A Diverse, Eclectic California City Is The Buzzed-About Foodie Capital Of America

Although it's just across the Bay, Oakland never gets anywhere near the acclaim or accolades as its sister city, San Francisco. There's no reason for such a disconnect, as Oakland happens to be the foodie capital of the country.

San Francisco might get all of the attention — and to its credit, the city does have some of the best restaurants in California as well as an impressive 28 Michelin-star restaurants. But Oakland isn't far off — though the city has half the population of Frisco, it's got plenty of great restaurants, and Oakland can even boast 24 Michelin-recommended (but not starred) restaurants of its own. The city was also named the No. 1 Best Food City in the United States by a vote from Condé Nast Traveler readers in 2024.

The best thing about Oakland is its diversity. It's not all prestige restaurants and five-star gourmet kitchens; you can find great food from a wide variety of cultures at a range of price points throughout the city. So if you're looking for a delicious reason to go on vacation, Oakland is beckoning you to try its diverse array of cuisine.

Although we can take the Condé Naste Traveler ranking at face value, there are several reasons why Oakland claimed the top spot in 2024. First, it's home to 24 restaurants recognized by Michelin. While only one of these restaurants has a coveted Michelin star (that would be Commis, which offers multicourse tasting menus and actually has two stars), other restaurants are lauded by the guide for offering good food at affordable prices (Bib Gourmand) or for promoting sustainable gourmet selections (Michelin Green Star). In fact, Pomet is the only green star-rated restaurant in the city, thanks to its farm-to-table commitment. 

Another reason for Oakland's foodie status is that it's home to Food & Wine's Restaurant of the Year 2024: Burdell. The restaurant is a modern soul food heaven that puts a gourmet twist on traditional favorites. Considering this title is nationwide, it's an honor that only a few restaurants have gained.

Finally, we can look at one of the reasons why Condé Nast Traveler awarded Oakland its title, which was its "staggeringly diverse food scene." Furthermore, the publication writes, "The city also has a strong taproom and winery tasting room scene, making it easy to plan your entire visit around eating, drinking, or some combination of the two." According to local chefs, foodies love Oakland's restaurant scene because there are cuisines from around the world made by people from those regions. The flavors of tradition and heritage are present in every bite, creating a unique and authentic dining experience.

When coming to Oakland, you could fly into San Francisco Airport (one of the most breathtaking airports in the country) and either take a ferry into Oakland or drive over the Bay. Alternatively, you could fly into Oakland itself. Fortunately, there's no one place we recommend to start your foodie journey, as there are fantastic restaurants and cuisines all throughout the greater Oakland area. For example, you can begin at Lake Merritt and sample MAMA Oakland, a fantastic Italian place, or you can start at the south end of the city at Taqueria El Paisa, which offers some of the best tacos in town.

The Michelin Guide is one of the best places to find highly recommended restaurants that won't break the bank. While spots like Commis are undoubtedly remarkable for their flavors and presentation, they're also quite pricey, with customers on Google saying prices are easily over $100 for a meal.

You can also tour restaurants based on your food preferences. You can practically travel the world in Oakland (gastronomically speaking), and thanks to the city's layout, Oakland is also a majorly walkable place, so pick the country or region you like best and compare different spots, knowing you can just walk off your meal or chain some spots together. For example, if you want Asian food, you can get Japanese noodles at Soba Ichi, curry at Jo's Modern Thai, or traditional Burmese dishes at Teni East Kitchen. Similarly, if you want American food, you can get some of the best ribs and brisket on the West Coast at Horn Barbecue, local seasonal food and wine at Snail Bar, or simple gourmet dishes like scallops and duck breast at Wood Tavern. No matter your preferences, you're sure to find something incredible.