SFGuide
The East Bay Hit List: Where To Eat In Oakland, Berkeley, & Beyond
We checked out these new restaurants in the East Bay—and loved them.
The Hit List is our guide to the best new food and drink experiences in the East Bay. We track new openings in the area, and then visit as many as we can. While the Hit List is by no means an exhaustive list of every good new spot, one thing you can always rely on is that we’ll only include places that we have genuinely checked out.
Our goal is for this list to be as diverse as the area itself—inclusive of a wide range of cuisines, price points, neighborhoods, chefs and owners of all backgrounds, and the multifaceted communities within the industry. If you think we missed a great new place, we want to hear about it. Shoot us an email at sanfrancisco@theinfatuation.com.
New to the Hit List (6/2): Pizzeria Da Laura
THE SPOTS
A fun new pizza spot is joining the ranks of Berkeley’s flourishing pizza scene. Pizzeria Da Laura is cranking out New York- and pan-style pizzas that sing. Pillowy, chewy crusts, simple yet bright tomato sauce, and high-quality toppings are how this spot (run by a Tony’s Pizza Napoletana alum) nails pie perfection. There are some homemade pastas and meatballs on the menu, but really, getting the Ray J overflowing with mozzarella, burrata, and deep pepperoni cups, or the Sicilian-style Regina (an international pizza award winner, if you care about that sort of thing) is the roadmap to pizza-party success. This place is buzzy, with two stories of seating, wine, and several TVs for your sports-watching pleasure. Think of this spot as the city’s new pizza-centric clubhouse for grad students and theatergoers, or anyone looking to have a good time.
Master bagel makers Boichik Bagels has a new industrial Northwest Berkeley outpost that includes a large window into the adjacent factory. While the draw of this place is getting to watch the big robotic claw make bagels in the early hours, the stars of the show are the damn fine New York-style bagels. Chewy and rotund, they inspire feelings of gratitude and a giddy elation we haven’t felt since fifth grade. Do the right thing and get an everything bagel with any cream cheese (they have unexpected flavors like hatch chile, horseradish cheddar scallion, and seasonal pickled fennel and lemon) or topped with the smoky, silky lox. And consider an immediate bagel-and-sun stint on the patio—there’s really no time to waste when bagels this good are involved.
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You’ll know you’re in for a fun night the moment you step inside Parche. Every square inch of the walls and ceiling at this upscale Colombian restaurant in Uptown Oakland is covered with colorful balays and Colombian prints. Bad Bunny pumps through the speakers. And a golden elephant head statue with candles is periodically carried over with ceremonial fanfare to anyone celebrating a birthday. Adding to the buzzy atmosphere are the just as exciting shareable dishes. Cola and panela-braised posta negra slides clean off the bone and pairs perfectly with the yuca coconut mash. And hand-smashed patacones are the crunchy base for the juiciest shredded beef and salsa criolla. The beef empanadas, however, are comically small (like, Airpods case-small), but you won’t be mad about the two bites you do get. Zingy ceviches and guanábana-spiked cocktails round out the meal you’ll be thinking back on for a while.
We’ve been huge fans of Poppy Bagels and their plump golden-brown bagels since their pop-up and farmers market days—so the opening of their brick-and-mortar in Oakland Temescal was more exciting than the time we ran into Steve Kerr at Safeway. The bagels themselves embody every trait an outstanding bagel should have: a chewy interior, an even coating of toppings, and a crisp crust that’s satisfying to bite into. You can order by-the-bagel at this counter-service spot, but our preferred method is to go with one of the open-faced sandwiches. The Spicy & Sweet is two bagel halves smeared with thick layers of jalapeño cream cheese and drizzles of honey, while the Basic has sliced sweet tomatoes which make the whole thing taste like borderline dessert. Make getting either part of your new morning routine.
Spots for temaki, or hand rolls, are opening up faster than we can say, well, “hand rolls.” No complaints here, especially when places like Yonsei Handrolls exist. The Uptown Oakland spot feels like a relaxed bistro with high-top seating and neon lights. It’s an ideal setting to appreciate soy-cured ahi tuna, spicy scallops, king crab, and other sushi fish stuffed inside seaweed. Their versions are pretty straightforward (there isn’t any gold foil or speck of caviar in sight) but also playful, so you'll see one with kimchi fried rice and spam. The casualness here is part of its appeal, and why this place is well-suited for intimate yet lively group dinners. One option is to order hand rolls a la carte, but we prefer making life easy and going with one of the three sets (five hand rolls, $29-$52).
We already have plans to spend every waking hour at this Oakland spot near Uptown. For one, they're open all-day, serving breakfast lunch and dinner. They're also from the chefs behind the excellent Kingston 11 and Komaaj. They’re doing feel-good Afro-Caribbean and Iranian dishes, from sweet plantains with black bean sauce and roasted lamb leg salad to eggplant and sumac labneh mezzes, and serving in a plant-and-couch-heavy space that looks like a lounge crossed with a fancy, sun-filled cafeteria. Expect this place to be the backdrop for casual conversations, especially since it has two bars.
There are hearty lunch spots, and hearty lunch spots that’ll make you say, “f-ck me up now.” Ask for the latter and we’ll point you to The Sunday. The small, fusiony Korean American spot in Emeryville—in the former Patatas Kitchen space—makes hefty comfort dishes, like loco moco smothered in gravy, bulgogi bowls topped with two fried eggs, and lemon ricotta pancakes that wouldn’t be out of place at a county fair. We have no complaints, especially when their plump Korean-style wings with a perfectly sticky glaze hit the table and require you to re-up your napkins. Additionally, the prices are reasonable, dinner is an option (on some days), and we’re big fans of any spot with a hot sauce wall.
Champion’s Curry is the Berkeley outpost of a Japan-based curry chain—and you should fake a sick day to get their Kanazawa-style curry. Rich and slightly sweet, it's also a deeper brown and more gravy-like than other Japanese curries you might find in town. And while there are tons of meat and vegetable options from minced beef to fish katsu, go with the chicken katsu fried to ideal levels of crackliness. It won’t take long before this counter-service spot is your new go-to for quick lunches or nights when pulling out ingredients and cooking is out of the question.
Oakland-based Tacos El Último Baile was one of our favorite spots for Northern-style tacos on handmade flour tortillas when it was a roving food truck. So no shocker here: the Fruitvale brick-and-mortar is a winner. The al pastor is reason enough to ignore your responsibilities for the weekend and get to this spot. It’s caramelized and drips with smoky juices that soak into the tortillas. But even if you’re not an al pastor enthusiast with a trompo sticker on your water bottle, the carne asada is also worthy of your attention. And you should keep an eye on their Instagram, where specials like fish tacos with a craggy crust or fragrant pozole rojo, are announced. The space is a simple set-up—order at the window, then choose your own adventure at the salsa bar. From there, it’ll take approximately two minutes before you text all of your pinned contacts and make plans to return.
Sure, this pizza spot in Berkeley’s Elmwood might not look like much, but their Neapolitan-ish pies are on another level. What sets State Flour Pizza's apart is the slightly tangy, slightly sweet tomato sauce and flavorful crust with a wonderful chewy texture—get the burrata pie to let those elements really shine. Their ever-evolving menu (they opened September 2022) also features the more hefty Cassanova topped with what feels like every kind of meat imaginable, and, because “California-inspired” is the trend of the decade, a white pie with bacon, arugula, squash, and cherry tomatoes. There are a few basic salads on the menu, too, but you can skip to save room for more perfect pizza, and beer or wine-by-the-glass.
The long-running Ethiopian restaurant relocated to a beautiful new space in North Oakland, just a short drive away. Cafe Colucci’s newest iteration continues to rely on the same menu of crispy, beef-stuffed sambusas, garlicky buticha, and satisfying meat and vegetarian samplers with heaps of deeply spiced mitten shiro and gomen. The exciting change is that this fun, casual all-day spot now lives in a high-ceilinged space that’s over twice the size of the original. You can watch workers make spongy injera at the bar counter. There’s a full-on spice shop in front stocked with berbere, hop leaves, and alicha kimem from Cafe Colucci’s Brundo Spice Company. And the gorgeous outdoor patio is ideal for drinking ginger-lemon kombuchas or anything from their growing menu of house-made drinks.
This Berkeley deli plays up all the great things that can be done with well-seasoned, smoked meat. Classic reubens and deli sandwiches are an overstuffed dream between toasted rye bread. There are also hand-rolled bialys with pastrami and onion, housemade bagel breakfast sandwiches overflowing with thick pastrami slices, egg, and cheese, and huge pastrami-topped New York-style pizzas with beautiful charred crusts. This impressive world of pastrami carries into all the posters and framed illustrations covering Delirama’s walls. Wondering why there’s also an oversized pickle hanging above the cashier, a mini ship's wheel, and images of landscapes, dogs, and stags everywhere? Just go with it. You’re here to grab a sandwich, take a seat in the spacious dining room, and soak in this exciting pastrami fever dream.
Asian American sandwiches are the name of the game at Ok’s Deli—and why it’s the most exciting new lunch spot in the area. The takeout-only Oakland sandwich shop has a rotating menu of things like Italian combos and roast turkey sandwiches alongside ones filled with egg salad and spam. You’ll audibly gasp when you open the box containing the stunning Sichuan-spiced fried chicken sandwich with its huge juicy thigh, and swath of sweet sesame-ginger vinaigrette and honey mustard. Their equally stunning (and delicious) Vietnamese bánh mì is loaded with caramelized house spam, jalapeños, cilantro, cucumbers, and pickled daikon and carrots on an airy baguette. Sandwiches aside, their shelves are stocked with every type of fizzy drink, citrus juice, and potato chip imaginable. So grab some sweet corn Turtle Chips and a calamansi soda, and relish in the fact that you’ve made a very good midday decision.
If you’ve ordered a mezcal margarita at any point in the last year, there’s a very good chance you’ll want to become a regular at Odin. The mezcalería near Oakland’s Jack London Square has an impressive 300+ collection of agave spirits, plus excellent cocktails, mezcal flights, and Happy Hour with a mezcal special of the day. Odin is a rebrand of the Mexican restaurant Nido, and now pop-up Tacos El Precioso is a permanent fixture here, serving light, bright Mexican dishes. Odin’s updated interiors are dark, and dare we say sexy, with slate-colored walls, hand-shaped chairs, and long church pews. It’s exactly where we want to be sitting while we drink chilled coupes filled with tequila, chilis, and orange bitters. And Mexican cheese plates, crispy mushroom tostadas, tender dry-aged beef tacos topped with smoky salsa, and spicy chicharrones and guacamole should absolutely be on the table when you inevitably ask your server for the backstories of the 27 bottles on the rare spirits section.
