Everything You Need To Know About Oakland Restaurant Week 2024

Oakland, California boasts a rich tapestry of cultures and ethnicities, reflected in its diverse community. The culinary landscape of The Town is nothing short of dynamic, blending a myriad of cooking traditions, recipes, and flavors to create a truly special scene for passionate foodies. To put this level of diversity in to perspective, this city’s residents speak in over 125 languages, and this is reflected in the vast array of cuisines featured in Oakland’s restaurants and bars.

Oakland Restaurant Week began in 2010 and has since become an annual dining extravaganza that the Bay Area looks forward to each year. From March 14 – 24th this celebration showcases the best of this city’s culinary scene, all while highlighting local establishments and encouraging visitors to explore unique dining experiences, at reasonable prices special to this on-going event.

“Oakland restaurant week is an amazing time to experience The Town’s vibrant culinary scene” commented Peter Gamez, President and CEO of Visit Oakland. “With talented chefs creating award-winning global cuisine, visitors and locals can satisfy their appetite in Oakland. We encourage people to take advantage of our hotel offers, stay awhile, and enjoy all there is to do in The Town.”

All of the restaurant week participants will feature both new and one-of-a-kind offerings ranging from family-style dinners, specialty dishes, prix-fixe menus, seasonally-driven tastings and more.

This year over 155 restaurants and bars are participating in Oakland Restaurant Week. This includes Bib Gourmand rated Jo’s Modern Thai, FOB Kitchen, Lion Dance Cafe and MAMA Oakland; Michelin recommended Brotzeit Lokal, Barcote Ethiopian and Parche; and James Beard nominated restaurants that include Wahpepah’s Kitchen, Lion Dance Cafe and Burdell Soul Food, to name just a few.

“We are thrilled to be part of Oakland Restaurant Week, where we have the opportunity to introduce our Filipino flavors to those who may be trying them for the first time or rediscovering them after a while,” says FOB Kitchen chef/ owner, Janice Dulce, who will be offering a special prix fixe menu for two, featuring FOB Kitchen classics such as lumpia, adobo and bangus.

“The Oakland food scene is renowned for its diversity and we are eager to contribute to the representation of Filipino cuisine during this event. As a queer woman-owned business, the support from our community holds immense significance for us, particularly during these times. We are grateful for the opportunity to share our culinary creations and be part of the vibrant Oakland culinary landscape.”

The Oakland food scene offers a number of diverse neighborhoods, making way for an exceptionally vibrant city to explore through a culinary lens.

“Hands down, the diversity,” responds Parche Executive Chef, Juan Horminga, when asked what’s most exciting about about the Oakland food scene.

“The city represents various cultures, from all walks of life, coming out to eat in Oakland regardless of race, age and gender. There is so much fun being had here with local produce, new flavors and so many cultures that it feels inclusive. For instance we have Yemini coffee next door, Shawarmaji Middle Eastern and Agave Uptown across the street, a Korean Market down the block, and so much more in our surroundings.”

Some of the best areas in Oakland to eat and drink include Jack London Square and Temescal to Uptown and Fruitvale. Featured restaurants include alaMar Dominican Kitchen, The Cook and Her Farmer, Crumble and Whisk, Dokkawbier, Snail Bar, Town Fare Cafe and more.

“I am so excited to be participating in Oakland restaurant week especially now with the Dominican iteration of alamar not the old one,” says chef/ owner Nelson German of alaMar Dominican Kitchen.

“I’m also excited to have Sobre Mesa join in on the fun for the first time. Most importantly though we all look forward to Oakland restaurant week as it is a time where this beautiful positive energy surrounds the Town, everything is just vibrant and bustling. It’s a time where small businesses get to shine, especially now as the cuisines being showcased throughout Oakland is the most diverse it’s ever been. We are all ready and we are eager to bring positivity back to Oakland.”

“We’re excited to be a part of this years Oakland Restaurant Week,” echos Jo’s Modern Thai Chef Intu-On Kornnawong. “Despite all the bad news about closures, there are so many great restaurants and chefs here that are doing some amazing things. We hope that everyone can come out and participate and see what Oakland has to offer.”

For more information on Oakland Restaurant Week and its participants, click here.