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Just The Facts
Founded: 1850s
Population: 3,425
Area: 6th Street to 12th Street, Broadway to Fallon Street
Major Languages: Cantonese, Taishanese, Mandarin, Vietnamese
Migrants: Canton Province (South East China), Hong Kong, China, Vietnam
Point of Interest: Pacific Renaissance Plaza (388 9th Street)
Local activities: Lincoln Square Park, Oakland Public Library Asian Branch
History
One of the oldest Chinatowns in the United States. Oakland Chinatown was settled in the 1850s, shortly after the gold rush. In 1906, the San Francisco earthquake and fire wrecked San Francisco Chinatown, causing thousands of San Francisco Chinese survivors to move to Oakland to rebuild their lives in the East Bay.
The Vibe
Oakland Chinatown nowadays becomes the center of Asian cultures, arts and gourmet cuisine. You can find up to 8 Asian languages of books in the Oakland Public Library Asian Branch; learn Balinese dance at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center; eat Japanese Ramen and Vietnamese banh mi sandwich, and drink Taiwanese boba tea; and buy American Chinese fortune cookies which all can be found in Chinatown!
Things To Do
Oakland Chinatown is one of a kind “Working Chinatown” where you will not see many tourists taking pictures but lots of residents working, shopping, and dining here!
If you are hungry.
There are more than 45 restaurants and 9 tea shops in Chinatown. You can find many delis and bakeries in the center area of Chinatown, between 8th to 10th Street, Franklin and Webster Street. Looking for sit-down Dim Sum, try Golden Peony Seafood Restaurant or Cinnamon Tree Chinese Cuisine, you will see the staff pushing carts to your table with various dishes during lunch hours.
Eager for noodles? Try Shan Dong Restaurant. It is famous for its hand-pulled noodles and freshly made dumplings. The “Black Garlic Ramen” in Sobo Ramen will be an ideal choice when you feel chilled in Oakland.
If you’d like people watching.
Seniors practice Tai Chi and Qi Gong every early morning at Madison Park, and then there are full day exercises and cultural programs at Lincoln Square Park. Sit down on the bench at the Pacific Renaissance Plaza, you can observe parents taking their children to the library, and seniors around you enjoying the leisure time.
If you’d like to shop.
You can go to the grocery stores. Touch and smell fresh produce and dry goods, and can ask the staff how to cook it.
If you’d like to learn.
Oakland Asian Cultural Center (OACC) has changing exhibitions year round to showcase arts and cultures in Asia. Performances and programs are scheduled during evenings and weekends.
Oakland Public Library Asian Branch is located at the Pacific Renaissance Plaza. It provides the latest Asian books and DVDs in 8 different Asian languages including Chinese (Traditional/Simplified Chinese, Cantonese/Mandarin), Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, Tagalog, Hindu, and etc.
Do you know that fortune cookies were invented in Northern California? The Fortune Cookie Factory is one of the oldest fortune cookie factories in the bay area. You can schedule a 15-20 minutes tour with a small fee to learn the history and customize your own fortune cookies!
When to go
Chinatown residents and families from outside of Oakland come to Chinatown for grocery shopping and dining during 10am to 3pm daily. You can come to experience how Chinese shoppers pick fresh produce or dry goods.
How to get to Chinatown
Freeway: From San Francisco, take I-80 E to I-980 W and exit from Jackson Street; From South Bay, take I-880 N and exit from Oak Street; From Berkeley, take I-80 W to I-580 E then continued on I-980 and exit from Jackson Street.
BART: Lake Merritt Station or 12th Street/Oakland City Center Station
Bus: Alameda-Contra Costa Transit 1, 11, 18, 40, 51, 62, 72R, 96
Parking
Street meter parking or public garage.
Events
Annual Events
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Serving pho noodle soups, banh mi sandwiches, and Vietnamese coffee.
Serving authentic Cambodian food during lunch and dinner. Vegetarian options available.
Known for their great tasting rice clay pots at a great price.
Binh Minh Quan's goal is still to serve the most authentic Vietnamese food possible and to...
Serving Indian/Pakistani food. Customers love their lunch specials of naan, rice, salad,...
Popular for its Vietnamese sandwiches, baked pork buns, and other baked goods.
Affordable Chinese food. The fried chicken is a huge hit with customers.
Site of early morning Tai Chi Chuan and other exercise programs.
Serving various dishes from Guangxi in southern China, featuring Guilin rice noodle...
Oakland Art Murmur community partners Dragon School 99 created this self-guided Mural Tour...
Curious how fortune cookies are made? The Fortune Cookie Factory of Oakland California...
This family-run, vegan, Vietnamese restaurant has been around since 1996, and is currently...
Family-owned since 1972, Golden Peacock Restaurant continues to provide traditional and...
This favorite Chinatown restaurant specializes in interesting and tasty dim sum creations....
Well known for their jook (congee), Gum Kuo Restaurant also serves wonton noodles,...
Popular for its wonton noodle soups and barbequed duck.
Pastries galore. Delicious birthday cakes, egg tarts, and more.
When you visit Afghan Kabob House, you're in for a treat. You will experience their fresh...
Chinese pastries galore. Their sponge cakes and "wife cakes" are a hit here.
Serving a wide variety of Chinese vegan dishes. Nature Vegetarian cooks with no MSG and...
Good place for late night Chinese food. Open until 2am.
Located in Chinatown's Pacific Renaissance Plaza, this organization is one of the largest...
The Edward W. Chin Auditorium is a space that has dark wood paneling and contemporary...
Oakland Roots Sports Club seeks to harness the magic of Oakland and the power of sport as...
Peony Seafood Restaurant brings the Bay Area a taste of Hong Kong's finest Chinese...
Authentic Vietnamese dishes. Customers rave about the pho.
A variety of Chinese pastries all at a great price. Customers love the egg tarts and...
Serving Hong Kong style cafe meals. Their baked pork chops are a customer favorite.
Popular for their noodles and dumplings cooked Mandarin style.
Popular spot to grab a late night snack, but also serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner....
Featuring Tonkotsu 'pork bone' - Made from boiling pork bones, fat and collagen for 24...
SOBO Ramen - is the first Japanese inspired Ramen shop brought to the East Bay in 2012. To...
Serving Szechuan style dishes. Pay Spices 3 a visit if you like spicy food. Popular items...
Selling dim sum and pastries. The dumplings and steamed BBQ pork buns are a crowd...
Sun Hing Restaurant's barbequed meat plates and their lunch specials are a hit with...
Good for takeout dim sum and popular for its BBQ pork buns.
Featuring regional Vietnamese dishes such as Bun Cha Hanoi (Hanoi Trio of Pork), Hanoi...
Mother and Daughter team bringing Vietnamese home cooking style to the Bay Are with craft...
Dumplings galore! Customers love the Pork Chive dumplings and jianbing, Chinese style...
Life is sometimes hard. When you see something beautiful, you'll forget all the stress you...
Authentic Vietnamese food. Noodle soups are a crowd favorite.
Chinese bakery serving up delicious egg tarts, BBQ pork buns and more.
Ying Kee specializes in Chinese noodle soups. All the noodles - and there are many...
Serving fried rice, chow fun, chow mein, BBQ meats and more.