Best of Restaurants 2026

Readers' picks for Best of East Bay 2026

Best American Restaurant

Gold — Chez Panisse

Silver — Juanita & Maude


Best BBQ Restaurant

Gold — Everett & Jones

Silver — Fikscue


Best Breakfast

Gold — Sam’s Log Cabin

Silver — La Note


Best Brunch

Gold — Sam’s Log Cabin

Silver — Saul’s Restaurant & Delicatessen


Best Burger

Gold — Lovely’s

Silver (tie) — Al’s Big Burger

Silver (tie) — The Backyard


Best Burrito

Gold — Gordo Taqueria

Silver — Comal Next Door


Best Business Lunch

Gold (tie) — The Wolf

Gold (tie) — Wood Tavern

Silver — Lake Chalet


Best Cajun Restaurant

Gold — Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen

Silver — Brenda’s Oakland


Best Chef (and restaurant)

Gold — Scott Eastman, Juanita & Maude

Silver — Geoff Davis, Burdell


Best Chinese Restaurant

Gold — Shan Dong

Silver — Great China


Best Cuban or Caribbean Restaurant

Gold — alaMar Dominican Kitchen

Silver — Havana


Best Diner

Gold — Oceanview Diner

Silver — Rudy’s Can’t Fail Cafe


Best Dining after 10pm

Gold — Smokehouse

Silver — Kansai


Best Dining Experience

Gold — Chez Panisse

Silver — Juanita & Maude


Best Dining Value

Gold — Café Colucci

Silver — Mama Oakland


Best Family Restaurant

Gold — Nido’s Backyard

Silver — Picante


Best Filipino Restaurant

Gold — Understory

Silver — FOB Kitchen


Best Food Truck

Gold — Chef Henrik

Silver (tie) — Tacos El Autlense

Silver (tie) — Tacos Sinaloa


Best Fried Chicken

Gold — Aburaya

Silver — Grégoire Restaurant


Best German Restaurant

Gold — Brotzeit Lokal

Silver — Speisekammer


Best Gluten-Free Menu

Gold — Kitava Kitchen

Silver — Understory


Best Greek Restaurant

Gold — Troy

Silver — Nick the Greek


Best Hot Dog

Gold — Top Dog

Silver — Casper’s


Best Indian or Pakistani Restaurant

Gold — Vik’s Chaat

Silver — Ajanta


Best Italian Restaurant

Gold — Belotti

Silver — Mama Oakland


Best Japanese Restaurant

Gold — Ippuku

Silver (tie) — Kirala

Silver (tie) — Yonsei Handrolls


Best Korean Restaurant

Gold — Korean Superette

Silver — Bowl’d BBQ


Best Latin American Restaurant (not Mexican)

Gold — La Marcha Tapas Bar

Silver — Lucuma Kitchen & Bar


Best Lunch Value

Gold — Emeryville Public Market

Silver — Grand Lake Kitchen


Best Mediterranean Restaurant

Gold — Zaytoon Mediterranean Restaurant & Bar

Silver — La Mediterranee


Best Mexican Restaurant

Gold — Comal

Silver — Bombera


Best Middle Eastern Restaurant

Gold — Lulu’s Little Kitchen

Silver — Oasis Kitchen


Best New Restaurant (opened after Jan. 1, 2025)

Gold — Lulu’s Little Kitchen

Silver — Lucuma Kitchen & Bar


Best Patio

Gold — Nido’s Backyard

Silver — Cafe Leila


Best Phở

Gold — Tay Ho Oakland Restaurant and Bar

Silver — Phosho Dough


Best Pizza

Gold — The Cheeseboard Collective

Silver — Zachary’s Chicago Pizza


Best Place to Dine Solo

Gold — Emeryville Public Market

Silver — Cholita Linda


Best Ramen

Gold — Marufuku Ramen

Silver — Ramen Shop


Best Restaurant

Gold — Juanita & Maude

Silver — Chez Panisse


Best Restaurant View

Gold — Skates on the Bay

Silver — Sailing Goat Restaurant


Best Restaurant Wine List

Gold — The Wolf

Silver — Snail Bar


Best Salads

Gold — Mezzo

Silver — Daytrip Counter


Best Sandwich Shop

Gold — OK’s Deli

Silver — Picnic


Best Seafood Restaurant

Gold — Skates on the Bay

Silver — The Dead Fish


Best Southern Food

Gold (tie) — Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen

Gold (tie) — Brenda’s Oakland

Silver — Burdell


Best Take-Out

Gold — Grégoire Restaurant

Silver — Shan Dong


Best Taqueria

Gold — Tacos Oscar

Silver — 5 Tacos & Beers


Best Thai or Laotian Restaurant

Gold (tie) — Champa Garden

Gold (tie) — Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine

Silver — Larb


Best Vegan Menu

Gold — Understory

Silver — The Butcher’s Son Vegan Deli & Bakery


Best Vegetarian Restaurant

Gold — Café Colucci

Silver — The Butcher’s Son Vegan Deli & Bakery


Best Vietnamese or Cambodian Restaurant

Gold — Kim’s Cafe & Sandwiches

Silver — Tay Ho

Samantha Campos
Samantha Campos
Samantha Campos is editor of East Bay Magazine, East Bay Express and Tri-City Voice; and a managing editor for Metro Silicon Valley.

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