Oakland

African American Museum and Library at Oakland

This is a beautiful building, one of the libraries donated by Andrew Carnegie, and its exterior merits a look before or after you visit the interior. The museum is on the second floor. Some of the temporary exhibits are quite worthwhile, and the permanent exhibits, which tell the black history of Oakland in text, pictures, and videotaped interviews, are really well done. Check the AAMLO web site for information on special exhibits, programs and events, such as an African American walking tour of downtown Oakland.

Mon-Thu, Sat 10AM-5:30PM, Fri noon-5:30PM·Free

Ahn's Quarter Pound Burger

Very no-frills burger stop that has all the basics and its own parking lot.

Daily 8AM-9PM·Under $10

Arizmendi

A worker-owned bakery well-known for cheap and delicious baked goods and pizza. Pizza is made daily, with only one set of toppings available on a given day. Thankfully, they're all good.

Tue-Fri 7AM-8PM, Sat-Sun 8AM-6PM·Under $15

Asmara Restaurant

Eritrean cuisine served by friendly staff. Tasty vegan options.

Baja Taqueria

An avenue institution with lines sometimes out the doors for their great and innovative Baja style seafood and other Mexican food. The fish tacos are legendary and the lobster burritos hit home like nothing else. The portions are big and the prices are reasonable. Try the agua frescas too.

Mon-Sat 11AM-8PM·$15-30

Bar Three Fifty-Five

Prohibition-era atmosphere bar with early-20s clientele, reasonable prices.

Mon-Sat 4PM-2AM, Sun 8PM-2AM

Barney's Gourmet Hamburgers

Barney's is a restaurant specializing in every kind of burger, from the simple to the exotic. They have more than just the simple neapolitan trio of flavors for shakes as well, and the same can be said of their fries. Vegetarian, too! Catering services available. Online ordering.

Seasonal hours, see website·$15-25

Battambang Restaurant

Delicious Cambodian food in a quiet, clean, casual room with white tablecloths.

Mon-Sat 11AM-8PM·$15-30

Ben and Nick's Bar & Grill

Often-visited for their considerable beer list and well-stocked menu.

Mon-Wed 11AM-10PM, Thu-Fri 11AM-midnight, Sat 10AM-midnight, Sun 10AM-10PM·$15-30

Black Swan Books

Used bookstore with a Victorian look and shelves full of vintage (and spendy) volumes frequently from the 1930s and earlier.

Mon-Tue Thu-Sat 11AM-6PM, Sun noon-6PM

Book Tree

Local hole-in-the-wall shop in Montclair Village, densely packed with well-curated books and just disorganized enough to be charming. The owner is friendly and knowledgeable, and the offerings range from classics to recent bestsellers, as well as some quality guides to the local area.

Tue–Sat 10AM-6PM, Sun 10AM–1PM

Burma Superstar

A cozy restaurant that does proper Burmese cuisine, as well as several Chinese and Thai dishes. Vegan/vegetarian-friendly, no reservations. Catering available.

Daily 11:30AM-3PM, Sun-Thu 5-10PM, Fri Sat 5-10:30PM·$20-30

Cactus Taqueria

A family-friendly Mexican restaurant dedicated to freshness and sustainability while maintaining traditional flavors. Everything at Cactus Taqueria is made from scratch with no artificial ingredients or fillers. Top your taco, burrito, quesadilla, or enchilada with one of the multiple house-made salsas, and cool your mouth with a delicious glass of horchata.

Daily 11AM-8PM

Cafe Colucci

Ethiopian food served traditionally on injera, with an excellent selection of vegetarian dishes, friendly wait staff and excellent decor. Try the mitten shuro. Full catering services available. Online ordering. Third party online delivery.

Daily 10:45AM–10PM·$15-30

Cafe Eritrea D'Afrique

Delicious Eritrean and Ethiopian food with a couple of twists. Good vegetarian options. Try the honey wine. Reservations recommended.

Wed–Mon 11AM–10PM, closed Tue

Cafe Van Kleef

Artsy bar with live music. Greyhounds are the house drink--their margaritas are good too. Vodka Greyhounds are the default; if you want gin, you must specify.

Mon 4PM-2AM, Tue-Fri noon-2AM, Sat Sun 6PM-2AM

Caffè Chiave

An old-school Italian coffeehouse that does all-day breakfast and desserts right from the old country. Meals can be a little above average, especially dinner.

Daily 7AM-7:30PM·$15-30

Cato's Ale House

A local pub that would look at home in nearly any century, with a long list of both local brews and quality imports. Regular live music events. Online ordering for food pickup.

Bar: Sun-Thu 11:30AM-9PM, Fri Sat 11:30AM-10PM; kitchen: Sun-Thu 11:30AM-11PM, Fri Sat 11:30AM-midnight·$10-30

Chabot Space and Science Center

Opened in August 2000, the Center is a state-of-the-art science and technology education facility on a 13-acre site in the hills of Oakland. Visitors can watch planetarium shows and/or Megadome movies, simulate space missions in the Challenger Learning Center, explore a variety of changing hands-on exhibits and observe the sky through the center's telescopes. In addition, the Science Discovery Lab (for children 7 and under and their parent/guardian) is fantastic. Discounts for first Fridays of the month, during evening hours.

Wed-Sun 10AM-5PM·Members free, adults $24, children and seniors $19

Champa Garden

It's in a residential neighborhood. This cozy restaurant that has a flair of Southern Asia flavors. The mix of Vietnamese, Lao, Thai and Mien cuisine makes this restaurant a unique one. Make sure to get an order of Pad Thai.

Daily 11AM-3PM, 5PM-9PM (Closed 3rd Monday of month)

Children's Fairyland

Mixed seasonal hours, almost always open on weekends. Amazing, dynamic playground and destination for children, right on Lake Merritt. Fairyland was one of the earliest themed amusement parks, and was an inspiration for everything from Disneyland to the Jejune Institute. Please note that only adults with children can enter. Make sure you get a Magic Key to activate audio stories on the various displays.

Mon-Fri 10AM-4PM, Sat-Sun 10AM-5PM

Cholita Linda

Friendly little place well-known for their fish tacos and mix and match frescas.

Sun-Thu 11AM-9:15PM, Fri 11AM-9:30PM·Under $15

Clio's

A chill bar with the aesthetic of a bookstore. The walls are lined with shelves of books for sale, and some visitors play chess at their tables. Popular for a date or for a night out in a calming, friendly atmosphere.

Mon–Fri 4PM–11PM, Sat Sun 11AM–11PM

Commis

Swanky, cramped spot well-known for their sommelier service and often-incredible combination of flavors. Online reservations.

Wed-Sat 5:30-9:30PM, Sun 5-9PM·$60 and up

Delage

A small Japanese spot that does nightly omakase (chef's choice) with seasonal local ingredients. Reservations recommended. Online reservations.

Wed-Sat 5:30-9:30PM·$70 prix fixe

Doña

Formerly Doña Tomás

A relocated and newly-themed Mexican place with a polished modern look and a decidedly polished and modern menu. Take-out is available, but from a different door (both are clearly marked).

Sun-Thu 11AM-8PM, Fri Sat 11AM-9PM·$20-40

Dr. Aurelia Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park

Redwood Regional Park

The hills behind the Mormon Temple and to the east of Oakland's bustling streets are home to this, where redwood groves and trees and trails and wildlife help even the most weary traveler forget that a city lies at the elbow of the wilderness. Redwood is just one of a string or regional parks running along the crest of the Oakland Hills. To the north are Huckleberry Botanical Preserve and Sibley Volcanic Regional Park while to the south is Anthony Chabot Regional Park. All have trails that interconnect with Redwood. Renamed in 2019.

Daily 5AM-10PM unless otherwise posted or permitted

E14 Gallery

A modest art gallery focused on the local art, crafts and artists of Oakland, the focus primarily being the urban consciousness of the city.

Thu-Sat 11:30AM-4:30PM

East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse

Eclectic thrift shop with a focus on art supplies. You'll find typical thrift shop buys like dishes and books as well as extensive arrays of yarn, fabric, magazines, office supplies, tools and all manner of arts and crafts materials. And then there are the more eccentric items: X-ray sheets, dental molds, bottle caps, zippers, old keys, barrels of corks priced by the pound.... Founded in 1979, the Depot is run by a non-profit with the twin goals of reducing community waste and providing low-cost supplies to artists and teachers.

Thu–Sun noon–6PM

Enssaro

Come for the Wot and Ye Tibs, stay for the honey wine. Try the combo platters. Vegetarian-friendly. Online ordering. Delivery available.

Mon Wed Thu Sun 11:30AM-10PM, Fri Sat 11:30AM-11PM·$10-20