For food lovers, Oaklandโs restaurant scene is a feast for all the senses. I start one day at Cafรฉ Colucci, an Ethiopian restaurant where tables are topped with African art or photos of spices, shelves are covered with basketry and ceramics, and my breakfast is spicy and delicious, soaked up with that wonderful spongy bread called injera. I enjoy Cambodian street food at Nyum Bai, in the little-visited but very alive Fruitvale section of the city, where I take a seat on a pink plastic stool and my spring rolls and stir-fried rice noodles disappear almost the minute theyโre set down.
In Swanโs Hall, a vintage market hall at the heart of downtown Oakland, I spend one lunch devouring the great fried chicken at the winning Caribbean-tinged restaurant Miss Ollieโs, and another with a fish taco at Cosecha. Iโm mid-bite in my taco when I notice a sign for horchata, the Mexican almond drink that I love, so what can I do but order one?
On a friendโs suggestion, I try Nido, and itโs a winner, from delectably spicy shrimp tacos with avocado, smoked gouda, and piquรญn/tomatillo salsa to a dusky and rich huitlacoche quesadilla. A pre-dinner โblanco y negroโ (my beloved horchata mixed with iced coffee) is the perfect accompaniment. The staff is totally sweet, the food great.
These are just a few of the many and diverse restaurants in the city, whose dining scene has exploded in recent years. Weโll hear about more spots later, but first letโs do a little more exploring.
Oakland Pride Parade
Photo: Sheila Fitzgerald
Says Jan Brock, business ambassador for Cole Hardware in the upscale neighborhood of Rockridge, โWe love Oakland. Weโre proud we are so diverse.โ If anyone knows about bringing a community together, itโs a representative of this unique hardware store on College Avenue, for Cole is as much a neighborhood gathering place as it is a place to buy hardware. In an area quickly being overtaken by nail salons and the like, Cole Hardware is a place to ground yourself, to buy not only the โrealโ kind of nails but an amazing range of products from upscale cookware (rainbow-hued whisks or Le Creuset spoon rests, anyone?) to garden supplies to organic underwear. Even if youโre not in the market for a top-of-the-line barbecue grill or a set of T-fal pans, stop in this unique place and youโll immediately get a feeling of what Oakland community is all about.
While youโre in the neighborhood, take a break in La Boulangerie, where an array of pastries and coffee drinks is supplemented by lovely little sandwiches from warm salmon to avocado/goat cheese/cucumber.
Also, plan on having a meal at Belotti, one of the cityโs best. The gray walls, modern art, and long silver bar give a comfy and upscale feeling to this Rockridge favorite, and oh my God the food! A simple bruschetta topped with tomatoes and fresh mozzarella is a burst of freshness and flavor. My pasta with duck sauce is perfect, the little chunks of duck in a savory sauce that has hints of sweetness. The menu combines traditional with creative, and the result is one of the best Italian meals youโre likely to have. This is fine dining without the pretense and the soaring costs, and I wouldnโt miss it.
I also pay a visit to the Rockridge Market Hall, where Iโm greeted by an array of offerings from fresh meat/fish to pastries, cheeses, and, of course, Highwire Coffee, where the coffee is delicious, the staff friendly and talkative. I take my coffee to a sidewalk table and watch the Rockridge locals stroll by, greeting coffee drinkers and fellow strollers as they go. This really does feel like a neighborhood here! I continue the caffeination at Cole Coffee, where indoor and outdoor tables at this longtime neighborhood favorite are filled with friends old and new.
Does the fact that Iโve just mentioned three coffee spots within a paragraph give you an idea of what the Oakland coffee scene is like? Letโs explore some of the other places around town, because weโre going to be doing enough walking that we definitely have to keep our caffeine levels high.
