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Red Bay Coffee Roastery & Coffee Bar (Headquarters)
3098 E 10th St
13 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
This coffee roastery is gorgeous. Coffee bar on the inside + outdoor garden across the street where you can sit and drink your coffee. Delicious lattes.
Delicious Arab bakery/restaurant with outdoor seating. If you like tart + floral + sweet you have to try their Hibiscus Rose Cooler.
12 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Reem's California
1419 34th Ave
12 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Delicious Arab bakery/restaurant with outdoor seating. If you like tart + floral + sweet you have to try their Hibiscus Rose Cooler.
Best churros ever according to me and everyone I know.
Churros Mexicanos
3352 E 12th St
Best churros ever according to me and everyone I know.
One word. Yum.
101 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Sequoia Diner
3719 MacArthur Blvd
101 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
One word. Yum.
Brotzeit beer garden sits on the Brooklyn Basin waterfront. Oakland marine experience and hearty German beer and food.
21 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Brotzeit Lokal | German Restaurant & Waterfront Biergarten
1000 Embarcadero
21 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Brotzeit beer garden sits on the Brooklyn Basin waterfront. Oakland marine experience and hearty German beer and food.
Morning buns, savory treats, sweet treats. Love this bakery.
70 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
La Farine
3411 Fruitvale Ave
70 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Morning buns, savory treats, sweet treats. Love this bakery.
We love Slainte and its owner, Jackie. She's one of our favorite people. She has created an Irish Pub smack dab in the middle of Oakland. Go there for food, drinks, live traditional Irish music (if you're lucky to catch it), or trivia night. Warm and homey and Guinness, specially tapped to recreate the taste of Guinness fresh from the Brewery in Dublin vs. flown over the ocean.
Sláinte Oakland
131 Broadway
We love Slainte and its owner, Jackie. She's one of our favorite people. She has created an Irish Pub smack dab in the middle of Oakland. Go there for food, drinks, live traditional Irish music (if you're lucky to catch it), or trivia night. Warm and homey and Guinness, specially tapped to recreate the taste of Guinness fresh from the Brewery in Dublin vs. flown over the ocean.
Cafe El Patio is a neighborhood cafe. Delicious Honduran coffee from the owner's family farm. Breakfast/lunch items. Yum.
Cafe El Patio
4030 B International Blvd
Cafe El Patio is a neighborhood cafe. Delicious Honduran coffee from the owner's family farm. Breakfast/lunch items. Yum.

Parks & Nature

There are many staging areas for this large park, our favorites are Moon Gate and the Redwood Regional main entrance. There are easy hikes and more advanced hikes and everything inbetween.
373 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Redwood Regional Park
7867 Redwood Road
373 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
There are many staging areas for this large park, our favorites are Moon Gate and the Redwood Regional main entrance. There are easy hikes and more advanced hikes and everything inbetween.
Crown Memorial State Beach offers so much. Walk or run along the bay and enjoy beautiful views of San Francisco, fly a kite, windsurf, hang out on the beach, or pack a picnic and watch the sunset over the bay. Crab Cove visitors center is fun for kids and adult alike...and it's free.
106 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach
Otis Drive
106 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Crown Memorial State Beach offers so much. Walk or run along the bay and enjoy beautiful views of San Francisco, fly a kite, windsurf, hang out on the beach, or pack a picnic and watch the sunset over the bay. Crab Cove visitors center is fun for kids and adult alike...and it's free.
Lake Merritt is a great place to walk/run, BBQ, or picnic with friends. Watch out for duck poop, though, this is a wildlife sanctuary! Check out the gardens, including the Bonsai garden. There are many restaurants and cafes surrounding the lake and on Saturdays there is the Lake Merritt Farmer's Market.
751 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Lake Merritt Amphitheater
Lake Merritt Boulevard
751 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Lake Merritt is a great place to walk/run, BBQ, or picnic with friends. Watch out for duck poop, though, this is a wildlife sanctuary! Check out the gardens, including the Bonsai garden. There are many restaurants and cafes surrounding the lake and on Saturdays there is the Lake Merritt Farmer's Market.
7 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Peralta Hacienda Historical Park
2465 34th Ave
7 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Bonsai trees from forever-ago. This place is so underrecognized, in my humble opinion. Beautiful collection of carefully curated trees. I was shocked the first time I came through and saw that one of the trees dated back to the 1800s.
14 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Lake Merritt Bonsai Gardens
14 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Bonsai trees from forever-ago. This place is so underrecognized, in my humble opinion. Beautiful collection of carefully curated trees. I was shocked the first time I came through and saw that one of the trees dated back to the 1800s.

Drinks & Nightlife

We love Ale Industries and it's so close to our home. You can bring your own food! The Guadalajara taco truck and restaurant are within walking distance.
10 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Ale Industries
3096 E 10th St
10 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
We love Ale Industries and it's so close to our home. You can bring your own food! The Guadalajara taco truck and restaurant are within walking distance.
Spectacular views of the Bay and San Francisco from the old Alameda Naval Base. Great beer. Dog friendly.
62 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Faction Brewing
2501 Monarch St
62 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Spectacular views of the Bay and San Francisco from the old Alameda Naval Base. Great beer. Dog friendly.
A local distillery that produces my favorite gin, St. George Terroir. It is like a sip of Mt. Tam + Christmas. The distillery tour and tasting is worth your time and money. Head to Faction or Rock Wall afterward for a drink and a beautiful view of The Bay and San Francisco.
65 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
St. George Spirits
2601 Monarch St
65 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
A local distillery that produces my favorite gin, St. George Terroir. It is like a sip of Mt. Tam + Christmas. The distillery tour and tasting is worth your time and money. Head to Faction or Rock Wall afterward for a drink and a beautiful view of The Bay and San Francisco.
Our favorite dive.
58 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Lucky 13
1301 Park St
58 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Our favorite dive.
Delicious beer, food truck, dogs and kids allowed. A nice place to spend a sunny day outside on the patio or inside the cool, cavernous brewery itself.
22 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Drake's Brewing Company
1933 Davis St
22 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Delicious beer, food truck, dogs and kids allowed. A nice place to spend a sunny day outside on the patio or inside the cool, cavernous brewery itself.
Delicious food and beer.
40 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Degrees Plato Tap Room Bottle Shop & Kitchen
4251 MacArthur Blvd
40 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Delicious food and beer.
This local bar is one of my favorites. Generous pours, sports on TV, outdoor patio, friendly bartenders, and the longest bar in town.
Aloha Club
952 Fruitvale Ave
This local bar is one of my favorites. Generous pours, sports on TV, outdoor patio, friendly bartenders, and the longest bar in town.

Sightseeing

Okay, okay they say this point is in Contra Costa county but the point of entry is in Alameda County and it is very much an Alameda County destination in my mind. Beautiful 360 degree views if you make the full trip. A moderate hike.
10 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Inspiration Point
Inspiration Point
10 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Okay, okay they say this point is in Contra Costa county but the point of entry is in Alameda County and it is very much an Alameda County destination in my mind. Beautiful 360 degree views if you make the full trip. A moderate hike.

Getting Around

29 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Fruitvale BART Station
29 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
This is such a fun way to travel to San Francisco from Oakland and back. Get off at the Ferry Building in SF and hit the town. You can get to Jack London Square by taking BART to Lake Merritt Station or 12th Street Station. If you exit at Lake Merritt, you can walk through Chinatown on your way to Jack London Square.
73 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
San Francisco Bay Ferry station
10 Clay St
73 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
This is such a fun way to travel to San Francisco from Oakland and back. Get off at the Ferry Building in SF and hit the town. You can get to Jack London Square by taking BART to Lake Merritt Station or 12th Street Station. If you exit at Lake Merritt, you can walk through Chinatown on your way to Jack London Square.

Arts & Culture

The museum is great and so are the food truck Fridays.
547 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Oakland Museum ng California
1000 Oak St
547 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
The museum is great and so are the food truck Fridays.
See a film in this amazing historic theater near Lake Merritt.
382 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Grand Lake Theater
3200 Grand Ave
382 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
See a film in this amazing historic theater near Lake Merritt.
See a film in this lovely historic theater in Alameda.
87 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Alameda Theatre & Cineplex
2317 Central Ave
87 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
See a film in this lovely historic theater in Alameda.
Excellent programming at this theater.
9 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Pacific Film Archive Theater
9 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Excellent programming at this theater.

Essentials

17 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Alameda Natural Grocery
1650 Park St
17 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
37 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Cardenas Markets
1630 High St
37 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
King's is a liquor store/convenience store, just around the corner from us.
King's Liquors Groceries
3715 International Blvd
King's is a liquor store/convenience store, just around the corner from us.
Delicious tortillas and tortilla chips.
La Finca Tortilleria Inc.
3801 Foothill Blvd
Delicious tortillas and tortilla chips.
Produce market just around the corner from us.
International Produce Market
3851 International Blvd
Produce market just around the corner from us.
A quick trip over the Fruitvale bridge from our place. A grocery store with all of the essentials. There is a Peet's coffee inside the store and it has great views of the estuary and wifi.
56 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Nob Hill Foods
1250 Grant Rd
56 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
A quick trip over the Fruitvale bridge from our place. A grocery store with all of the essentials. There is a Peet's coffee inside the store and it has great views of the estuary and wifi.
A short drive from our place in the Dimond District. This market has almost any grocery item you could need. Organic produce and a deli.
230 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Farmer Joe's Marketplace
3501 MacArthur Blvd
230 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
A short drive from our place in the Dimond District. This market has almost any grocery item you could need. Organic produce and a deli.
This Farmer Joe's is closer to our house than the one on Fruitvale, it's smaller in size so may not have as many items as it's larger sister store. A short drive from our place on the corner of 35th/MacArthur.
230 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Farmer Joe's Marketplace
3501 MacArthur Blvd
230 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
This Farmer Joe's is closer to our house than the one on Fruitvale, it's smaller in size so may not have as many items as it's larger sister store. A short drive from our place on the corner of 35th/MacArthur.