A Day of Deliciousness ~ 5 Places to Eat in Oakland

If you're visiting San Francisco, you really should hop across the bridge over to East Bay, we love it! We're so excited to add more delicious places to our Oakland City Guide, so without further ado, here are 5 of our favorite places to eat in Oakland. Don't forget to check out the rest of our guide for more things to do in Oakland.

View Oakland City Guide

1. Brunch at Pican

Both Pican's menu and decor is inspired by New Orleans, and every dish was to die for. Their Bloody Mary is ridiculous, it's huge and comes with bacon as a garnish (can't get much better). There's tasty gluten-free options too, so if you're wondering where to brunch in Oakland, this is it!

2. Lunch at Forge

Enjoy some pizza and deep friend cheese curds at Forge in Jack London Square, and walk it all off along the Embarcadero after. Pizza and sunshine is the perfect combination, and this place tops our list for a yummy lunch in Oakland.

3. Beer at Drake's Dealership

Drake's Dealership is the taproom of San Leandro brewery that's housed in a former auto-shop. Stop by for a beer, and grab an afternoon snack with some yummy poutine too! It's also great for meeting up with friends because of the big space, and their outdoor patio is perfect to soak up the sun when you're looking for beer in Oakland.

4. Cocktails at Calavera

Order some nibbles and, more importanly, a perfectly crafted cocktail at the Mexican inspired Calavera. The bartenders are unreal, and Elaine fell in love with her mezcal gin and tonic that was garnished with wildflowers and juniper. If you're looking for the best cocktail bars in Oakland, you really need to stop by here. Try some dried grasshoppers if you're feeling adventurous too!

5. Dinner at Shakewell

When it comes to choosing a place for dinner in Oakland, you can't go wrong with a place run by two Top Chef contestants! Both the Executive Chef and General Manager were part of the Top Chef competition, and the restaurant started as a Kickstarter! Backed by the Oakland community, Shakewell is a neighborhood Mediterranean restaurant filled with dishes from Spain, Turkey, and North Africa - we loved the hot rice dishes.