Having been born and raised in San Francisco, I never thought of Oakland as a food destination.
Fast forward to today and this couldn't be further from the truth, as the diverse town is home to a vibrant restaurant center, art galleries, a budding craft beer scene, charming bed and breakfasts, and even an urban wine trail.
"There's so much growth and new energy right now," says Grand Lake Kitchen owner May Seto Wasem about Oakland's transformation. "The people here are really savvy; they're at the farmer's market, they're cooking nice food at home, drinking interesting wines and they're all really supportive of this budding food scene Oakland now has."
Grand Lake Kitchen: 576 Grand Ave
Located across the street from scenic Lake Merritt and just steps from the historic Grand Lake Theater is the chic Grand Lake Kitchen. This bright, lively spot originally debuted as a local's favorite deli/ grocery; however, thanks to its huge popularity, it's recently opened its next-door dining room to accommodate more hungry patrons.
You can't go wrong with brunch. Start off with bone marrow and roasted allium vinaigrette or the picnic plate with country ham, pimento cheese, and bread and butter pickles. My favorite is the hearty and savory French toast, which comes with rye bread dipped in porcini batter, along with poached eggs, wild mushrooms and prosciutto. Then there's the rich braised pork belly with polenta, poached egg and queso fresco.
Wash it all down with boozy slushies like the Salty Dog with gin, crme de pamplemousse, grapefruit, sparkling ros and salt, or opt for a healthy Raw Juicery concoction like the melon ros: watermelon, rose water, lemon, baobab, mint and probiotics.
Drake's Dealership: 2325 Broadway
Drake's Dealership is a brick building located on Oakland's historic Broadway Auto Row. Once the parts and service department of an old Dodge dealership, today it's a full-service wood-fired pizza restaurant with 32 beers on tap, in addition to a retail store with growler station.
You can easily spend a whole afternoon or evening at Drake's, thanks to its dynamic open-air beer garden, which features fire pits, Adirondack seating and a live music stage.
All of the beer is brewed right in its East Bay brewery at San Leandro, which has been churning out acclaimed beers since 1989. If you love traditional West Coast style ales, there's no better place to enjoy one.
(P.S. Drake's prides itself on its fabulous cuisine just as much as it does its brew.)
Order the outrageous Frito Pie, which actually is served in a Fritos chip bag, or the decadent double duck gravy poutine. Round off the meal with a sweet n' sour, Razzlander Float: Macho Man Razzy Savage with raspberry sorbet.
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Rosenblum Cellars: 10 Clay Street
One of the stops on Oakland's Urban Wine Trail, Rosenblum Cellars lets you sip acclaimed Zinfandels and Rhone-style vinos while overlooking the Oakland Estuary.
With grapes from single-vineyards in Sonoma and Alexander Valley, along with a special variety of selected regional blends, Rosenblum has made more than 50 Zinfandels earning 90 or more points from Wine Spectator. Particularly love sparkling wines? Go for a beautiful flight of rainbow colored bubbly-your Instagram will thank you.
The tasting room is located in the center of Jack London Square-Oakland's leading waterfront attraction-where you can sip, shop and explore an eclectic and historical area of the city.
Peruse through local boutiques; coffeehouses that includes the much-loved Blue Bottle Coffee; chow down at countless eateries such as Everett & Jones BBQ; take in entertainment at Yoshi's, made famous for its live jazz; or you can grab a drink at California's second oldest bar, Heinold's First and Last Saloon, in addition to enjoying the energetic shopping scene.
Of course, you also have to check out the entire Oakland Wine Trail.
Woods Bar & Brewery: 1701 Telegraph Ave
Lovers of unique brews must stop at Woods Bar & Brewery, one of the establishments on the Oakland Ale Trail.
Specializing in small batches, this creative Bay Area favorite focuses on infusing local influences into its craft beer. Located in Uptown Oakland, this laid-back, trendy spot features a lush indoor-outdoor beer garden perfect for sipping your brew on nice days and nights.
While this is its flagship brewery, Woods Beer can be found at four other locations throughout the Bay Area. In addition to one-off beers on tap and guest brews, you can also indulge in El Porte?o empanadas throughout your evening. Here's an idea of the types of innovative brew they offer: They annually transform the classic (Girl Scout) cookies into beers such as the chocolate peanut butter stout and coconut caramel dubbel.
Yup, you should also scope out the entire Oakland Ale Trail while you're at it.
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Homeroom: 400 40th Street
It's everyone's favorite comfort foodon steroids. Yes, we're talking mac and cheese!
While you can create your own concoctions, Homeroom offers an extensive selection of masterfully crafted macs.
Like garlic? Opt for the Gilroy garlic mac with creamy gouda and Italian pecorino. Buffalo chicken fan? Get the buffalo chicken mac with Frank's Hot Red buffalo sauce and homemade ranch. Need a little sweet with your savory? Order the Hawaiian mac with pineapples and bacon.
Sure, the macs are the star of this show. but if you're feeling a bit guilty, veggies such as roasted Brussels sprouts and spicy cauliflower are also offered.
For dessert? Good luck trying to pass on options like the Homeroom Oreo or the big fudgy brownie with vanilla ice cream and homemade caramel.
Clove and hoof: 4001 Broadway
If you're craving meat, this is where you go.
You may have seen it on Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, where Guy Fieri claimed it to be "a real-deal butchery stacking up killer cheesesteak," and we all know Fieri doesn't lie.
This modern butcher shop both sells top-notch cuts that include chops, roasts, sausage and charcuterie-all made in-house. Also important to note, the owners are dedicated to using primarily whole animals raised responsibly. What to get? Any of its insanely satisfying sandwiches.
Personal favorites include the c & h burger with two four-ounce beef patties and caramelized onion jam; or the cheesesteak with thinly sliced sirloin, onion confit, grilled and marinated mushrooms, matchstick turnips and warm beer cheese fondue.
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