NORTH OAKLAND
Posted on | July 8, 2010 | No Comments
Whatever you’re looking for, chances are you’ll find it not too far away in North Oakland!
One of Oakland’s oldest neighborhoods, North Oakland is waking up. Recently there has been an exciting influx of new residents and entrepreneurs who are creating a vibrant food and retail scene centered along Telegraph Avenue. This area, called the Temescal, with its global cuisine and one-of-a-kind retail, has caught the attention of the media, including The Wall Street Journal, which recently dubbed it “A New Gourmet Ghetto”.
Things started to take off in about 2005 with the opening of Bakesale Betty and Pizzaiolo by Chez Panisse alumni. There are always lines, but either of these is sure to please. They joined old standbys Asmara and Red Sea Ethiopian, LaCalaca Loca Taqueria, Doña Tomas, Genova Delicatessen, and Lanesplitter Pizza & Pub. The new kid on the block is Barlata Tapas Bar with outdoor tables and happy hour. The Temescal Farmer’s Market (Sundays year round) is also a popular destination for neighbors including crowds of 30 something couples looking for a nosh and the best of the local ingredients for cooking at home.
You’re about five minutes by car to the heart of Rockridge along College Avenue, too. Lined with restaurants, cafes, boutiques, antique stores, flower stands and independently owned bookstores, you can easily spend the entire afternoon sampling the bounty this one street alone offers.
You’ll see lots of skateboards, fixed gear bikes and jogging strollers in North Oakland, but it also has great access to transportation and freeways. It’s a short hop to either the Rockridge or MacArthur BART stations, which makes for an easy commute into San Francisco.
Don’t miss the Temescal Branch Library’s tool-lending library with over 2000 tools available for borrow and the fabulous urban greenbelt which stretches just east of Claremont Avenue with playgrounds and a dog park. If you’re more ambitious, this neighborhood is super convenient to Lake Temescal as well as fabulous hiking in the East Bay parks.
There is the annual Temescal Street Fair in June, followed by the Temescal Street Cinema with free outdoor movies running for six weeks, and a Taste of Temescal in September. Stay connected with all that is happening at www.temescaldistrict.org.
In short, this neighborhood is as diverse as its population giving residents and visitors alike an abundance of choices.
Come home to North Oakland—you’ll be glad you did!
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