Guidebook for Oakland
Food Scene
"The Crazy Skeleton" has great decor, yummy fish burritos, and a great rotating selection of agua fresca
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La Calaca Loca Taqueria
5199 Telegraph Ave"The Crazy Skeleton" has great decor, yummy fish burritos, and a great rotating selection of agua fresca
Arbor Cafe
4210 Telegraph AvenueGood coffee and work space
Cholita Linda
4923 Telegraph AveBest tacos in the East Bay
Kaia's from the South originally. This is where she goes to get authentic grits. Yum!
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Lois the Pie Queen
851 60th StKaia's from the South originally. This is where she goes to get authentic grits. Yum!
Worth braving the line. Get a tea leaf salad - it's amazing!
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Burma Superstar
309 Clement StWorth braving the line. Get a tea leaf salad - it's amazing!
Very tiny BBQ place with amazing owners. Like being invited to someone's home for dinner.
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Brick Pig's House
5973 Shattuck AvenueVery tiny BBQ place with amazing owners. Like being invited to someone's home for dinner.
Limited hours and a limited menu - just fried chicken and cookies. But they're excellent at what they do!
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Bakesale Betty
5098 Telegraph AveLimited hours and a limited menu - just fried chicken and cookies. But they're excellent at what they do!
We often work here during the day - it's great food and coffee, in a very work-positive atmosphere
Lindgren's Coffee & Cafe
2120 Dwight WayWe often work here during the day - it's great food and coffee, in a very work-positive atmosphere
Pinball, pints (of decent beer), and pizza! You can't go wrong
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Five 10 Pizza
400 15th StPinball, pints (of decent beer), and pizza! You can't go wrong
Delicious, authentic Ethiopian. Try the kitfo and the veggie combo.
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Addis Restaurant
6100 Telegraph AveDelicious, authentic Ethiopian. Try the kitfo and the veggie combo.
The beans are good, but the New Orleans style chicory coffee is sinfully great.
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Blue Bottle Coffee
300 Webster StThe beans are good, but the New Orleans style chicory coffee is sinfully great.
Actual Cafe
6334 San Pablo AvenueGood food and drink. Laptop-free on the weekends.
Another locally famous brunch spot. The lines are worth it! They're famous for fried chicken and waffles, but everything else on the menu is good too. Bonus: it's all gluten-free.
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Grease Box
942 Stanford AvenueAnother locally famous brunch spot. The lines are worth it! They're famous for fried chicken and waffles, but everything else on the menu is good too. Bonus: it's all gluten-free.
The closest good coffee to our house. Try anything with their bacon jam.
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Earthly Coffee and Tea
5506 Martin Luther King Jr WayThe closest good coffee to our house. Try anything with their bacon jam.
Tamales Unicos de Cuernavaca
5751 Market StBest East Bay tamales! Cash only.
Trendy wood-fired pizza place with a seasonal menu. Food Network rates it Top 10 Pizza in America - we personally aren't quite that enthusiastic, but you can get a good slice here
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Pizzaiolo
5008 Telegraph AveTrendy wood-fired pizza place with a seasonal menu. Food Network rates it Top 10 Pizza in America - we personally aren't quite that enthusiastic, but you can get a good slice here
Farley's on 65th
1195 65th StGreat coffee, great to work at
Our favorite ice cream in SF. If there's a line for cones, go inside anyway: pints and ice cream sandwiches are sold from a separate and much shorter line.
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Bi-Rite Creamery
3692 18th StOur favorite ice cream in SF. If there's a line for cones, go inside anyway: pints and ice cream sandwiches are sold from a separate and much shorter line.
It's a bit of a hike, but this is a great cafe to work from and actually get things done
Black Diamond Cafe
6399 Christie AveIt's a bit of a hike, but this is a great cafe to work from and actually get things done
The best source for a huge range of gluten-free sweet and savory baked goods. Mariposa also serves breakfast and lunch.
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Mariposa Baking Company
5427 Telegraph AveThe best source for a huge range of gluten-free sweet and savory baked goods. Mariposa also serves breakfast and lunch.
Higher-end Mexican food, plus an extensive bar. Long waits for brunch; you're better off at dinner.
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Doña Tomás
3770 Piedmont AvenueHigher-end Mexican food, plus an extensive bar. Long waits for brunch; you're better off at dinner.
The best deep-dish pizza in Oakland. Don't be dissuaded by the line; they turn-over quickly.
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Zachary's Chicago Pizza
5801 College AveThe best deep-dish pizza in Oakland. Don't be dissuaded by the line; they turn-over quickly.
Entertainment & Activities
Bushrod Park
560 59th StTen acres of beautiful park
Park with storybook-themed rides, plays, and attractions. A big hit with younger children.
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Fairyland tal-Ħbieb
699 Bellevue AvePark with storybook-themed rides, plays, and attractions. A big hit with younger children.
Small park that's home to a community garden managed by Phat Beets, and thus also home to many urban gardening, foraging, and food related events and classes
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Dover Park
5707 Dover StSmall park that's home to a community garden managed by Phat Beets, and thus also home to many urban gardening, foraging, and food related events and classes
This half of the park is super kid-friendly, with a recently renovated playground
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Helen Diller Playground
This half of the park is super kid-friendly, with a recently renovated playground
Great playground with many structures for toddlers and big kids too
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Rockridge-Temescal Greenbelt
5500 Claremont AveGreat playground with many structures for toddlers and big kids too
Shopping
Temescal Alley
Temescal AlleyAdorable quirky little shops.
Great selection of cheeses - and their sandwiches prove it's worth paying for something as simple as grilled cheese.
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Sacred Wheel
Great selection of cheeses - and their sandwiches prove it's worth paying for something as simple as grilled cheese.
A treasure trove of random. Did you need a dozen leather gogo boots? A bagfull of wine corks? Vintage linens? It's all here at reasonable prices.
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East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse
4695 Telegraph AveA treasure trove of random. Did you need a dozen leather gogo boots? A bagfull of wine corks? Vintage linens? It's all here at reasonable prices.
Treasure trove of curiosities: fossils, bones, minerals, exotic plants, and some creative taxidermy. Take a selfie with the unicorn!
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Paxton Gate
824 Valencia StTreasure trove of curiosities: fossils, bones, minerals, exotic plants, and some creative taxidermy. Take a selfie with the unicorn!
A Verb for Keeping Warm
6328 San Pablo AveThe closest local yarn store, and a nice one at that.
A darling collection of high-end shops, affordable artisan stalls, and (most days) a farmer's market. Or, come here to catch a ferry into Sausalito.
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Ferry Building Marketplace
A darling collection of high-end shops, affordable artisan stalls, and (most days) a farmer's market. Or, come here to catch a ferry into Sausalito.
Vintage clothing that is somehow always in fab condition and reasonably priced. Great accessories too (some new/"vintage style"). For men and women.
Pretty Penny
2981 College AveVintage clothing that is somehow always in fab condition and reasonably priced. Great accessories too (some new/"vintage style"). For men and women.
Well-stocked hardware store run in a mom & pop style. Great for last-minute batteries, tape, or other sundries.
Ellis Ace Hardware
5424 Martin Luther King Jr WayWell-stocked hardware store run in a mom & pop style. Great for last-minute batteries, tape, or other sundries.
The most trusted pirate supply store in California, 826 Valencia's profits support writing programs for children
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The Pirate Store
826 Valencia StreetThe most trusted pirate supply store in California, 826 Valencia's profits support writing programs for children
Well-curated science fiction and fantasy bookstore, with attached cafe
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Borderlands Books
1740 Valencia StWell-curated science fiction and fantasy bookstore, with attached cafe
Great fun for shopping! Eighteen shops located in (remodeled) horse stalls. Lots of adorable boutiques, local artists' workshops, an apothecary, and a very yummy fresh doughnut shop.
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Alley 49
Alley 49Great fun for shopping! Eighteen shops located in (remodeled) horse stalls. Lots of adorable boutiques, local artists' workshops, an apothecary, and a very yummy fresh doughnut shop.
Sightseeing
For the aviation buff, this is a musn't-miss. Small and low-budget, it still manages to pack an impressive amount of history and some gorgeous old aircraft into the grounds.
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Oakland Aviation Museum
8252 Earhart RdFor the aviation buff, this is a musn't-miss. Small and low-budget, it still manages to pack an impressive amount of history and some gorgeous old aircraft into the grounds.
An oasis of sheer wilderness in urban Oakland! Many well-maintained trails of varying difficulty. Pick East Ridge & West Ridge trails for the views, or French & Stream trails for fewer dogs and hikers
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Park Reġjonali Redwood
7867 Redwood RoadAn oasis of sheer wilderness in urban Oakland! Many well-maintained trails of varying difficulty. Pick East Ridge & West Ridge trails for the views, or French & Stream trails for fewer dogs and hikers
Hidden gem of San Francisco. Dozens (hundreds?) of vintage coin-operated machines - music players, fortune tellers, games, and more - and almost all of them work with your quarter.
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Musée Mécanique
Fishermans WharfHidden gem of San Francisco. Dozens (hundreds?) of vintage coin-operated machines - music players, fortune tellers, games, and more - and almost all of them work with your quarter.
Gorgeous way to spend a day surrounded by a wide variety of plants and animals. Go early (or on a weekday) for the earthquake simulator and the butterfly room.
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Akademi tal-Ħsieb tal-Kalifornja
55 Music Concourse DrGorgeous way to spend a day surrounded by a wide variety of plants and animals. Go early (or on a weekday) for the earthquake simulator and the butterfly room.
The non-playground half of the park is covered in picnickers every weekend. Definitely a grown-ups and local character kind of vibe.
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Mission Dolores Park
19th StreetThe non-playground half of the park is covered in picnickers every weekend. Definitely a grown-ups and local character kind of vibe.
Gorgeous mosaic spread over 163 stair steps. Lovely way to mix some fitness in with hanging out in a park at the top
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16 Darbiet tal-Ħajt Tiegħi
16th AvenueGorgeous mosaic spread over 163 stair steps. Lovely way to mix some fitness in with hanging out in a park at the top
SF's bigger & better version of Central Park :) Don't miss the bison (Western side), boat rentals in Stow Lake, the carousel (kid's playground), or summer of love flashbacks at Hippy Hill
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Golden Gate Park
SF's bigger & better version of Central Park :) Don't miss the bison (Western side), boat rentals in Stow Lake, the carousel (kid's playground), or summer of love flashbacks at Hippy Hill
Japanese Tea Garden
75 Hagiwara Tea Garden DrAbsolutely beautiful
The ruins of a recreation complex built in 1896. Must-see for fans of urban exploration. Wear closed-toe shoes.
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Sutro Baths
1004 Point Lobos AveThe ruins of a recreation complex built in 1896. Must-see for fans of urban exploration. Wear closed-toe shoes.
Essentials
The most amazing selection of produce I have ever seen. Worth the trip.
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Berkeley Bowl
2020 Oregon StThe most amazing selection of produce I have ever seen. Worth the trip.
The closest Trader Joe's. Great selection of frozen food and snacks.
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Trader Joe's
3250 Lakeshore AveThe closest Trader Joe's. Great selection of frozen food and snacks.
The nearest Whole Foods. The usual caveat applies: lots of organic choices, but you'll pay for the privilege.
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Whole Foods Market
230 Bay PlThe nearest Whole Foods. The usual caveat applies: lots of organic choices, but you'll pay for the privilege.
European-style market hall with gourmet foods. Amazing pasta selection, fresh bread, all the cheeses, fab deli counter, good butcher selection. Expensive but with free samples :)
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Rockridge Market Hall
5655 College AveEuropean-style market hall with gourmet foods. Amazing pasta selection, fresh bread, all the cheeses, fab deli counter, good butcher selection. Expensive but with free samples :)
Arts & Culture
Beautiful space with excellent acoustics. A typical season has a mix of traditional opera, musical theater, and new operas - check out their website to see what's on.
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San Francisco Opera
301 Van Ness AveBeautiful space with excellent acoustics. A typical season has a mix of traditional opera, musical theater, and new operas - check out their website to see what's on.
Watch the champion SF Giants! Tickets range from under $10 to well over $100 depending on the game and the seats - it's worth planning ahead if you're interested.
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Oracle Park
24 Willie Mays PlazaWatch the champion SF Giants! Tickets range from under $10 to well over $100 depending on the game and the seats - it's worth planning ahead if you're interested.
Everything Else
Gym that offers drop-in boot camp/high-intensity interval workouts for $15 per class (a good deal around here!)
Game Changer Fitness
Gym that offers drop-in boot camp/high-intensity interval workouts for $15 per class (a good deal around here!)
United States Postal Service
4900 Shattuck AveClosest post office to our house.