BARTable eateries to visit during Oakland Restaurant Week

Don't miss Oakland Restaurant Week this March. Photo courtesy of Events.com

It comes as no surprise that Oakland was named No. 1 Best Food City in the U.S. by Condé Nast Traveler. The Town’s diverse culinary scene is reflected by its vibrant residents, who speak over 125 languages and bring global flavors to the local dining landscape. This year, Oakland Restaurant Week runs from March 20–30. With over 130 participating restaurants offering special prix fix menus and plenty of deals, it’s easy to enjoy something new at a discount. Here are a few of our favorite BARTable restaurants to add to your foodie adventure this Oakland Restaurant Week. To find a full list of participating restaurants and their menus, head to Visit Oakland's website. 

Use BART’s Trip Planner for detailed routes and transit options.

Savor Italian flavors at MAMA Oakland. Photo courtesy of MAMA Oakland (Emma K. Morris).

MAMA Oakland | 19th St/Oakland

This Grand Lake restaurant was built as an homage to the old-school Italian-American grandmother. For Oakland Restaurant Week, enjoy a special $45 three-course pre-fixe dinner. Start with either parmesan sformato or Italian wedding soup. Next, opt for paccheri & MAMA’s sugo or linguine alle vongole. The dessert is strawberry crostata or tiramisu. All meals are accompanied with house-baked herbed focaccia and MAMA’s famous beef & pork meatballs. Take BART to 19th St/Oakland for the ultimate Italian feast, 0.9 miles away at 388 Grand Ave.  

Don't miss Burdell this Oakland Restaurant Week. Photo courtesy of The Oaklandside, Credit: Amir Aziz.

Burdell | MacArthur

Burdell is an upscale soul food restaurant in Oakland's Temescal neighborhood. This Oakland Restaurant Week, Chef Geoff Davis, a finalist for the James Beard Award for best chef in California, offers a $65 exclusive smothered pork chop for two with wild mushroom and bacon gravy. Don't miss this Michelin-approved restaurant near BART, which values both family recipes and sustainable sourcing. Take BART to MacArthur for a date night deal 0.5 away at 4640 Telegraph Ave.

Try Colombian cuisine and take advantage of Oakland Restaurant Week discounts at Parche. Photo courtesy of Visit Oakland. 

Parche | 19th St/Oakland

This contemporary Colombian restaurant in Uptown Oakland has special Oakland Restaurant Week menus for both lunch and dinner. Lunch is two courses ($35/person), while dinner is three courses ($65) and includes a homemade dessert. Options include small plates such as celery root tiradito, tumaco ceviche and empanada de ajiaco. Larger plates range from a chorizo corn dog to Cartagena-style braised short rib and a fried whole branzino. Take BART to 19th St/Oakland to share Colombian dishes with friends 0.2 miles away at 2295 Broadway.

This Oakland Restaurant Week, visit Drake's Dealership for delicious food and a cozy ambiance. Photo courtesy of Visit Oakland. 

Drake’s Dealership | 19th St/Oakland

Drake’s Dealership is nestled in an alley off Broadway and 23rd Street. The open-air beer garden and full-service restaurant has 32 beers on tap and an exclusive Oakland Restaurant Week menu. If you love sandwiches, try The Bourdain, which features fried mortadella and provolone or The Goodfella, which offers pesto, tomato, mortadella, soppressata, burrata and arugula. You can also order shrimp pappardelle, chicken parmesan, chashu pork belly congee, small bites, salads and N/A and low-ABV cocktails. Take BART to 19th St/Oakland for delicious food in a beautiful space 0.3 miles away at 2325 Broadway.

Savor Mexican flavors and margaritas at Nido's Backyard. Photo courtesy of Nido's Backyard. 

Nido’s Backyard | Lake Merritt

All dishes are made from scratch at Nido’s Backyard. The Mexican menu is seasonal, the cocktails are agave-driven, and Oakland Restaurant Week's special menus will save you a few bucks. Enjoy a main course plus dessert and a nonalcoholic drink for lunch ($25), or a main course plus dessert with a cocktail or cerveza for dinner ($35). Mains include atarjea style red mole with a roasted chicken leg, red rice, pickled carrots and tortillas or red chile and pumpkin seed mole with roasted carrots, beets, potatoes, cauliflower, red onion, cashew crema, red rice and tortillas. Dessert is a chocolate olive oil cake. Take BART to Lake Merritt for fresh Mexican food and tasty margaritas 0.5 miles away at 104 Oak St.

Enjoy pre-fixe menus at Saffron Kitchen for Oakland Restaurant Week. Photo courtesy of Saffron Kitchen. 

Saffron Kitchen | Rockridge

The Mediterranean-infused Afghan cuisine at Saffron Kitchen perfectly blends age-old flavors with modern techniques utilizing fresh and local ingredients. Head here for Oakland Restaurant Week to enjoy popular dishes at a three-course pre-fixe menu ($35). To start, choose between eggplant or potato pakora, samosas or steamed dumplings with ground lamb. All entrees, which include chicken kebab, vegetarian combo qurma and more, are served with rice, freshly baked flatbread and a traditional trio of chutneys. Enjoy ferni, a milk pudding topped with chopped roasted pistachios, for dessert. Take BART to Rockridge to find a delicious dinner 0.2 miles away at 5940 College Ave. 

The award-winning vegan Millennium Restaurant is worth visiting this Oakland Restaurant Week. Photo courtesy of Millennium Restaurant. 

Millennium Restaurant | Rockridge

This innovative vegan restaurant has won a Michelin Bib Gourmand every year since 2016. It’s also been featured as one of “The Top 25 Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants in the World” by the Huffington Post and Food & Wine Magazine. While their Oakland Restaurant Week menu is still in the works, Chef-owner Eric Tucker is sure to impress with globetrotting dishes full of complex layers and seasonal ingredients. Millennium Restaurant began in San Francisco in 1994 but has since moved across the Bay. Take BART to Rockridge to dine in the rustic-meets-industrial setting 0.2 miles away at 5912 College Ave.

Try the lobster roll at Seabreeze on the Dock. Photo courtesy of Visit Oakland. 

Seabreeze on the Dock | 12th St/Oakland City Center

Does it get any better than fresh seafood and gorgeous waterfront views? Oakland Restaurant Week is the perfect time to try Seabreeze on the Dock. Their lunch menu is a steal with $15 seafood baskets with French fries, house slaw and a fountain drink. You can also opt for the crab roll with chips and a drink for $25. For dinner, enjoy a lobster tail over garlic noodles or a lobster roll with a cup of clam chowder (both $35) or opt for a mix-and-match fried basket for two ($45). For casual dining and high-quality seafood on the dock, take BART to 12th St/Oakland City Center and stroll 0.7 miles to 31 Webster St.

How will you celebrate Oakland Restaurant Week?

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