Best of Restaurants 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 — Jeff 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