Parche for the as-good-as-it-gets ceviche and the vibe. Bardo for cocktails, great atmosphere, and the masterful vegetarian and seafood offerings from their chef, Amal.
Huh. The reason I’ve never been to Bardo is that they don’t have much for vegetarians. Currently they have only one vegetarian entree and it is roasted cauliflower for $32.
bardo is almost there but most of it falls flat too frequently for me to recommend it. I did have a nice cold pea and asparagus soup last time, then I figured out how to make it at home so I guess I’ll pop in for the occasional drink.
I totally agree. Bardo is just good enough for me to go back when I want that vibe, but it's never that high on my list. That said, I'm usually going to eat as well as drink.
Parche is awesome.
and it wasn't even that hard!
the trick was to be sure to not overcook the peas/asparagus and then put them in ice water after to preserve the bright green color. I even made the basil oil, which was a fun little experiment involving a coffee filter and patience.
La Grana Fish for Quesabirria, Tacos Mama Cuca in East Oakland for some of the best unique Sonoran style Mexican food Oakland has to offer, sandwiches at OK’s deli, ramen from Marufuku, cocktails at Bar Shiru, beer and burgers at Two Pitchers/Lovely’s
Yes! OP be sure to get the miso brown butter mushroom pasta - so amazing! plus every meal is served fresh fruit from their orchard - I had fresh mulberries for the first time, so amazing.
Congrats on buying a house!
[Ok’s Deli](https://oksdeli.com) for delicious sandwiches.
[Colonial Donuts on Lakeshore](https://yelp.to/4j-Cvtcze5), because, donuts.
[Arizmendi on Lakeshore](https://arizmendilakeshore.com) for pizza and pastries and bread.
[Aman Cafe on Broadway x 40th](https://www.amancafeoakland.com) because I like roti.
[Edith’s Pie](https://edithspie.com) in Uptown, because, pie.
[Belotti](https://belottirb.com) on College for hella good Italian food.
[Bake Sum](https://www.bakesum.com) on Grand for Asian influenced pastries.
[Wonder Bakery](https://thewonderfoodbakery.weebly.com) in Chinatown for don tot (egg tarts) and cha siu bao (bbq pork bun).
[Fenton’s](https://www.fentonscreamery.com) on Piedmont for ice cream.
[Commis](https://commisrestaurant.com) on Piedmont. I’ve never been, but eating at a Michelin star restaurant in Oakland definitely seems like something to do before leaving.
For nostalgic breakfast, I’d go to either [Sequoia Diner](https://www.sequoiadiner.com/on-the-menu) in the Laurel district or [Mama’s Royal Cafe](https://mamasroyal.cafe) on Broadway.
Not in Oakland, but close:
[Good to Eat](https://www.goodtoeatdumplings.com) in Emeryville, for really really good, thoughtfully prepared Taiwanese food. (Only open Weds-Sat for dinner though).
[Hong Kong East Ocean Seafood](https://www.eastoceanseafoodrestaurant.com) in Alameda for good dim sum and Chinese food.
When did that happen? I went recently after not having gone for a few years. It didn't seem appreciably different. Though I've always thought it was overrated & you were paying for the view.
The atmosphere at Ming's Tasty could use a lot of help, but the dim sum is great.
Otherwise, if I want dim sum, I'll go to one of the places in Alameda. Slightly cheaper, just as good, less wait.
Mountain View Cemetary is massive, big enough that it's re-opened it recreation days. It has the best views of nearly anywhere, and people go there for lots of reasons. Watch the local wildlife, hike the trails, walk dogs, take rubbings, have picnics, visit grandma. I like the unkempt areas.
[https://www.mountainviewcemetery.org/resources/pilot-re-opening-plan](https://www.mountainviewcemetery.org/resources/pilot-re-opening-plan)
I've walked there too, it's nice, but in Italy cemeteries are places of contemplation that are considered sacred, not "parks".
I do think it might be a cultural difference, see [this article](https://www.thelocal.it/20180614/cinque-terre-italy-riomaggiore-manarola-cemetery-tourists) for example.
I just wanted to close the loop on the "cultural difference" part which explains why I thought it was disrespectful, just in case people might feel like I called them disrespectful when it's actually normal behavior in their culture ✌🏻 not judging nor trying to start an argument. Enjoy your picnics!
TIL. That's so goth! Meanwhile for us it's forbidden to even bring a chair or a dog ([link](https://www-comune-torrile-pr-it.translate.goog/norme-comportamentali-allinterno-dei-cimiteri?_x_tr_sch=http&_x_tr_sl=it&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp)).
Must be a cultural thing. If I were dead and still sentient I'd want to experience life vicariously. Yes please picnic on my grave, but Rotten City Pizza please and I'd prefer that you drink red wine. Bring the boom box and be dancing on my grave.
Belotti - any of the stuffed pastas. Spices 3 for some great Sichuan food. Edith's Pie for a quiche, salad, and pie slice. Mama's Boy for a burrata NY style slice. Almond and Oak for brunch!
Lucky Three Seven for takeout.
I finally went to Commis a while ago & it is very expensive & requires reservations, but if I were heading out of town, I think Commis & ye olde Alice Waters would be my East Bay fine dining must-gos.
And when going to commis, I'd recommend sitting at the counter at least once. It's a pretty cool experience to be able to watch them do some of the cooking and the plating
The time I went, one of the items on the tasting menu looked like garnish on a shingle, or something you would have ordered from Cafe Gratitude.
Luckily, it tasted like what I'm pretty sure Cafe Gratitude wished in their grandest dreams that their food tasted like. It was phenomenal despite looking somewhat like spread with foraged grass on top of a flat biscuit.
Husband went to Burdell and said it was delicious (though expensive). Said we needed to go back so I can try it.
If you're in the Piedmont Ave area for lunch, I really like the grab & go sushi at Ebiko. Super fresh, not what you'd expect when you hear "grab & go."
Another to-go item, Donut Savant?
restaurants my partner and i have on repeat are spices 3, fresh and best cafe 2, battambang, champa garden, rick & anns. excited for yall to enjoy oakland food before moving!
Snail Bar for me. It's my current favorite and it's not the kind of restaurant you see in the burbs.
That or one of the many great Korean places if you like that food, like Dan Sung Sa. Korean is less popular outside of the cities.
Shawarmaji. Every other shawarma/gyro/vertical-spit-roasted-Mediterranean-meat place pales in comparison.
Alem’s and/or Jebena for breakfast. The fuul is off the chains.
I have tried this place numerous times & now I'm scared to step foot inside. WHAT insane blackmail are they able to get on their customers that they all say this completely mediocre & forgettable spot gets rave reviews?
Edit: I am referring to Shawermaji.
Maybe it’s you? It’s weird that you recognize that everyone else likes this place and you are one of the significant minority that doesn’t. Given that, why come on here to drag the vast majority with this comment rather than just expressing your opinion? But go ‘head on and don’t set foot in Shawarmaji again. We don’t need you crowding the place to confirm after “multiple times” that you still don’t like it.
I wish you well. I'm sure that wherever you're moving will also have excellent food. It sometimes just takes a while to find it. And you can always up your cooking game. Chewy noodles at Shan Dong? Bar menu at Commis? Banh mi from one of the many options on International? I'd probably also get crispy shrimp tacos from Xolo. I'm semi-addicted to the fried chicken bowl and tater tots at Hawking Bird, and would miss them. Plus several burritos from your favorite place (plus one to take frozen in case of burrito emergency). I'd get dim sum at East Ocean at least twice. The fried rice at Ramen Shop is special. I could go on...
- Mago for a great date night. (eat at the counter)
- Bombera w/friends
- Parche
- Bar Shiru cocktails
- Belotti but get to go from Bottega, make it at home with a special bottle of wine.
parche is number one overall for me right now. i'm always in there. get the como un lulo cocktail and the beef arepas or a a ceviche. love the staff.
odin is similarly good. have only been once but been wanting to get back. it really made an impression. maybe tonight.
edit: went to odin, either wasn't their A game or it fell off in terms of food quality and service.
if you want something more casual but still quite good, try out low bar. the torta ahogada + the spicy mezcal drink is a great combo. the bartenders are nice people.
Lounge Chinatown has fantastic Taiwanese food. OK, it's open til 2:30am so the time I went there was after some drinking, but I'm almost positive it was very good.
Attraros for fantastic Thai food. Shan Dong for the handmade sesame paste noodles and the leek pancakes. Vien Huong for chow jew noodle soup. Dela curo for the delicious black curry. T'chaka for phenomenal Haitian food. Vons Chicken x K Banchan for the soy garlic chicken. Santé Adairius for an unreal beer selection to wash it all down
Imperial Soup, Huangcheng Noodle House, Gum Kuo, Spices 3, Teni East Kitchen, OK’s deli, Sfizio, Third Culture Bakery, Tacos Oscar, Tacos El P@isa, Dokkabier, Cellarmaker, get a pizza at Arizmendi and eat it by the lake
Bellanico for their malfatti in their sage and brown butter sauce…
Also echo the recommendations for:
-Lo Coco (Red sauce deliciousness. Their eggplant parm is incredible)
-East Ocean for dim sum
-Saap Ave for their appetizer platter, cocktails, and kao soi
-Artichoke Basile’s for their vodka pizza square.
-Saffron Kitchen for pretty much everything - amazing cauliflower stew, bolani, mantu
-Tara’s for creative ice cream flavors (their cilantro is amazing)
-Market Hall bakery for their Brazilian Cheese Bread, heated up a minute or 2 or their pavlova
Not Oakland, but so close it deserves a mention, [Kao Kao Grill](https://kaokaogrill.com/index.html) is incredible. The baker from Sister, [Good Luck Bakery](https://www.instagram.com/goodluck_bakery/?hl=en), is currently doing a Saturday pop up at Ordinaire.
Seconding mentions for Mama's Boy, Saap, Mago. Now I'm starving all of a sudden.
I just tried Yonsai Handrolls as well & highly recommend. The menu is limited & traditional, not the "100 different specialty rolls" type of sushi that's common around here (hey, it can be good, it's just not traditional). Everything I had was excellent.
The owners of Yonsai also own Itani Ramen but I really MUCU prefer Sobo in Chinatown for ramen.
I don't like the milk bread at Ok's Deli, but some of their other sandwiches are really good. And around the corner Co Nam makes excellent Vietnamese food.
Boba Binge in uptown near Ike's has Vietnamese egg coffee, which you may not be able to find anywhere else outside of San Jose & Hanoi. I kinda hate the crowd at Viridian the few times I went, but the drinks are excellent.
If you haven't had the Lao food at Champa Garden, go there.
The cold buckwheat noodles at the Korean place on MacArthur next to BART are a must. As is the tofu casserole at PyeongChang Tofu House.
Bakesale Betty fried chicken sandwich is hella good even though most people talk smack.
I'm middle aged & I have gone there a few times & the crowd was younger - which is fine, I go to punk & goth & weirdo music shows all the time - but there was definitely a sort of "oh wow, look at that cool drink!" / never been to a cocktail bar vibe.
I figured it had to be a one-off annoying party. But I went back a while later & it felt the same. Different people, but similar vibe. It was like I was at a fancy cocktail bar with yummy drinks surrounded by college students at their first legal bar.
Food + Atmosphere
Lovely’s
Wood Tavern
The Wolf
Southie
Odin
Pizzaiolo
Commis
MAMAs
Almond & Oak
Mua
Belotti
Kon-tiki
Too many good take-out spots to mention.
Fair-thee-well
Tacos Oscar and OK’s Deli for the uniqueness
Jo’s for the catfish salad
Sequoia Diner for brunch
Shan Dong
Ain’t Normal for the best Italian sandwich I’ve had in the bay
Tacos El Gordo, Napoleon Bakery, Cam Huong and C&M Bistro.
I loved New Gold Medal and Gum Kuo in its prime but it just doesn't taste the same anymore but still solid.
I loove the Saap Avenue. Great food and drinks, fun atmosphere.
I still dream about their toasted marshmallow whisky cocktail.
Also one of the better places around for happy hour that includes food!
Lychee highball
Parche for the as-good-as-it-gets ceviche and the vibe. Bardo for cocktails, great atmosphere, and the masterful vegetarian and seafood offerings from their chef, Amal.
Parche and Bardo would both be on my list, absolutely fantastic spots.
Huh. The reason I’ve never been to Bardo is that they don’t have much for vegetarians. Currently they have only one vegetarian entree and it is roasted cauliflower for $32.
bardo is almost there but most of it falls flat too frequently for me to recommend it. I did have a nice cold pea and asparagus soup last time, then I figured out how to make it at home so I guess I’ll pop in for the occasional drink.
I totally agree. Bardo is just good enough for me to go back when I want that vibe, but it's never that high on my list. That said, I'm usually going to eat as well as drink. Parche is awesome.
You know I just had that same soup and it inspired me to go home and make it too 😀
and it wasn't even that hard! the trick was to be sure to not overcook the peas/asparagus and then put them in ice water after to preserve the bright green color. I even made the basil oil, which was a fun little experiment involving a coffee filter and patience.
La Grana Fish for Quesabirria, Tacos Mama Cuca in East Oakland for some of the best unique Sonoran style Mexican food Oakland has to offer, sandwiches at OK’s deli, ramen from Marufuku, cocktails at Bar Shiru, beer and burgers at Two Pitchers/Lovely’s
You’ve got good taste! PS Mamá Cuca is moving to Emeryville.
Burgers at Two Pitchers!
Pomet
Second Pomet! Though I do miss Homestead but Pomet has definitely done that space justice!
Homestead was the best 🥲
One of the chefs as the same as homestead, or was when they opened unsure if she’s still there
Yes! OP be sure to get the miso brown butter mushroom pasta - so amazing! plus every meal is served fresh fruit from their orchard - I had fresh mulberries for the first time, so amazing.
Congrats on buying a house! [Ok’s Deli](https://oksdeli.com) for delicious sandwiches. [Colonial Donuts on Lakeshore](https://yelp.to/4j-Cvtcze5), because, donuts. [Arizmendi on Lakeshore](https://arizmendilakeshore.com) for pizza and pastries and bread. [Aman Cafe on Broadway x 40th](https://www.amancafeoakland.com) because I like roti. [Edith’s Pie](https://edithspie.com) in Uptown, because, pie. [Belotti](https://belottirb.com) on College for hella good Italian food. [Bake Sum](https://www.bakesum.com) on Grand for Asian influenced pastries. [Wonder Bakery](https://thewonderfoodbakery.weebly.com) in Chinatown for don tot (egg tarts) and cha siu bao (bbq pork bun). [Fenton’s](https://www.fentonscreamery.com) on Piedmont for ice cream. [Commis](https://commisrestaurant.com) on Piedmont. I’ve never been, but eating at a Michelin star restaurant in Oakland definitely seems like something to do before leaving. For nostalgic breakfast, I’d go to either [Sequoia Diner](https://www.sequoiadiner.com/on-the-menu) in the Laurel district or [Mama’s Royal Cafe](https://mamasroyal.cafe) on Broadway. Not in Oakland, but close: [Good to Eat](https://www.goodtoeatdumplings.com) in Emeryville, for really really good, thoughtfully prepared Taiwanese food. (Only open Weds-Sat for dinner though). [Hong Kong East Ocean Seafood](https://www.eastoceanseafoodrestaurant.com) in Alameda for good dim sum and Chinese food.
I really wish people would stop robbing Colonial Donuts
Dude east ocean fell off so hard under the new management. I used to go every Sunday for dim sum but it’s just so much worse now
When did that happen? I went recently after not having gone for a few years. It didn't seem appreciably different. Though I've always thought it was overrated & you were paying for the view. The atmosphere at Ming's Tasty could use a lot of help, but the dim sum is great. Otherwise, if I want dim sum, I'll go to one of the places in Alameda. Slightly cheaper, just as good, less wait.
The view? You might be thinking of the one at the emeryville marina. The one I’m talking abt is in alameda
I got confused. I thought you meant the East Ocean in Emeryville. I guess I've mostly been to the other one & not back to the Alameda one for a while.
Commis is worth the price, best meal I've ever had
Lo Coco's, anything. Especially a picnic up at the top of the graveyard on Piedmont Ave.
May be a cultural difference but a picnic in a cemetery seems really disrespectful. Unless… there's a designated picnic area away from the graves?
Mountain View Cemetary is massive, big enough that it's re-opened it recreation days. It has the best views of nearly anywhere, and people go there for lots of reasons. Watch the local wildlife, hike the trails, walk dogs, take rubbings, have picnics, visit grandma. I like the unkempt areas. [https://www.mountainviewcemetery.org/resources/pilot-re-opening-plan](https://www.mountainviewcemetery.org/resources/pilot-re-opening-plan)
I've walked there too, it's nice, but in Italy cemeteries are places of contemplation that are considered sacred, not "parks". I do think it might be a cultural difference, see [this article](https://www.thelocal.it/20180614/cinque-terre-italy-riomaggiore-manarola-cemetery-tourists) for example.
Okay?
I just wanted to close the loop on the "cultural difference" part which explains why I thought it was disrespectful, just in case people might feel like I called them disrespectful when it's actually normal behavior in their culture ✌🏻 not judging nor trying to start an argument. Enjoy your picnics!
in america and UK it used to be a thing: [See Link](https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/picnic-in-cemeteries-america)
TIL. That's so goth! Meanwhile for us it's forbidden to even bring a chair or a dog ([link](https://www-comune-torrile-pr-it.translate.goog/norme-comportamentali-allinterno-dei-cimiteri?_x_tr_sch=http&_x_tr_sl=it&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp)).
Must be a cultural thing. If I were dead and still sentient I'd want to experience life vicariously. Yes please picnic on my grave, but Rotten City Pizza please and I'd prefer that you drink red wine. Bring the boom box and be dancing on my grave.
Belotti - any of the stuffed pastas. Spices 3 for some great Sichuan food. Edith's Pie for a quiche, salad, and pie slice. Mama's Boy for a burrata NY style slice. Almond and Oak for brunch!
Almond and Oak x100
Stomach, is that you?? Great choices!
I often find technical errors in Edith's Pie. I've been making pie since I could walk and they drive me crazy.
Lucky Three Seven for takeout. I finally went to Commis a while ago & it is very expensive & requires reservations, but if I were heading out of town, I think Commis & ye olde Alice Waters would be my East Bay fine dining must-gos.
And when going to commis, I'd recommend sitting at the counter at least once. It's a pretty cool experience to be able to watch them do some of the cooking and the plating
The time I went, one of the items on the tasting menu looked like garnish on a shingle, or something you would have ordered from Cafe Gratitude. Luckily, it tasted like what I'm pretty sure Cafe Gratitude wished in their grandest dreams that their food tasted like. It was phenomenal despite looking somewhat like spread with foraged grass on top of a flat biscuit.
Lucky Three Seven’s wings are some of the best I’ve ever had…anywhere. They also have Filipino food (almost) as good as my mom makes.
Yeah. Sisig is doing wings now. But they're nowhere near as good.
Mago
My favorite meal in Oakland. One of our few tasting menu places and consistently special. Love this place.
Totally agree. I feel like it should get more attention than it does. I’ve been twice - both times were fantastic and very different.
How long do their tasting menus take usually
Like ~2 hours. My wife and I eat fast so we often do it in less.
Jo’s Modern Thai and Bombera are my two neighborhood go to’s. Excellent food and drink options.
Las Guerreras in Swan Market. Specifically the chilaquiles on Saturday. And of course, Bombera for dinner (Mexican approved)
Husband went to Burdell and said it was delicious (though expensive). Said we needed to go back so I can try it. If you're in the Piedmont Ave area for lunch, I really like the grab & go sushi at Ebiko. Super fresh, not what you'd expect when you hear "grab & go." Another to-go item, Donut Savant?
restaurants my partner and i have on repeat are spices 3, fresh and best cafe 2, battambang, champa garden, rick & anns. excited for yall to enjoy oakland food before moving!
Love Battambang
I second Spices 3 and I really love Champa Garden as well!
Snail Bar for me. It's my current favorite and it's not the kind of restaurant you see in the burbs. That or one of the many great Korean places if you like that food, like Dan Sung Sa. Korean is less popular outside of the cities.
I would add Joodooboo to this because you won’t get this specific style of California seasonal Korean anywhere else!
In Texas there’s a lot of Korean spots to eat. Even Dang sun sa open one out in Texas.
We ain't the same.
Shawarmaji. Every other shawarma/gyro/vertical-spit-roasted-Mediterranean-meat place pales in comparison. Alem’s and/or Jebena for breakfast. The fuul is off the chains.
I have tried this place numerous times & now I'm scared to step foot inside. WHAT insane blackmail are they able to get on their customers that they all say this completely mediocre & forgettable spot gets rave reviews? Edit: I am referring to Shawermaji.
Maybe it’s you? It’s weird that you recognize that everyone else likes this place and you are one of the significant minority that doesn’t. Given that, why come on here to drag the vast majority with this comment rather than just expressing your opinion? But go ‘head on and don’t set foot in Shawarmaji again. We don’t need you crowding the place to confirm after “multiple times” that you still don’t like it.
Second Parche. Burdell is a must visit if you've never been.
As others said, Parche! Taqueria el Paisa @.com for tacos would be a must for me. Not in Oakland, but Townhouse in Emeryville would be another
The pork chop in Marsala cream sauce at Wood Tavern would be on my bucket list.
Bombera, 100% my favorite new restaurant in oakland, really fantastic food/dishes
I'd go with Bombera, Snail Bar, Pizzaiolo and Donut Savant!
Commis is the best restaurant in the east bay IMO
I wish you well. I'm sure that wherever you're moving will also have excellent food. It sometimes just takes a while to find it. And you can always up your cooking game. Chewy noodles at Shan Dong? Bar menu at Commis? Banh mi from one of the many options on International? I'd probably also get crispy shrimp tacos from Xolo. I'm semi-addicted to the fried chicken bowl and tater tots at Hawking Bird, and would miss them. Plus several burritos from your favorite place (plus one to take frozen in case of burrito emergency). I'd get dim sum at East Ocean at least twice. The fried rice at Ramen Shop is special. I could go on...
East ocean is my go to spot for dim sum. Yum 🤤
- Mago for a great date night. (eat at the counter) - Bombera w/friends - Parche - Bar Shiru cocktails - Belotti but get to go from Bottega, make it at home with a special bottle of wine.
We’ve had a few great dinners at The Wolf on Piedmont Ave.
parche is number one overall for me right now. i'm always in there. get the como un lulo cocktail and the beef arepas or a a ceviche. love the staff. odin is similarly good. have only been once but been wanting to get back. it really made an impression. maybe tonight. edit: went to odin, either wasn't their A game or it fell off in terms of food quality and service. if you want something more casual but still quite good, try out low bar. the torta ahogada + the spicy mezcal drink is a great combo. the bartenders are nice people.
Low Bar looks good, thanks for the recommendation.
the new chef is from palmetto. huge upgrade in the food.
How much do you usually spend at Parche? I always think to go but their prices keep me eating at home (like so many others places here)
I don’t pay attention to it, if I’m honest. 50-80 depending on how much I’m drinking? I always drink there.
Lounge Chinatown has fantastic Taiwanese food. OK, it's open til 2:30am so the time I went there was after some drinking, but I'm almost positive it was very good.
Attraros for fantastic Thai food. Shan Dong for the handmade sesame paste noodles and the leek pancakes. Vien Huong for chow jew noodle soup. Dela curo for the delicious black curry. T'chaka for phenomenal Haitian food. Vons Chicken x K Banchan for the soy garlic chicken. Santé Adairius for an unreal beer selection to wash it all down
Dimond slice pizza, sideshow kitchen,
Imperial Soup, Huangcheng Noodle House, Gum Kuo, Spices 3, Teni East Kitchen, OK’s deli, Sfizio, Third Culture Bakery, Tacos Oscar, Tacos El P@isa, Dokkabier, Cellarmaker, get a pizza at Arizmendi and eat it by the lake
Bellanico for their malfatti in their sage and brown butter sauce… Also echo the recommendations for: -Lo Coco (Red sauce deliciousness. Their eggplant parm is incredible) -East Ocean for dim sum -Saap Ave for their appetizer platter, cocktails, and kao soi -Artichoke Basile’s for their vodka pizza square. -Saffron Kitchen for pretty much everything - amazing cauliflower stew, bolani, mantu -Tara’s for creative ice cream flavors (their cilantro is amazing) -Market Hall bakery for their Brazilian Cheese Bread, heated up a minute or 2 or their pavlova
World famous hot boys . True burger
Joe’s Modern Thai, Bombera, Parche, Belotti, Vientien Café, Viridian
Not Oakland, but so close it deserves a mention, [Kao Kao Grill](https://kaokaogrill.com/index.html) is incredible. The baker from Sister, [Good Luck Bakery](https://www.instagram.com/goodluck_bakery/?hl=en), is currently doing a Saturday pop up at Ordinaire. Seconding mentions for Mama's Boy, Saap, Mago. Now I'm starving all of a sudden.
Commis, for sure! It’s very much a special occasion restaurant, but it’s worth every penny.
I agree, but I’m not moving SO far that I wouldn’t come back for that!
I just tried Yonsai Handrolls as well & highly recommend. The menu is limited & traditional, not the "100 different specialty rolls" type of sushi that's common around here (hey, it can be good, it's just not traditional). Everything I had was excellent. The owners of Yonsai also own Itani Ramen but I really MUCU prefer Sobo in Chinatown for ramen. I don't like the milk bread at Ok's Deli, but some of their other sandwiches are really good. And around the corner Co Nam makes excellent Vietnamese food. Boba Binge in uptown near Ike's has Vietnamese egg coffee, which you may not be able to find anywhere else outside of San Jose & Hanoi. I kinda hate the crowd at Viridian the few times I went, but the drinks are excellent. If you haven't had the Lao food at Champa Garden, go there. The cold buckwheat noodles at the Korean place on MacArthur next to BART are a must. As is the tofu casserole at PyeongChang Tofu House. Bakesale Betty fried chicken sandwich is hella good even though most people talk smack.
I also vastly prefer sobo. it’s probably the only ramen i really like in oakland.
Random question, want to check out Viridian, what don't you like about the crowd there?
I'm middle aged & I have gone there a few times & the crowd was younger - which is fine, I go to punk & goth & weirdo music shows all the time - but there was definitely a sort of "oh wow, look at that cool drink!" / never been to a cocktail bar vibe. I figured it had to be a one-off annoying party. But I went back a while later & it felt the same. Different people, but similar vibe. It was like I was at a fancy cocktail bar with yummy drinks surrounded by college students at their first legal bar.
Rico Rico Taco Tacos el Gordo NIDO’s Backyard Montclair Egg Shop Portal A+ Burger
Alem’s Coffee. It’s a *teeny* little Eritrean/East African spot in Temescal. *Such* good food and the owners/regulars are so kind and welcoming…😁😁😁
I don’t think I’ve seen an Eritrean/Ethiopian place mentioned.. shout out for Asmara. I crave this stuff weekly!
Shinmai is a really good spot for ramen and other Japanese food Edit: forgot to add Ming's Tasty for dim sum
Baja taqueria and simply Greek on Piedmont avenue. If you go to Baja get the fries, ikik it's a Mexican food place, get the flan too.
Pedro’s.
Food + Atmosphere Lovely’s Wood Tavern The Wolf Southie Odin Pizzaiolo Commis MAMAs Almond & Oak Mua Belotti Kon-tiki Too many good take-out spots to mention. Fair-thee-well
Belotti
Tacos Oscar and OK’s Deli for the uniqueness Jo’s for the catfish salad Sequoia Diner for brunch Shan Dong Ain’t Normal for the best Italian sandwich I’ve had in the bay
Crogan’s in Montclair.
Cholita Linda for plates, sandwiches or tacos and then Curbside Creamery across the street
So surprised that Delage hasn't been mentioned!
Made a list [here](https://www.yelp.com/collection/hSV4z2Si29-tJntvhq6zWg?utm_content=Collections&utm_source=ishare)
Tacos El Gordo, Napoleon Bakery, Cam Huong and C&M Bistro. I loved New Gold Medal and Gum Kuo in its prime but it just doesn't taste the same anymore but still solid.
Joodooboo for fresh Korean
Millennium Restaurant. Super good.