A Day in Temescal

Two centuries ago, Temescal Creek was a major waterway that defined the landscape and provided an important source of drinking water. Today, the creek is culverted underground, and Temescal describes the charming neighborhood south of Rockridge and west of Piedmont Avenue. Spend a day in the vibrant, compact commercial district along Telegraph Avenue!

Where to get breakfast in Temescal?

Poppy's Bagels was opened by a New York native who found an enthusiastic following at farmers’ markets for her carbolicious creations. Beauty’s Bagels is another local favorite for Montreal-style bagels with traditional and vegetable-forward toppings.
 

Big House Beans coffee shop serves a varied American hot breakfast menu, and for those who prefer a late-morning brunch, lauded FOB Kitchen offers rich Filipino egg dishes with bright, exotic fruit cocktails.
 

Spend the rest of the morning checking out Temescal shopping destinations. On Sundays, the farmers’ market at 5300 Claremont Avenue is a great place to browse for pantry items, cooking accessories, and gifts for your foodie friends back home. It's Your Move is a decades-old analog gaming emporium that hosts gaming events for everything from chess to Magic: The Gathering. Unique East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse seeks to turn the detritus of modern life into art supplies. Root’d In the 510 is a marijuana dispensary with a wide selection and strong community ties.

Root'd in the 510

Where to get lunch in Temescal?

For lunch, Bakesale Betty usually boasts a lengthy line during its few hours of operation, bringing locals and visitors to its sidewalk ironing boards for fantastic pies and a genre-defining fried chicken sandwich. North Oakland has long been home to immigrants from the Horn of Africa, and several Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurants can be found in Temescal. Try this richly spiced, vegan-friendly cuisine by visiting Asmara, Abesha, or Cafe Eritrea d’Afrique.
 

Things to do in Temescal

After lunch, spend the afternoon exploring Temescal Alley. Built as stables in the horse and buggy era, today it’s a path lined with small establishments well-suited to niche offerings. The often-changing retail lineup includes a hip barbershop, a kids’ art supply, a leather outerwear store, a purveyor of custom-embroidered workwear, and a vegan-friendly ice creamery.

Where to get dinner in Temescal?

When cocktail hour approaches, Temescal provides a wealth of possibilities. Tallboy is gaining renown for its martinis and other classic cocktails alongside a vegan, hot-dog-centric menu. Vibey North Light serves creative concoctions with late-night eats throughout several intimate rooms. Casually elegant Pizzaiolo offers a daily happy hour from its Italian-inspired bar.
 

Temescal is a well-known dining destination with an embarrassment of supper options. Burdell was named the 2024 best new restaurant in America by Food & Wine magazine for its elevated, California-inflected soul food served on vintage Pyrex plates.
 

Other choices include popular Burma Superstar and inventive Daytrip. Since the 1990s, Korean restaurants and bars have served tender grilled beef, spicy fried chicken, tofu stew, and soju cocktails up and down Telegraph Avenue. Experience this flavorful cuisine at traditional Daol Tofu & Korean BBQ, or nightclub-like Hanshin Pocha.
 

Where to stay in Temescal?

Uptown Oakland hotels Kissel and Moxy are well-placed for a jaunt to Temescal. Take AC Transit’s Line 6 bus two miles to Telegraph Ave at 49th St, or a BART train to the MacArthur (40th Street) Station for a low-cost ride. Temescal is also connected to the Rockridge neighborhood by a half-mile creekside pedestrian path starting at FROG Park.
 

See all that The Town has to offer! Check out our Digital Inspiration Guide and start planning your trip. Make sure to also check out our hotels page to book your next stay in Oakland!