50 Best Cafes in Oakland

“Mother Tongue Coffee Roasters is one of those rare finds that feels both approachable and extraordinary at the same time. From the moment you step in, the space carries an artistic, community-focused vibe that immediately sets it apart from your typical coffee shop. It’s warm, welcoming, and filled with the comforting aroma of freshly roasted beans.

What truly makes Mother Tongue shine is their dedication to sourcing and roasting coffee with care. Every cup feels intentional. I tried both their pour-over and a flat white on separate visits, and each drink highlighted the unique flavor profiles of their beans—bright, complex, and beautifully balanced. Their single-origin options are especially impressive, showcasing the diversity of regions and farms they partner with. It’s coffee that not only tastes amazing but also tells a story.

The staff is equally memorable. They’re passionate, approachable, and eager to share their knowledge without being pretentious. Whether you’re a casual coffee drinker or someone who loves diving into the details of origin and process, they make the experience enjoyable and engaging.

Another thing I love about Mother Tongue is their commitment to inclusivity and community. It’s not just about serving coffee—it’s about creating a space where people feel connected and inspired. Between the exceptional drinks, the thoughtful mission, and the friendly atmosphere, Mother Tongue Coffee Roasters is a place you’ll want to return to again and again.“

“Cool, versatile spot — serve wine, tea & coffee so perfect Friday spot ;-) Sometimes get a bit loud if you’re really trying to focus on work.

They even carry Blue Willow tea, a quality, local brand based in Berkeley. Check out their stuff.“

“Kudos to the crew at Thornhill Cafe. Thank you for always taking good care of me. I love your green smoothies. They're refreshing and just make you feel good and your breakfast bagels are awesome. It's my favorite place to stop when I'm working in the hills of Oakland. Doesn't seem to matter how many people are in there. You still get us in and out in no time. You're the best!!“

“#AmazingCoffee #RedBayCoffee 🥰🥤🧋☕🫖“

“We came to Town Fare for the first time after finding out about the restaurant from the Bay Area KQED check please show. We were thrilled to try their chicken sandwich which came with breast meat and some coleslaw. The meat was very tender, cooked to perfection, the coleslaw had really nice flavors, and the buns were good too. The mac and cheese was also very good; the cheese had good flavor. The restaurant has a very open, clean, organic modern atmosphere. Many seating options inside and outside. The staff were nice. They have street parking around the museum and a museum parking garage. 10/10 Recommend.“

“the place is very nice plus the view across the street is like a gigantic mirror ! you should see it for yourself !!! it really is something to look at while having your coffee.... it is spectacular !!!! and of course, the staff were super sweet !“

“Easy to recommend despite the price floor, can't imagine spending under twenty for the basics of eggs and toast here after tax and tip which does fit California but not quite the high crime rate risks of this area. Will hope these great people can stick it out, we were taken care of quickly and had no issues from the attentive staff. Took to a good selection, pancakes, French toast, egg scramble, and avocado toast, showed up timely and looking too ripe for the grams. I noticed my crispy thick bread upholding big standards for bakeries. Delicious and savory, the others had no complaints either unless it's four dollar for a biscuit? That must be the inflation I keep hearing about! I suppose we hitting above our weight zone for the morning but it felt right to treat ourselves to first class. It's a splendid space and open wood, big windows, and lots of texture gives clean easy going vibes for a fun atmosphere. Parking wasn't too bad for a late Saturday morning but can bet it's not the easiest normally.“

“It is close to Ashby Bart Station. They have all kinds of sweets and drinks too. I like the decorations too.“

“#AmazingCoffee #RedBayCoffee 🥰🥤🧋☕🫖“

“My loves. Scrambled egg shrimp. Assorted meats over fried rice. Salt pepper wings. Swiss wings“

“The BEST coffee I've ever had outside of Italy. A variety of rich, complex, nuanced roasts, plus a strong freshly brewed cup in-store. I have loved and been loyal to them since 1988 (formerly Royal, where the kind owner Michael was a baristo)“

“Petit Cafe is a hidden gem! The warm ambiance, delightful pastries, and rich coffee make it the perfect spot to unwind. The staff are friendly, and every visit feels like a little escape from the hustle and bustle. Highly recommend!“

“Great atmosphere, extremely friendly, and delicious food. Shout out to the strawberry lavender matcha latte, very tasty. Just the right portions, didn’t leave hungry but didn’t over eat. Vegetarian friendly with substitutes. Some of the most refreshing water I’ve had.“

“First time having Ethiopian food, and wow am I dying to try some more. Got the vegetable platter that came with injera (sour fermented flatbread) and it was not only plentiful, but also healthy and full of flavor! If I was from this area I’d come to this place every week. Very nice staff as well.“

“Walkable Great eats Lululemon next door“

“Yesterday was our first time here. Staff was friendly & helpful. Ordered a chicken rice plate, shrimp rice plate and a Gyro. All of it was tasty. We all agreed we would gladly eat here again. We sat on the street, watching the world go by while shoveling in the delishness. Affordable & we paid with card. Could use some fresh paint & some deep cleaning though. Bathroom needs a gut job reno.“

“100%recomendado lo mejor el café ☕️ super rico 😋 👌 lo mejor muy bonito el lugar“

“Best breakfast burrito in the east bay. We live in Berkeley now and literally travel here sometimes we love it so much. I get the veggie breakfast burrito add sausage. Also love the chicken club sandwich and veggie sandwich. This place is so good for how unassuming it is!!“

“This was a great find for a quiet Saturday morning breakfast spot! We were looking for pancakes but also enjoyed their chilaquiles. The games were a pleasant surprise and we enjoyed a round of mancala. The coffee was delicious and my sons enjoyed the fresh fruit on top of the pancakes! Reasonable prices and they also have WiFi available! Decent location on the corner but we had to park a couple blocks away.“

“Love, love, loooove this cafe! Nomad is everything that you could ever want in a local neighborhood cafe! They’ve got delicious drinks, incredible food, outstanding service, great vibes, and they know their customers. I’ve been coming here for quite sometime now and I’ve never had a bad experience here.

My ultimate fave: Enjoying their chai latte and a pork chop banh mi on the patio. This combo is a win-win for me every single time. Recently, I’ve branched out of my norm and have become obsessed with their matcha latte and other banh mi’s as well. Honestly, you can’t go wrong with anything that you try here. It’s always gonna be the bomb.com!

What really seals the deal for me is the excellent customer service. The staff is so sweet and efficient. The owner Bee is an absolute gem! That fact that he remembers me and goes out of his way to say hi even when he’s busy working is truly an honor. I’m writing this review as I’m sitting here on the patio having lunch because I’m just so impressed.

Thank you to Bee and the wonderful staff of Nomad Cafe who make coming here so enjoyable! The neighborhood (and I) truly appreciate you all!“

“Great atmosphere. Clean and pleasant. Great place to have meetings and/or study. Really comfortable booths and open seating. Plugs at tables. Great selection of foods and drinks. Had a green iced tea and a black iced green tea that were great. Breakfast sandwich was wonderful too. Not greasy or heavy but it was a large portion.“

“The delightfully friendly staff serve up truly delicious caffeinated concoctions...a wonderful way to start the day.“

“I love this place. Owner is very friendly and generous. I love the cappuccino and bagels with various toppings . Tuna melt is to die for! Mostly does take out so seating is never a problem and always comfy. Chill music. Also, very reasonably priced.“

“Idk I know people love this place, I just don’t really get kava. If you’re like me and hate the taste there’s tons of cocktails that drown out the taste. The vibe is interesting, from the outside it looks super cool but to be honest all the furniture is kinda cheap not super comfy and the crowd just really isn’t my vibe. I kind of get a weird vibe while I’m there. This place by no means is bad, it’s just not my cup of tea.“

“Traveled all over this year, but this is one of my all time favorite coffee shop finds. Solid food, good vibes, excellent coffee, and a barista who is one of the sweetest, most charming souls to ever serve me cardamom and hot bean water. Cannot wait to go back.“

“I can't begin to describe the love I have for this place. I don't think I can ever leave Oakland because that would mean no house of phin 🥺

Always the nicest workers, awesome vibes. Thanks for always making each visit a treat <3“

“Customer service is always welcoming, if you're social there's always a good conversation waiting or if you want to work with headphones on that's an option. The coffee or tea is great along with good food choices.“

“I found this place looking for a place to comfortably eat and work after an appt at the govt building.

FRESH and super tasty salad at reasonable cost and filling portion. I added the happy hour special octopus fritter. SOOOOOO good! I had to exclaim out loud how much I enjoyed the meal.

Super friendly and down to earth folks that deserve your business!“

“Shapeshifters is a great place for seeing artistic ideas, either to give or to get and the beer isn't bad either. Come out and support local artists they'll be glad you did and so will you.“

“There’s a similar café featuring asian flavors in the city that this place knocks out of the water - I got a coconut pandan latte that was strong while having the coconut and pa dan flavors shine through. The service was sweet and fast despite me coming in near closing (lol). The cafe has plenty of seating & seems like a good place to work (saw many groups hustling away on their laptops - didn’t look to closely to see if there were outlets)“

“Their drinks are fantastic, the food is delightful and the vibe of this place is one of the best in the Bay.“

“Lovely neighborhood cafe with a sunny back patio garden! Service is wonderful. Their wraps are so delicious and great portion to share. Both the sauce options (peanut + spicy cilantro) are delicious. Friends have raved about the thai tea croissant!“

“Absolutely my favorite little coffee shop. It’s ran by the most lovely brown mamas who’s loving energy radiates into everything they do. Super queer friendly and the most amazing Chipotle Sandwich and Cafe de olla around.“

“Everything about this place, from the ownership to the food to the ambience to the friendly staff, is 5-star. I highly recommend Cafe 15 ;-)“

“great location downtown Oakland. price is good. Food is good.“

“Best coffee in NorCal, amazing staff. We love coming out to Oakland just for this coffee.“

“This place was a two minute walk from the Marriott where I was staying, and I ordered a custom egg, bacon, and cheese croissant.

Staff was friendly, food came out fast, fresh, and delicious. With bottled tea and tip, it came out to $15-- much less than the hotel.

If I have any complaint, its that I would have rather had one folded piece of scrambled egg so it didn't fall out of the sandwich. No harm, it tasted just as good out of the croissant as in it.“

“The classes are fun and energetic, the staff super nice, and I love getting to grab a healthy snack after class!“

“I walked in, I was welcomed by the warm and cozy atmosphere that instantly made me feel at home. The space is inviting, with a charm that reflects Filipino hospitality—genuine, friendly, and full of heart. The owner and staff greet you like family, and the vibe is perfect whether you’re meeting a friend or just enjoying a quiet coffee break. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to stay a little longer.“

“I have been here a number of times and every visit just gets better and better. Their coffee is the best you can find in the area. Their lunch specials are all amazing, especially the beef with injera. It's the perfect amount of food for a great price, and the staff is so friendly.“

“came here to get a oat milk latte, and it was more open and spacious than I expected very nice even though I was only there for less than 20 minutes. The atmosphere was amazing and plenty of places to plug-in if that’s your type of thing.“

“I live right next door to this place and passed by it a million times before deciding to stop in one day. Truly one of my favorite places to grab breakfast when I’m working from home. The chicken omelette is probably the most underrated dish here - packed with freshly chopped veggies, pan grilled chicken and cheese, wrapped in a generous amount of perfectly fluffy whole eggs. Like others have stated, it does take some time since the owner runs the entire place alone (so make sure you’re not in a rush) but trust me when I say it is worth the wait. The potatoes that come with it are good but I usually substitute for a side salad to get my veggies in, resulting in a high protein and low carb breakfast that fuels me all day. Despite getting the same dish for years at this point, she always finds a way to keep things interesting by changing the seasoning in the chicken or salad. The coffee is good too, I usually get iced coffee or an americano. Definitely worth stopping by if you’re in the area and have some time & patience for a delicious nutritious breakfast.“

“Best food and gift shop!🤗🤩“

“One of my favorite places“

“A Hidden Gem!

I recently visited the Merritt station cafe and was genuinely impressed. The atmosphere is warm and inviting — perfect for catching up with friends or getting some work done. I ordered an Avocado Smoothie (green smoothie) and a California Roll (sushi) , and both were absolutely delicious. You can tell they use high-quality ingredients and take pride in what they serve. The staff was super friendly and made me feel right at home. Bonus points for the free Wi-Fi and relaxing background music. I’ll definitely be coming back!“

“This is truly a neighborhood establishment. The people who work here are super kind and seems to greet and know everyone who walks through the door. The man who works there offered me free refills and added a complimentary espresso shot in my ice coffee. Really warm and sweet vibes here :)“

“Thank goodness amazing Yellow Door came on the scene in Montclair. Efficient, healthy & delicious are just a few ways to describe this delicious eatery. Kale Chicken Caesar, Miso Chicken Bowl, the Breakfast Sandwich are just a few of our families faves. Don’t miss this local gem!“

“Hornitos are very good but outside the restaurant there is a woman who sells tamales and the other day I went to buy tamales and pupusas and I told the woman to give me salsa and curtido because that's what pupusas carry and first she told me they were $18:00 dollars and once I was there and I asked the woman to give me what the pupusas contain, she charged me $3:00 dollars more because I had asked for the sauce and curtido, but at no time did she tell me that she was going to charge me extra until that he had already put them in the bag ?️ and he told me that everywhere they were already charging me separately for everything and I told him that that was not true because I buy pupusas in several places and that nowhere did they charge me extra because that is with what goes with that meal.“

“My friends and I have visited The Crêpe Pan, Oakland, on the corner of Piedmont Avenue and Linda Avenue. for a girls night a few times. Everything that we chose on the menu was absolutely delicious. We have tried several of their savory and sweet crêpes as well as eggs, Benedict and salads. Very delicious gourmet foods that we very much enjoy. They have a variety of menu items that are all delicious, well-made, and healthy options. The service at the crêpe pan is phenomenal, the staff are very friendly, polite, accommodating, and catering to the needs of their customers. We had the wonderful opportunity to connect with the owner, Joseph as well. On a regular basis, both Joseph and his wife Mai are on the restaurant floor helping and make friendly connections and smiles with their customers. We love the location, customer service and delicious foods. Thank you so much for all that you do for our Oakland community, Joseph, Mai and staff. We will definitely continue to visit you for girls nights and date nights. ❤️😊“

“Such a great vibe, beautiful local space, SUPER coffee and pastries, amazing service. Do yourself a favor and go if you are community minded and kind and love coffee and pastries.“