Guidebook for Oakland

Pam
Guidebook for Oakland

Arts & Culture

Event schedules subject to change due to Covid.
A California essential. The Friday night food truck scene is definitely popular.
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Oakland Museum ng California
1000 Oak St
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A California essential. The Friday night food truck scene is definitely popular.
First Fridays in Oakland is AWESOME. People are in the streets, there's incredible food stands and eateries. Art is on display. If you're in town on the first Friday of the month, this is a MUST.
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First Fridays
2633 Telegraph Ave
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First Fridays in Oakland is AWESOME. People are in the streets, there's incredible food stands and eateries. Art is on display. If you're in town on the first Friday of the month, this is a MUST.

Parks & Nature

My favorite getaway in the East Bay is the Bayview trail, which goes through a second growth redwood forest. The main trail can be busy but you can always take a side trail...very deep woods feeling.
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Parke ni Joaquin Miller
3300 Joaquin Miller Rd
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My favorite getaway in the East Bay is the Bayview trail, which goes through a second growth redwood forest. The main trail can be busy but you can always take a side trail...very deep woods feeling.
By the steam trains, you'll find trailheads that lead up to the ridge top with fantastic views in all directions. Hike up to the maze at the top for 360 degree views of the bay.
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Tilden Regional Park
2501 Grizzly Peak Blvd
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By the steam trains, you'll find trailheads that lead up to the ridge top with fantastic views in all directions. Hike up to the maze at the top for 360 degree views of the bay.
Incredible hiking, great views! Hundreds of miles of trails.
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Mount Tamalpais State Park
3801 Panoramic Highway
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Incredible hiking, great views! Hundreds of miles of trails.
World class and wonder-filled!
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The University of California Botanical Garden
200 Centennial Dr
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World class and wonder-filled!
SF's most famous garden and park.
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Golden Gate Park
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SF's most famous garden and park.
Fantastic hiking. Near my house
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Redwood Regional Park
7867 Redwood Road
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Fantastic hiking. Near my house

Food Scene

Covid has changed the rules, right?
DURING COVID The best deal here these days is the $5 burgers on the back deck weekends from 12-4. You have to order in person and dine in (very safe spacing and great courtyard) or order in person (stand in the line) and get takeout. Eating there is a good idea because your fries and burger will not get cold. Otherwise the outdoor evening eats are a little bit pricey. They are, of course, known for wood fired pizzas. PRE COVID... This place has a dual identity. By morning it has a buzzing cafe scene (with pastries, egg sandwiches and great coffee/tea/espresso drinks). It also has great housemade breads for sale. The croissants are highly recommended. That lasts until noon. Then the place closes until 5:30 pm when it reopens as an expensive pizza and Italian food purveyor. The pastas and pizzas are phenomenal, as are the desserts. The food is fabulous both times of the day.
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Pizzaiolo
5008 Telegraph Ave
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DURING COVID The best deal here these days is the $5 burgers on the back deck weekends from 12-4. You have to order in person and dine in (very safe spacing and great courtyard) or order in person (stand in the line) and get takeout. Eating there is a good idea because your fries and burger will not get cold. Otherwise the outdoor evening eats are a little bit pricey. They are, of course, known for wood fired pizzas. PRE COVID... This place has a dual identity. By morning it has a buzzing cafe scene (with pastries, egg sandwiches and great coffee/tea/espresso drinks). It also has great housemade breads for sale. The croissants are highly recommended. That lasts until noon. Then the place closes until 5:30 pm when it reopens as an expensive pizza and Italian food purveyor. The pastas and pizzas are phenomenal, as are the desserts. The food is fabulous both times of the day.
DURING COVID My favorite Thai food. It's a little more upscale than your average Thai food. You can eat on sidewalk (Covid-friendly) or get food to go. The chicken with green beans is my fave. The Mojitos rock. The happy hour weekdays from 4-6 is a great deal. I like the chicken wings and the dumplings. Daily lunch specials during the week. TAKEOUT
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Soi 4 Bangkok Eatery
5421 College Ave
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DURING COVID My favorite Thai food. It's a little more upscale than your average Thai food. You can eat on sidewalk (Covid-friendly) or get food to go. The chicken with green beans is my fave. The Mojitos rock. The happy hour weekdays from 4-6 is a great deal. I like the chicken wings and the dumplings. Daily lunch specials during the week. TAKEOUT
WALKABLE TAKEOUT. Super funky Thai place with car seat furniture and pretty good food. Great for takeout these days. Within walking distance of my house.
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Old Weang Ping
6217 MacArthur Blvd
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WALKABLE TAKEOUT. Super funky Thai place with car seat furniture and pretty good food. Great for takeout these days. Within walking distance of my house.
Address: 3411 High St, Oakland, CA 94619 MUY AUTHENTICO great prices and good tacos. Be forewarned though that some of the lovely ladies are not wearing masks over noses.
Taqueria La Mejor
3411 High St
Address: 3411 High St, Oakland, CA 94619 MUY AUTHENTICO great prices and good tacos. Be forewarned though that some of the lovely ladies are not wearing masks over noses.
The best breakfast in the Bay Area, bar none. Doing outdoor dining during Covid. A local legend, their breakfasts are to die for. I love the potato pancakes. Their regular breakfasts with eggs and fried potatoes are PERFECTION.
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Bette's Oceanview Diner
1807A Fourth St
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The best breakfast in the Bay Area, bar none. Doing outdoor dining during Covid. A local legend, their breakfasts are to die for. I love the potato pancakes. Their regular breakfasts with eggs and fried potatoes are PERFECTION.
Famous for their green tea salad and rightly so. They have two locations. Now doing TAKEOUT. You can also buy their tea leaf salad dressings in selected local stores. The Telegraph Ave. location in Oakland is by far the better spot.
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Burma Superstar
4721 Telegraph Ave
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Famous for their green tea salad and rightly so. They have two locations. Now doing TAKEOUT. You can also buy their tea leaf salad dressings in selected local stores. The Telegraph Ave. location in Oakland is by far the better spot.
Famous for their chicken sandwiches (now also salads), I love their strawberry shortcake best. Call in advance (1-2 days) and they will make you one with organic strawberries.
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Bakesale Betty
5098 Telegraph Ave
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Famous for their chicken sandwiches (now also salads), I love their strawberry shortcake best. Call in advance (1-2 days) and they will make you one with organic strawberries.
Famous local bakery started by renowned foodie Alice Waters. This is a MUST SEE for any serious foodie visitors. You stand in the line. Then you reach the promised land inside. Only 1 customer at a time. An incredible assortment of goodies within.
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Acme Bread
1601 San Pablo Ave
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Famous local bakery started by renowned foodie Alice Waters. This is a MUST SEE for any serious foodie visitors. You stand in the line. Then you reach the promised land inside. Only 1 customer at a time. An incredible assortment of goodies within.
CLOSING DUE TO COVID. Fantastic DIM SUM in Oakland. Mostly Chinese customers.
Peony Seafood Restaurant
388 9th St
CLOSING DUE TO COVID. Fantastic DIM SUM in Oakland. Mostly Chinese customers.
Best pizzeria. Authentic Naples style.
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Gioia Pizzeria
1586 Hopkins St
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Best pizzeria. Authentic Naples style.
NOT OPEN DURING COVID PRE COVID: The restaurant that made California cuisine famous and transformed the Bay Area and the nation into fervent foodies. (During Covid, they are doing limited takeout).
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Chez Panisse
1517 Shattuck Ave
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NOT OPEN DURING COVID PRE COVID: The restaurant that made California cuisine famous and transformed the Bay Area and the nation into fervent foodies. (During Covid, they are doing limited takeout).
Cool ramen place, next to Oaksterdam U and across from Fox Theater
Itani Ramen
1736 Telegraph Ave
Cool ramen place, next to Oaksterdam U and across from Fox Theater
Upscale Mexican in downtown Berkeley that is very popular and FUN. Outdoor garden in back. Modern. Great margaritas and Guac.
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Comal
2020 Shattuck Ave
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Upscale Mexican in downtown Berkeley that is very popular and FUN. Outdoor garden in back. Modern. Great margaritas and Guac.
Well known Japanese chain. Trendy.
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Ippudo Berkeley
2015 Shattuck Ave
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Well known Japanese chain. Trendy.
The most amazing Japanese restaurant. Love this place. Not inexpensive, but...
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Ippuku
2130 Center St
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The most amazing Japanese restaurant. Love this place. Not inexpensive, but...
Tiny, local hole in the wall sushi place with great prices and sushi - fun atmosphere...
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Geta Japanese Restaurant
165 41st St
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Tiny, local hole in the wall sushi place with great prices and sushi - fun atmosphere...
North Berkeley's most famous produce market
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Monterey Market
1550 Hopkins St
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North Berkeley's most famous produce market
Our local natural foods market - on Macarthur. The same Asian family owners opened a newer and bigger one on Fruitvale.
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Farmer Joe's Marketplace
3501 MacArthur Blvd
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Our local natural foods market - on Macarthur. The same Asian family owners opened a newer and bigger one on Fruitvale.
Best local natural foods market - well loved. There is also a great bakery - La Farine - across the street.
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Farmer Joe's Marketplace
3501 MacArthur Blvd
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Best local natural foods market - well loved. There is also a great bakery - La Farine - across the street.
Famous local market
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Berkeley Bowl West
920 Heinz Ave
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Famous local market
Great Berkeley cafe...in the Elmwood...takeout or outdoor dining...excellent baked goods. I love their bacon.
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Baker & Commons
2900 College Ave
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Great Berkeley cafe...in the Elmwood...takeout or outdoor dining...excellent baked goods. I love their bacon.
Great bakeshop. Best in Berkeley. Coffee and lattes and contado, too. The scones are fab. The muffins amazing. The confetti cake and rose cakes incredible. And the prices are the lowest of any good bakery.
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Sweet Adeline Bakeshop
3350 Adeline St
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Great bakeshop. Best in Berkeley. Coffee and lattes and contado, too. The scones are fab. The muffins amazing. The confetti cake and rose cakes incredible. And the prices are the lowest of any good bakery.
Saturdays 9 - 1 The biggest farmers market. Locals sell African style stuff outside the market, too. You will see a good cross section of Oaklanders at this market
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Grand Lake Farmers Market
746 Grand Ave
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Saturdays 9 - 1 The biggest farmers market. Locals sell African style stuff outside the market, too. You will see a good cross section of Oaklanders at this market
Sunday mornings till 1? Upscale neighborhood. Great food purveyors and wonderful flowers.
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Temescal Farmer's Market
5300 Claremont Ave
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Sunday mornings till 1? Upscale neighborhood. Great food purveyors and wonderful flowers.
Want pour over coffee that will spoil you forever? This is the coffee fans' spot. They have various locations in Oakland. This one is on Piedmont Ave., a neighborhood that is chockablock with locals and shopping options. This location has 3 outdoor dining tables, too. Also have espresso drinks, of course. My favorite Blue Bottle is the one on Broadway in Oakland - the Morse building. Kind of an historic building they restored. (But no outdoor tables). A plus during COVID, they are the only Blue Bottle still serving their wonderful egg breakfast with two oh so perfectly poached eggs on toast.
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Blue Bottle Coffee
300 Webster St
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Want pour over coffee that will spoil you forever? This is the coffee fans' spot. They have various locations in Oakland. This one is on Piedmont Ave., a neighborhood that is chockablock with locals and shopping options. This location has 3 outdoor dining tables, too. Also have espresso drinks, of course. My favorite Blue Bottle is the one on Broadway in Oakland - the Morse building. Kind of an historic building they restored. (But no outdoor tables). A plus during COVID, they are the only Blue Bottle still serving their wonderful egg breakfast with two oh so perfectly poached eggs on toast.

Getting Around

This is the closest and safer of the two BART stations nearest to my house. Fruitvale Station is surrounded by a lively marketplace selling a huge variety of ethnic foods - everything from sugary breakfast treats to a James Beard nominated Middle Eastern restaurant. My favorite BART station is the Rockridge station, a little further away but in a very upscale shopping district with a huge variety of takeout options from excellent, high quality restaurants. If you're using Lyft, Fruitvale is cheaper. Parking is more of a problem during the weekdays at the Rockridge station as it is very very popular. After 10 am they release additional parking spaces there. Google maps will often direct visitors to the Coliseum BART station but I do not recommend it - especially not after dark.
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Fruitvale Station
Fruitvale Avenue
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This is the closest and safer of the two BART stations nearest to my house. Fruitvale Station is surrounded by a lively marketplace selling a huge variety of ethnic foods - everything from sugary breakfast treats to a James Beard nominated Middle Eastern restaurant. My favorite BART station is the Rockridge station, a little further away but in a very upscale shopping district with a huge variety of takeout options from excellent, high quality restaurants. If you're using Lyft, Fruitvale is cheaper. Parking is more of a problem during the weekdays at the Rockridge station as it is very very popular. After 10 am they release additional parking spaces there. Google maps will often direct visitors to the Coliseum BART station but I do not recommend it - especially not after dark.

Sightseeing

Historic landmark...great neighborhood. Hills!
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Coit Tower
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Historic landmark...great neighborhood. Hills!
The world's most amazing cheese store and one of the founders of the Gourmet Ghetto
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Cheese Board Bakery
1504 Shattuck Ave
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The world's most amazing cheese store and one of the founders of the Gourmet Ghetto
Berkeley's best shopping district...home to an Apple store, Bette's Oceanview Diner, Peets, Pasta Shop (gourmet food)...and much more...great to stroll and window-shop and eat and drink!
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Fourth Street
Fourth Street
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Berkeley's best shopping district...home to an Apple store, Bette's Oceanview Diner, Peets, Pasta Shop (gourmet food)...and much more...great to stroll and window-shop and eat and drink!

Neighborhoods

Fun to stroll around.
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Chinatown
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Fun to stroll around.
Foodie central...the area is home to Chez Panisse, the Cheeseboard (cheese shop and pizzeria)...and many other landmarks of California cuisine, etc. Free cheese sampling at the Cheeseboard...
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Gourmet Ghetto
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Foodie central...the area is home to Chez Panisse, the Cheeseboard (cheese shop and pizzeria)...and many other landmarks of California cuisine, etc. Free cheese sampling at the Cheeseboard...
Local services here: NEAREST NEIGHBORHOOD PROVISIONS AND SERVICES https://laureldistrictassociation.org
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Laurel
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Local services here: NEAREST NEIGHBORHOOD PROVISIONS AND SERVICES https://laureldistrictassociation.org

Shopping

My favorite home decor (plus clothing, etc) in trendy Rockridge area
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Maison D'Etre
5640 College Ave
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My favorite home decor (plus clothing, etc) in trendy Rockridge area
My favorite women's clothing. Great styles for women of all shapes and sizes, made from natural fibers and sewn in Berkeley. Great sales. They also have a store in North Berkeley on Vine St. but my favorite (and the bigger of the two) is the 4th St. location. The sales women are amazing!
Bryn Walker Retail Store
1799 Fourth St
My favorite women's clothing. Great styles for women of all shapes and sizes, made from natural fibers and sewn in Berkeley. Great sales. They also have a store in North Berkeley on Vine St. but my favorite (and the bigger of the two) is the 4th St. location. The sales women are amazing!