50 Best Cafes in Oakland

“to be Black, supa queer in this hood, this space is appreciated! to be able to pull up for a latte, donut, breakfast sando or a fancy cocktail WITH my spouse, and kid in tow- always feels welcoming.
did i mention the coffee is fire?“

“Vibes were immaculate, the drink I got was not.
I got an iced kinfolx latte which has cinnamon, nutmeg , brown sugar and organge zest.
I couldn’t taste any of that.
The espresso was very very strong so if that’s your thing you will like it!

But the vibes and the baristas were great!“

“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!!“

“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 !“

“Went on a little date with my lady to this place. We saw it on Bay Areas Check Please. The fried chicken sammich caught our eyes. Went on at about 2,….maybe? Was busy but was seated fairly quickly. We check out the menu while in line so knew what we were gettin. Noah, I believe, was the waiter fella(the reason I didn’t give that fifth star was cause after he took our order, we didn’t see him again). He was food came out not soon after we ordered. Hella quick. I got the chicken(breast/wing) and waffle with sweet potato butter. FIRE!!!. My lady got the chicken sandwich. MORE FIRE! To wash it down I got the brown sugar lemonade. JOHN BLAZE FIRE!!! Also there was a live dj spinnin on the 1’s and 2’s. Kind of a neo soulish vibe. Overall, it’s a dope spot. Nah’mean?!?! Forgot to mention that we shared the shrimp ‘n grits. My lady loved it. Once I dabbed a bit of Chrystal’s hot sauce on it, it became……FIRE!“

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

“#AmazingCoffee #RedBayCoffee 🥰🥤🧋☕🫖“

“#AmazingCoffee #RedBayCoffee 🥰🥤🧋☕🫖“

“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.“

“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!“

“I am sipping on Ethiopian spiced chai and munching on a croissant with turkey, egg, cheddar and avacado. This moment is perfect. Perfect taste and temperature. Thank you Jebena Cafe. You just earned a regular. May all black owned business thrive and when that happens, we will truly have earned a celebration of America's independence from its own past.“

“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.“

“Cool drinks, yummy baked goods, awesome staff, sweet vibe. A real neighborhood joint with lots of great choices, including not just bona fide Vietnamese phin coffee, but also vegan and caffeine-free options. They also have boba, pudding, and jelly add-ins, with coconut, pandan, ube, and black sesame items. Just do it :)“

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

“Café Córdoba is hands down my favorite coffee spot in Oakland! It’s this small, family-owned place that just feels like home every time I walk in. The people who work there are super sweet, and you can tell they genuinely care about their customers. The coffee? Always amazing—rich and flavorful, just how I like it. There’s something special about the vibe here, like you’re part of their family. Whether I’m grabbing a quick coffee or hanging out for a bit, I always feel welcome. It’s definitely a little gem in Oakland that I can’t get enough of!“

“This was my first time eating here and I’m so impressed with the portions, prices and customer service. The owner/ manager I believe, is so friendly to everyone and I’ve never been to a small establishment that keeps checking on the customer about how the food is etc. I will be coming here instead of my usual trips to Peet’s coffee or Starbucks!“

“Walkable Great eats Lululemon next door“

“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 best bahn mi I’ve had in the east bay!!! Fresh veggies, amazing flavor, hella vegetarian options!!! Also loooove the mint matcha. My partner is a big fan of the smoothies, particularly the almond butter one. The staff here are always so welcoming and kind. The vibes are great for a quick bite or to hang out and get some work done. Love this place.“

“Most fun and delightful. Aesthetic is nouveau. Bits of island, IKEA and kitsch all in one. The server was just fantastic. One really needs to know where this lounge is. I looked twice, but found no sign. Kava has maintained a really good consistency over time. Booch on tap... yummy.

Vegetarian options: Most everything here, yeah?

Kid-friendliness: Didn't get that feeling

Wheelchair accessibility: 1st floor and big door so probably“

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

“One of my favorite places“

“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!“

“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.“

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

“Went here for the first time this morning after a friend raved about the place. I ordered the turkey sausage breakfast sandwich. The service was friendly and everyone was really nice. The environment was clean and welcoming. They have free Wi-Fi. My sandwich was brought out within about 5 minutes. It was hot and fresh and everything was good. My only issue is that they make the egg in the microwave. I could tell from the texture and steaminess of it that it was microwaved, probably in a plastic container. I asked the employee if a microwave was used for any part of the cooking and he confirmed they cook the egg in the microwave. When I go to a cafe, I don't want my food microwaved. If I had known they would microwave, I would have asked if they can make my eggs on the grill instead of the microwave. I might try that next time and see if they will accommodate, because I avoid the microwave.“

“Delicious, friendly and affordable“

“delicious healthy food. Great cozy atmosphere however, the service was a little slow and haphazard. It was on Sunday, which is typically the brunch time of day so I plan on going back during the week when it’s not as busy. Generous portions at affordable price, which is rare for eating out these days.“

“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.“

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

“This is the only place I go for lunch by my job. The staff are friendly and everything tastes good...everything. My recommendation would be the breakfast burrito in the Morning and the and the egg salad sandwich or Salami Sandwhich for lunch.“

“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.“

“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.“

“The espresso drinks here are delicious and very lovingly crafted. Great pastries too. The rose tea was a little too perfume-y for me but everything else I've tried has been high quality. Nice calm atmosphere for working or reading as well.“

“Just dropped off Billy Whiteshoes Johnson at the Pinkley Crabapple Pavilion there on San Pablo where he'll go through his 3rd of the 4 stages of Vastomation, he'll then be a full fledged Clomperstaller with oak leaf clusters! The only one in California, wow! And, just a block is the restaurant, Plenty. They do breakfast better than anyone on the Avenue, so I justed walked over and had some Amazing 8 minute eggs. ☆☆☆☆☆“

“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.“

“Best food and gift shop!🤗🤩“

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

“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.“

“Stumbled on this place when working across the street servicing a customer's equipment and needed to grab lunch nearby. Had the best turkey and swiss deli sandwich of my life, not kidding. Now, every time I drive by the place I salivate. Had the chance to stop by there again today, one year later, and the turkey and swiss sandwich was even better! Fresh high quality bread, turkey, swiss cheese, tomato, red onion, lettuce, and some kind of special sauce. Incredibly delicious and a very rare find!“

“Awesome place for a cup of coffee. Love the area and very friendly customer service.“

“What a hidden gem! The BEST gluten free baked goods in the Bay Area (better than Mariposa!). A small kiosk at the back of 3601 Broadway, the old Kaiser bldg, free parking in lot off 38tg and lots of street parking along MacArthur/residential. There’s no indoor seating but a really lovely and large outdoor garden with ample seating. The staff and owner are really special people.“

“I live nearby and go here frequently. The breakfast sandwich is divine! I get it every time but friends have ordered other things and theirs always looks good too. Their coffee is great too! Staff are friendly. Outdoor seating area is nice.“

“I love this welcoming space! The coffees and smoothies are delicious and the new addition of fresh sushi rolls made in-house every day is great! Lots of regulars pop in because they know!
Prices are good too. It's a great place to meet up with friends after a walk around the lake or shopping, and weekdays it's a nice calm space for work meetings and coffee.
It's easy to walk past it so look for it next time you're on Grand by the gym, or Kume spa!“

“This is the place to Lime in. Open air feeling, old school vibes and a part of the vibrant community that Fruitvale represents.

I first tried a Mazapan latte in Newman, CA last September.

This is yummy too and the guava coyota to go with. Plus great conversations with locals.“

“I’m touring a condo in Oakland for a client making an offer and I stop for a quick bite at a tiny sandwich place next to the Grand Lake Theater. OMG, Unbelievable sandwiches, smoked meats, homemade pickles, peppers🫑 and memorable pulled pork, etc. I hang out for a few minutes while Jerry makes my Cuban sandwich, and he has me try their smoked bacon, homemade meatballs, and more. Jerry’s the best and I love this place. Can’t wait to tell my client about it!! Check out Modigliani Cafe, next to the Grand Lake Theater. #modigliani #localbusiness #Oakland #localgem #restaurant #sandwich #grandlakedistrict #holeinthewall #localjoint #bayareafoodie #pamparkerproperties #realtor®“

“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.“

“Cafe 15 catered a multi-site order for us and was able to fulfill delivery as well. They were the best priced competitor to also offer group coffee, individually packaged goods and shined when it came to order communication. I am so glad they came through for us and also love that they work in partnership with Lao Family Community Development. 10/10 experience!“