Oakland is a city full of incredible, diverse restaurants, hidden away from the national spotlight by San Francisco’s ever growing mountain of culinary giants. It’s no surprise to find a melange of diverse restaurants in California, but the sheer quantity of them in Oakland is kind of mind blowing. Whether you’re just visiting or you’ve made the move, never fear: we’re here to guide you to some of the best food and drinks in Oakland.

Breakfast and Coffee Shops

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so a stop at Beauty’s Bagel Shop is in order. These wood-fired rings of carb perfection come in all your favorite flavors, but if a bagel and schmear isn’t enough, go for one of their famous breakfast sandwiches. If you prefer drinking your first meal of the day, you can stop by the original Blue Bottle Coffee shop (but please, try their Liege waffle) or check out the newer Modern Coffee.

Date Night

Modern Spanish restaurant Duende’s makes for a great date spot, combining a large pintxos and tapas menu with a stellar bar program and a dark, intimate interior. If you feel like going wild, they offer paella platters large enough to serve four people.

A trio of former Chez Panisse chefs opened Ramen Shop, which serves…ramen. But not just any ramen! The menu changes with what’s available, which means sometimes you’ll have a miso ramen with local delicata squash and sometimes you’ll have one with corn. Ramen Shop is about as intimate as it gets. Patrons line up to grab a bowl of their ramen, and the small space makes it perfect for getting close to that special someone. Plus, it’s located in Rockridge, one of Oakland’s trendiest neighborhoods, so you can do some window shopping or grab a drink while you wait for your name to be called.

Get Your Dumpling, Tea Leaf Salad, and Lumpia Fix

If you’re looking for Asian restaurants, look no further! Shan Dong Restaurant is a noodle and dumpling paradise. We recommend ordering as many of the pork and vegetable dumplings as you can handle (that’s a balanced meal, right?). Chances are high you’ve never had Burmese cuisine before, and, even if you have, it probably hasn’t been as good as the always-busy Grocery Cafe. The Tea Leaf Salad is a must-try, but you really can’t go wrong here.

Authenticity reigns supreme in NorCal dining, so if you want to try Filipino street food, head to Lucky Three Seven. This cafeteria-style restaurant posts their menu on their Facebook page daily—keep your eyes peeled—and it usually features some type of tasty lumpia.

International Fare

It wouldn’t be dining out in California if there weren’t a slew of restaurants that combine international cuisines with local California produce. Hopscotch—which American classics made with Japanese flair, like tri tip steak with sesame chimichurri and soba noodle bucatini (don’t sleep on their cocktail menu either!).

Heading south of the border, you have places like Miss Ollie’s and Nido. Miss Ollie’s is Caribbean, with signature items like her jerk shrimp, skillet-fried chicken, and island-style pork, while Nido is focused on Mexico’s central and Pacific coast regions. As with the others, the menu changes seasonally, but you can rest assured knowing that things like their mole coloradito quesadilla, local ceviches, and pollo asado will always be there to make your day better. If making a decision is too hard, just go to Swan’s Market. This historic building houses ten local restaurants (including Miss Ollie’s) ranging from a Japanese izakaya to homemade Mexican cuisine.

Feeling Fancy?

For the haute cuisine lovers, there’s only one place that should be on your list: Commis. Commis is the only two Michelin star restaurant in Oakland, and one of only a handful in the whole country. Chef James Syhabout has worked at elBulli, Fat Duck, and Manresa, so you know you’re going to be eating some wild, incredibly inventive modern dishes when you come.

Don’t Skip the Drinks

When eating is done and it’s time to imbibe, Oakland has some solid options. If you feel like being fancy, head to Commis’ sister spot, CDP Bar. CDP focuses on rare and high end brandy and sparkling wines, though they have a stellar cocktail menu and some tasty bites, as well. For more normal bar options, you could pop into Drexl, a dark and cozy spot with a speakeasy vibe, or pretend you’re Don Draper at The Miranda with its pink flamingo chairs and slightly tropical decor.

Maybe the most famous bar in town, though, is the Starline Social Club. Housed in a three-story Victorian dating back to 1893, it’s always bustling with concerts, art galleries, book readings, and drinking (of course). Its 2015 interior renovation combines simplicity and minimalist design with the building’s history—that, combined with the fact you never know what events will be happening on site, make this a hipster’s dream bar.

If you didn’t know before, you do now: Oakland has an incredible dining scene. From mouthwatering ramen and filipino street food to inventive, Michelin star restaurants and homemade Mexican cuisine, this city has it all. Take a look at the apartments for rent in Oakland and get yourself a new place to call home before you explore the bustling food scene in this East Bay hub.

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