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Where to Eat and Drink Near Jack London Square

The Oakland neighborhood is packed with restaurants, breweries, wineries, and more

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Not too long ago, Jack London Square was full of chains like T.G.I. Friday’s and Old Spaghetti Factory. Slowly, the neighborhood has undergone a massive transformation. Exciting, destination-worthy restaurants like Dyafa and Farmhouse Kitchen have recently moved in alongside a slew of urban wineries and breweries. At last, the Jack London district — with its history and waterfront location — is one of Oakland’s top places to eat and drink. Here are 17 great restaurants, bars, cafes, wineries, and breweries in the neighborhood.

Looking for more of Oakland? Here are our neighborhood guides to Uptown, Northgate-Waverly, Temescal, and Fruitvale.

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Sláinte

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Traditional Irish food — including all-day breakfast — meets classic cocktails and a cozy, warm atmosphere at Sláinte. This is a contemporary yet charmingly old-school Irish pub with brick walls, a fireplace, darts, and Guinness always on tap.

Peter Lyons

Souley Vegan

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Before vegan diets swept the Bay Area, Souley Vegan was introducing plant-based versions of soul food staples to Oakland. Now, the restaurant’s Southern-fried tofu burger feels like a Town classic. First-time visitors can’t go wrong with the sampler plate, piled high with greens, yams, barbecued tofu, mac n cheese, cornbread, and more.

Everett & Jones BBQ

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An Oakland institution since 1973, Everett & Jones is still serving ribs, brisket, and most famously, beef links. Sadly, the restaurant’s matriarch and owner, Dorothy King, died in March 2021, but granddaughter Dorcia White is maintaining her legacy with the family’s three locations across Oakland and Berkeley.

La Santa Torta

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At La Santa Torta, one of the first taco trucks to popularize beef birria tacos in the Bay Area, friends Leo Oblea and Victor Guzman offer cheesy, juicy, “red tacos” made with Jalisco-style beef birria (see how they do it here). Check Instagram for the trucks’ daily schedule, but the Jack London truck is fairly consistent — and soon, they’ll have a standalone restaurant in West Oakland, too.

La Santa Torta

Crooked City Cider Tap House

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This dedicated cider taproom with 25 taps was one of the biggest developments for cider in the Bay Area when it opened in 2019, with selections ranging from great local ciders to famed European imports, plus some beers thrown in for good measure. There’s plenty of room to enjoy them all in a 2,800-square-foot industrial space, and while food options change, there are always vegan and gluten-free options available.

Crooked City Cider Tap House

Dragon Gate

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With a neon-lit, nightclub vibe, Dragon Gate is not necessarily where you’d expect to find excellent Taiwanese food in this slice of town. Regardless, the extensive menu covers all of the cuisine’s musts, including beef noodle soup, popcorn chicken, stinky tofu, and three cup chicken.

Understory Oakland

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Understory opened in early 2021 as a worker-led restaurant and bar serving food inspired by the backgrounds of the workers running the kitchen. Moroccan, Filipino, and Mexican influences can be found in the form of snacks like ukoy fritters, small plates like cauliflower baja tacos, and sliders with fillings like kefta lamb or chicken tocino. There are a few cocktails on offer, as well as dessert.

Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine

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The Oakland location of the popular Mission district restaurant is full of flowers, pink, and festive fun. The attractively designed restaurant also dishes out excellent Thai dishes, including a mammoth beef short rib with Panang curry and crispy rice salad. Fair warning: The spicy dishes truly pack a punch.

Farmhouse Kitchen [Official Photo]

This adorable wine shop focuses on natural wines produced by independent small producers. Folks can drink any bottle at the shop’s long communal table and order snacks like local cheeses. Minimo also offers thematic wine tastings and wine flight specials, bottle service in the courtyard, and a reasonably-priced wine club.

Seabreeze on the Dock

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The still-new Seabreeze on the Dock is all about sourcing transparency — lobster, Dungeness crab, clams, mussels, shrimp, crawfish, and oysters are all labeled so there’s no mystery where your fish is from. Get them in boils, baskets, platters, and po’boys and enjoy on the cozy little waterfront patio at sunset.

Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon

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Oakland’s oldest bar, Heinold’s was built in 1883 and has remained a historic landmark in Jack London Square. The tiny, single-story shack is made of remnants of an old whaling ship, and the flooring remains steeply slanted after the 1906 earthquake. Most of the seating is outside, surrounded by palm trees.

Bicycle Coffee

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Bicycle Coffee can now be found in a few locations in Oakland (and one in LA), but this is the company’s first stand-alone cafe. It’s funky and warehouse-y with a real family-friendly, community vibe, amplified on Fridays when the baristas hand out free cold brew and pour overs.

Blue Bottle Coffee

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While there are bigger and more beautiful Blue Bottle cafes all over the Bay Area, it’s fun to visit the headquarters near Jack London Square. The large warehouse houses its cupping room and offices, but also has the usual Blue Bottle beverages. With minimal seating, they’re best enjoyed walking along the water.

Original Pattern Brewing Company

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After opening in 2018, this brewery quickly established itself as one to watch in the East Bay. The emphasis is on Belgian and German styles, including saisons, sours, lagers, dubbels, and kolsch beers. But with its historic brick home, string lights, and comfy seating, it’s also a lovely place to just hang out.

Brooklyn West Winery

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This neighborhood is urban winery central. Try Brooklyn West Winery for an every-changing portfolio of small-batch, award-winning wines from Barbera to Zinfandel to Riesling. The industrial tasting room is a sleek, attractive place to sample a few wines — tastings are a reasonable $20 per person for a flight of 4 wines.

Chop Bar

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A longstanding neighborhood favorite, Chop Bar moved into new, bigger digs on 4th Street in 2019. Serving American comfort food for brunch, lunch, and dinner, Chop Bar is known for having some of the tastiest breakfast sandwiches in town, and the burger remains a justifiable fixture on the menu after all these years.

Sláinte

Traditional Irish food — including all-day breakfast — meets classic cocktails and a cozy, warm atmosphere at Sláinte. This is a contemporary yet charmingly old-school Irish pub with brick walls, a fireplace, darts, and Guinness always on tap.

Peter Lyons

Souley Vegan

Before vegan diets swept the Bay Area, Souley Vegan was introducing plant-based versions of soul food staples to Oakland. Now, the restaurant’s Southern-fried tofu burger feels like a Town classic. First-time visitors can’t go wrong with the sampler plate, piled high with greens, yams, barbecued tofu, mac n cheese, cornbread, and more.

Everett & Jones BBQ

An Oakland institution since 1973, Everett & Jones is still serving ribs, brisket, and most famously, beef links. Sadly, the restaurant’s matriarch and owner, Dorothy King, died in March 2021, but granddaughter Dorcia White is maintaining her legacy with the family’s three locations across Oakland and Berkeley.

La Santa Torta

At La Santa Torta, one of the first taco trucks to popularize beef birria tacos in the Bay Area, friends Leo Oblea and Victor Guzman offer cheesy, juicy, “red tacos” made with Jalisco-style beef birria (see how they do it here). Check Instagram for the trucks’ daily schedule, but the Jack London truck is fairly consistent — and soon, they’ll have a standalone restaurant in West Oakland, too.

La Santa Torta

Crooked City Cider Tap House

This dedicated cider taproom with 25 taps was one of the biggest developments for cider in the Bay Area when it opened in 2019, with selections ranging from great local ciders to famed European imports, plus some beers thrown in for good measure. There’s plenty of room to enjoy them all in a 2,800-square-foot industrial space, and while food options change, there are always vegan and gluten-free options available.

Crooked City Cider Tap House

Dragon Gate

With a neon-lit, nightclub vibe, Dragon Gate is not necessarily where you’d expect to find excellent Taiwanese food in this slice of town. Regardless, the extensive menu covers all of the cuisine’s musts, including beef noodle soup, popcorn chicken, stinky tofu, and three cup chicken.

Understory Oakland

Understory opened in early 2021 as a worker-led restaurant and bar serving food inspired by the backgrounds of the workers running the kitchen. Moroccan, Filipino, and Mexican influences can be found in the form of snacks like ukoy fritters, small plates like cauliflower baja tacos, and sliders with fillings like kefta lamb or chicken tocino. There are a few cocktails on offer, as well as dessert.

Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine

The Oakland location of the popular Mission district restaurant is full of flowers, pink, and festive fun. The attractively designed restaurant also dishes out excellent Thai dishes, including a mammoth beef short rib with Panang curry and crispy rice salad. Fair warning: The spicy dishes truly pack a punch.

Farmhouse Kitchen [Official Photo]

Minimo

This adorable wine shop focuses on natural wines produced by independent small producers. Folks can drink any bottle at the shop’s long communal table and order snacks like local cheeses. Minimo also offers thematic wine tastings and wine flight specials, bottle service in the courtyard, and a reasonably-priced wine club.

Seabreeze on the Dock

The still-new Seabreeze on the Dock is all about sourcing transparency — lobster, Dungeness crab, clams, mussels, shrimp, crawfish, and oysters are all labeled so there’s no mystery where your fish is from. Get them in boils, baskets, platters, and po’boys and enjoy on the cozy little waterfront patio at sunset.

Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon

Oakland’s oldest bar, Heinold’s was built in 1883 and has remained a historic landmark in Jack London Square. The tiny, single-story shack is made of remnants of an old whaling ship, and the flooring remains steeply slanted after the 1906 earthquake. Most of the seating is outside, surrounded by palm trees.

Bicycle Coffee

Bicycle Coffee can now be found in a few locations in Oakland (and one in LA), but this is the company’s first stand-alone cafe. It’s funky and warehouse-y with a real family-friendly, community vibe, amplified on Fridays when the baristas hand out free cold brew and pour overs.

Blue Bottle Coffee

While there are bigger and more beautiful Blue Bottle cafes all over the Bay Area, it’s fun to visit the headquarters near Jack London Square. The large warehouse houses its cupping room and offices, but also has the usual Blue Bottle beverages. With minimal seating, they’re best enjoyed walking along the water.

Original Pattern Brewing Company

After opening in 2018, this brewery quickly established itself as one to watch in the East Bay. The emphasis is on Belgian and German styles, including saisons, sours, lagers, dubbels, and kolsch beers. But with its historic brick home, string lights, and comfy seating, it’s also a lovely place to just hang out.

Brooklyn West Winery

This neighborhood is urban winery central. Try Brooklyn West Winery for an every-changing portfolio of small-batch, award-winning wines from Barbera to Zinfandel to Riesling. The industrial tasting room is a sleek, attractive place to sample a few wines — tastings are a reasonable $20 per person for a flight of 4 wines.

Related Maps

Chop Bar

A longstanding neighborhood favorite, Chop Bar moved into new, bigger digs on 4th Street in 2019. Serving American comfort food for brunch, lunch, and dinner, Chop Bar is known for having some of the tastiest breakfast sandwiches in town, and the burger remains a justifiable fixture on the menu after all these years.

Related Maps