必比登$$Contemporary, Vietnamese
A stone’s throw from the 580 but seemingly a world apart, this handsome locale—ensconced in the arbored suburban quietude of San Leandro—offers a uniquely pleasurable experience. Husband-and-wife co-owners Matthew Beavers and DanVy Vu opted to honor this fixture’s former life as a family-owned hat shop by keeping the name—and the well-crafted cocktails are also dubbed with nods to millinery.Chef Vu leads the kitchen, and her skillful contemporary combination of Vietnamese and Californian flavors is tantalizing. Crunchy seared rice cakes come packed with savory goodness, and meltingly tender br
必比登$Mexican, Regional Cuisine
From the symphonic blend of top-quality flavors in the kitchen to the brightly hued dining room walls decked with Aztec-inspired figures, this family-run spot delivers a taste of Mexico City. The two brothers behind this operation, which started as a wildly popular food truck, present delicacies like huaraches and quesadilla de huitlacoche that rarely appear on other menus in town. Here, quesadillas are made from house-made tortillas, so try the one filled with squash blossom, queso fresco and tomatillo salsa. Tortas are a draw at lunch, while the pambazo—with bread dipped in guajillo sauce an
必比登$$Thai, Californian
The path to this Laurel District hotspot began when owner Kao Saelee, an Oakland native with Thai roots, first introduced his wife, Jo, to the cuisine, and it’s precisely that spirit of cultural exchange you’ll find embodied here. The menu displays the bold, balanced flavors typical of Thai cuisine, but isn’t overly concerned with hewing to tradition. That creative, irreverent approach is exemplified in dishes like a signature take on drunken noodles, which features smoky barbecue brisket, or a pork burger seasoned to resemble the complex herbaceous flavors of laab. Diners with delicate palate
必比登$$Californian
On the quaint island of Alameda comes this causal concept from restaurateurs, Mike Yakura and Danny Sterling. The entrance is in keeping with its industrial interior design, complete with a counter and kitchen in full view, exposed ductwork, and an indigo-blue ceiling.Billing itself as a Californian rotisserie, the menu is also strewn with Hawaiian and Japanese accents—behold such unorthodox sides as a Napa slaw, with pickled red kraut, carrot, and creamy sesame dressing. Top-notch meats take center stage, with starters (corn fritters with strawberry jam, anyone?) to boot. Marinated in koji an
必比登$$Mexican, Californian
Fire provides the central motif for this boisterous community staple, from the venue itself (a former fire station) to the name (Spanish for fire woman), all the way to a crackling wood-fired oven that not only animates the kitchen, but also provides ash used to nixtamalize corn for house-made masa. All of this seems perfectly fitting for Chef Dominica Rice-Cisneros, whose passion has helped to shape Oakland's current Mexican restaurant scene, combining a locavore pedigree and fine dining chops with a respect for the generational knowledge of heritage cooking. The single best illustration migh