Guidebook for Oakland

Lauren And Dolores
Lauren And Dolores
Guidebook for Oakland

Essentials

Interesting and affordable grocery store chain. Unique dry goods. Great for pre-packaged items, beer, wine, & liquor. Produce is fine, but not spectacular.
582 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Trader Joe's
3250 Lakeshore Ave
582 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Interesting and affordable grocery store chain. Unique dry goods. Great for pre-packaged items, beer, wine, & liquor. Produce is fine, but not spectacular.
Standard chain grocery store.
62 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Safeway
3747 Grand Ave
62 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Standard chain grocery store.

Food Scene

For those who care about coffee. Truly delicious espresso drinks. Chai and good pastries, too. Small, storefront space with outdoor seating and almost-view of Lake Merritt. Pleasant 1 mi walk.
30 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Haddon Hill Cafe
504 Wesley Ave
30 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
For those who care about coffee. Truly delicious espresso drinks. Chai and good pastries, too. Small, storefront space with outdoor seating and almost-view of Lake Merritt. Pleasant 1 mi walk.
The only snob-worthy coffee on Grand or Lakeshore. Great espresso drinks. Outdoor seating in back. Cafe closes at 2. Attached to a (pricey, but tasty) "new Italian"-ish restaurant w/ good cocktails.
194 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Sister
3308 Grand Ave
194 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
The only snob-worthy coffee on Grand or Lakeshore. Great espresso drinks. Outdoor seating in back. Cafe closes at 2. Attached to a (pricey, but tasty) "new Italian"-ish restaurant w/ good cocktails.
Yep, we have one.
48 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Starbucks
3347 Lakeshore Ave
48 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Yep, we have one.
Better than Starbucks! Stronger espresso drinks (one shot instead of two!) for less $. Now a major chain, the original Peet's started in Berkeley.
259 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Peet's Coffee
2124 Vine St
259 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Better than Starbucks! Stronger espresso drinks (one shot instead of two!) for less $. Now a major chain, the original Peet's started in Berkeley.
One of the neighborhood's best kept secrets – this mostly Laotian restaurant is a thriving hole-in-the-wall with *GREAT* food. Friendly, casual atmosphere, super-cheap beer, table seating or bar.
70 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Champa Garden
2102 8th Ave
70 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
One of the neighborhood's best kept secrets – this mostly Laotian restaurant is a thriving hole-in-the-wall with *GREAT* food. Friendly, casual atmosphere, super-cheap beer, table seating or bar.
Delicious California-style Italian place. For a fancy night out. Try the desert flights.
52 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Bellanico Restaurant and Wine Bar
4238 Park Blvd
52 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Delicious California-style Italian place. For a fancy night out. Try the desert flights.
A cut above the usual thai restaurant. Fresh, local ingredients often from the Farmer's Market. Very tasty dishes in a bright, cheerful interior.
28 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Neecha Thai Cuisine
3236 Grand Ave
28 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
A cut above the usual thai restaurant. Fresh, local ingredients often from the Farmer's Market. Very tasty dishes in a bright, cheerful interior.
The best brunch in town! Fresh, deli-inspired American fare. Sit outside with a view of Lake Merritt. You might have to wait a bit, but pour yourself a cup of coffee and enjoy the people-watching.
117 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Grand Lake Kitchen - Lake Merritt
576 Grand Ave
117 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
The best brunch in town! Fresh, deli-inspired American fare. Sit outside with a view of Lake Merritt. You might have to wait a bit, but pour yourself a cup of coffee and enjoy the people-watching.
AWESOME bakery + pizza. Grab a slice of truly creative pizza (toppings change daily), or a reasonably-priced but exceedingly fresh salad at this amazing co-op. Fabulous bread and pastries, too.
198 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Arizmendi Bakery
3265 Lakeshore Ave
198 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
AWESOME bakery + pizza. Grab a slice of truly creative pizza (toppings change daily), or a reasonably-priced but exceedingly fresh salad at this amazing co-op. Fabulous bread and pastries, too.
One of our favorites! Not your average Mexican restaurant. Re-imagined traditional favorites, fresh local ingredients. Like spicy? Try the Margarita Picosa. Hip, casual atmosphere. Plenty of parking.
29 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
NIDO Kitchen & Bar
444 Oak St
29 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
One of our favorites! Not your average Mexican restaurant. Re-imagined traditional favorites, fresh local ingredients. Like spicy? Try the Margarita Picosa. Hip, casual atmosphere. Plenty of parking.
Gorgeous restaurant and bar in restored downtown Floral Depot. For a fancy night out, or just an elegant happy hour. Delicious Californian cuisine, fabulous cocktails.
63 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Flora
1900 Telegraph Ave
63 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Gorgeous restaurant and bar in restored downtown Floral Depot. For a fancy night out, or just an elegant happy hour. Delicious Californian cuisine, fabulous cocktails.
Looks like just any old Greek restaurant on the outside, but Ikaros is a cut above. Very fresh, flavorful, affordable, nice wait staff, totally relaxed, casual environment. Try the Skordalia w/beets!
12 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Ikaros Greek Restaurant
3268 Grand Ave
12 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Looks like just any old Greek restaurant on the outside, but Ikaros is a cut above. Very fresh, flavorful, affordable, nice wait staff, totally relaxed, casual environment. Try the Skordalia w/beets!

Drinks & Nightlife

The best cocktails *IN THE WORLD*! We recommend sitting at the bar and watching the "mixologists" do their thing. Casual, but sophisticated bar food & entrees. Diverse local crowd.
58 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Sidebar
542 Grand Ave
58 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
The best cocktails *IN THE WORLD*! We recommend sitting at the bar and watching the "mixologists" do their thing. Casual, but sophisticated bar food & entrees. Diverse local crowd.
An Oakland Institution. Brush up your Sinatra: Piano player Rod Dibble plays standards & showtunes while you sing along, Tues – Sat. Dive bar, cash only, best STEAK DINNER for your money.
60 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
The Alley | Piano Bar & Restaurant
3325 Grand Ave
60 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
An Oakland Institution. Brush up your Sinatra: Piano player Rod Dibble plays standards & showtunes while you sing along, Tues – Sat. Dive bar, cash only, best STEAK DINNER for your money.
A biker bar that is somehow diverse and welcoming, as only an Oakland biker bar could be. Delicious beer on tap and a sweet backyard beer garden.
52 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Heart & Dagger Saloon
504 Lake Park Ave
52 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
A biker bar that is somehow diverse and welcoming, as only an Oakland biker bar could be. Delicious beer on tap and a sweet backyard beer garden.

Arts & Culture

Voted Best Movie Theatre in the East Bay! Gorgeously restored movie palace, great selection of blockbuster + art films, and an organist plays a giant Wurlitzer before evening performances on Fri & Sat
382 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Grand Lake Theater
3200 Grand Ave
382 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Voted Best Movie Theatre in the East Bay! Gorgeously restored movie palace, great selection of blockbuster + art films, and an organist plays a giant Wurlitzer before evening performances on Fri & Sat

Shopping

One of the area's best! Extensive, well-curated selection of new & used books and records. Particularly good for art books and philosophy. Nice selection of notebooks and postcards, too.
37 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Walden Pond Books
3316 Grand Ave
37 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
One of the area's best! Extensive, well-curated selection of new & used books and records. Particularly good for art books and philosophy. Nice selection of notebooks and postcards, too.
Interesting and affordable boutique featuring the unique work of local artists. Lots of awesomely unique and affordable jewelry. Free gift wrap and friendly sales people. We shop here a lot!
14 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Urban Indigo
20405 Lakeshore Ave
14 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Interesting and affordable boutique featuring the unique work of local artists. Lots of awesomely unique and affordable jewelry. Free gift wrap and friendly sales people. We shop here a lot!

Sightseeing

You can rent boats to paddle on your own, or just take a walk around it. Lake Merritt is one of the prettiest places around, with lots of restaurants and shops on the Grand Ave side to explore.
751 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Anfiteatro Lake Merritt
Lake Merritt Boulevard
751 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
You can rent boats to paddle on your own, or just take a walk around it. Lake Merritt is one of the prettiest places around, with lots of restaurants and shops on the Grand Ave side to explore.