BART passengers might find local artist Hamilton Cline on a train with his Samsung Galaxy Note 2, using a stylus to sketch something on his phone screen. Often times he’s creating a digital drawing of a stranger in front of him, illustrating the details of his or her hair, accessories and expression.
Named after a two-mile area surrounding UC Berkeley that was prohibited from the selling alcohol in the late 1800s, this community-focused winery and tasting room is a popular spot on the weekends and during Oakland’s First Fridays. There’s an art gallery and a few games within the space, so a flight of wine is just the start to a good time. They have a small catalog of wine available for tasting, in addition to small-batch gin, made by their sister company, Oakland Spirits Co.
With a background and lengthy career in the sciences, both husband- and wife-winemakers Steve and Marilee Shaffer are off to a bright wine making start. Their wines are focused on food-friendly varietals sourced from all over Northern California. They recently moved production to Alameda, but you can still stop by and taste their outstanding wine. Several vintages just snagged a few metals at the 2018 San Francisco Chronicle’s Wine Competition.
This Zinfandel-focused winery’s tasting room takes advantage of its close proximity to Jack London Square by not only offering a modern and sleek waterfront space to taste several different vintages and varietals, but also offers lots of events like trivia nights, live music and karaoke. It’s a picturesque spot to park yourself and your friends for a while. Check their website for nightly events.
Husband and wife winemakers and owners Michael and Anne Dashe create small-lot single-varietal wines from Sonoma and Mendocino fruit at their Oakland facility without sacrificing flavor and sense of place. These are serious wines at an affordable price. Besides the lovely tasting room, there’s the garden patio that opens in March and features live music on the first Saturday of the month. Make reservations online and you’ll receive a tasting fee discount.
Campovida’s footprint is quite large in Hopland — farm, wedding venue, wine making facility — and even though its Oakland tasting room is small in comparison, it makes up for it in spirit and vibe. Named Taste of Place, this intimate space pours the brand’s Mendocino-sourced varietals like Nebbiolo and Syrah. Enjoy a wine flight and accompany it with a charcuterie plate. Check their website for live jazz nights.
Winemakers Stew Epstein and Jeffrey Fiegel have an affinity for Spanish grapes and are committed to making highly acclaimed, delicious wine from their Oakland facility without the pretention normally associated with wines of this caliber. They’re currently pouring their first Pinot, a 2014, and a 2016 Tempranillo Nuevo, in addition to their Santa Ynez Valley Rio Blanco and Dry Riesling. Tasting fees vary; check their website.
Ramen’s history is a bit cloudy — kind of like a steamy bowl of tonkotsu — and while others debate its origin (China or Japan), I think we can all agree that enjoying those chewy noodles in a bowl of savory and satisfying broth has almost become a rite of passage for Bay Area diners. It’s cold out, so consider heading over to one of our BARTable picks and nourish your stomach — and your soul.
The Bay Area is home to some great French bistros. You know, the type of place that serves standbys like cassoulet and coq au vin and also offers up specials that highlight seasonal ingredients. Many of these places are run by expat chef/owners whose repertoire of recipes are akin to a running list of what’s fresh at the market. Come fall, chefs turn to ingredients that are more available in the pantry than on the vine.
From Visit Oakland:Faz Restaurants & Catering, in Oakland is famous for serving the best Mediterranean food in the Bay Area. Also, book your next catering event!