Oakland’s restaurant scene added a lively mix of newcomers and returning favorites in July. Diners can now find Japanese bento and robata, Yemeni coffee, Jamaican comfort food, seafood-focused cocktails, African fusion, and more. The month also brought a major relocation for one of the city’s longtime Ethiopian restaurants, alongside several neighborhood cafes and casual spots.
Key takeaways
- New Japanese options arrived in Laurel and the Piedmont Avenue area.
- Yemeni coffee shops opened near Lake Merritt and in Fruitvale.
- Enssaro Ethiopian Restaurant moved from Grand Avenue to Rockridge.
- Bar Skula, Sweet Fingers, and other restaurants expanded Oakland’s neighborhood dining choices.
- New openings across the wider East Bay added cafes, bakeries, desserts, and fast-casual meals.
Japanese concepts expand across Oakland
Oakland gained two distinct Japanese dining options in July. Itsumo opened in Laurel with bentos, sushi, rolls, and ramen, taking over what appears to be a former Japanese restaurant space on MacArthur Boulevard. In the One Piedmont apartments, Twin Flame began its soft opening with a charcoal robata grill centered on Japanese wagyu hamburg steak.
Together, the restaurants offer two approachable ways to enjoy Japanese food, from a quick bowl or roll to a more grill-focused meal. Their arrival adds variety to neighborhoods that continue to develop strong local dining identities.
Coffee newcomers bring global flavors
Coffee was another major theme. Mazar Cafe soft opened near Lake Merritt in the former Cafe Lakeview space, serving Yemeni coffee, handcrafted drinks, and pastries. In Fruitvale, Michigan-based Shibam Coffee moved into the former Red Bay Coffee flagship, adding a mezzanine level to the cafe space.
Sana’a Cafe also opened near UC Berkeley, offering Yemeni coffee, pastries, and food in a former Peet’s location. For Oakland and Berkeley residents, these cafes provide more opportunities to explore coffee traditions with deep cultural roots while spending time in familiar neighborhood gathering places.
Familiar restaurants find new homes
Enssaro Ethiopian Restaurant is relocating after roughly 20 years on Grand Avenue. Its new Rockridge location preserves the family-owned operation and brings the restaurant to College Avenue, with an interior designed by Liyu Designs. The move marks a significant transition for an Oakland institution while keeping its ownership and culinary continuity intact.
Sweet Fingers Jamaican Restaurant likewise began a new chapter in Uptown after closing its East Oakland location in April. Its soft-opening menu includes oxtail, curry goat, jerk chicken wings, plantains, and whole fish, with a grand opening planned for August.
Seafood, sandwiches, and comfort food round out the month
Bar Skula opened across from Lake Merritt from the owners of Luka’s Taproom and Lounge. The cevicheria and grill serves oysters, scallops, California seafood ceviches, trout, fried dishes, and selected Luka favorites, including its burger and fries. A sea-life-inspired interior gives the new bar a strong connection to its lakeside surroundings.
Other Oakland additions include Bolo’s Bites, a sandwich shop with classic subs and house-roasted turkey; Baan Thai on MacArthur Boulevard; Dimond Halal Eatery, focused on wings, burgers, and steak hoagies; and Taste of Safari Bistro and Grill, serving jollof, barbecue plates, seafood, wings, and sandwiches. Downtown also welcomed Bugzo’s Lounge and Chinatown’s Toisanese-focused King Kitchen.
More openings across the East Bay
The broader East Bay saw its own burst of activity. Alameda added Cafe Malaya, Ones Cafe & Bakery, a reopened Burger King, and a temporary burger residency at MIX Bar. Berkeley welcomed Milk Cloud Bakery, Palmetto Superfoods, Popbar, Gateway Cafe, and a reopened Qualcomm Cafe. New spots also arrived in Emeryville, Hayward, Lafayette, San Ramon, Union City, and Walnut Creek.
For diners, the takeaway is encouraging: July brought both ambitious new concepts and thoughtful reinventions of existing spaces, giving East Bay neighborhoods more ways to eat, gather, and discover something new.
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