Here in the East Bay, we are fortunate to live in a widely diverse community. It’s one of the reasons we love it here so much. Red Oak would like to feature local restaurants and shops owned by people of color in hopes that you’ll join us in supporting them.

 

Juanita and Maude is a farm-to-table restaurant with a New American menu consisting of dishes like wood-fired pizza and lasagna. The food is fresh and delicious; they also serve amazing cocktails, too! Open Wednesday-Saturday 4-8PM and Sunday 10AM-8PM.

 

 

 

 

Brown Sugar Kitchen offers California-influenced soul food and Southern eats. Staples include flaky biscuits, gumbo, cheesy grits, pulled pork sandwiches, and their famous buttermilk fried chicken with cornmeal waffles. Is your mouth watering yet? Open Wednesday-Saturday 12-4:30PM.

 

 

 

 

Souley Vegan serves authentic 100% plant-based Louisiana creole food using fresh herbs and ingredients in combination with house mixed spices. A true vegan creole experience with southern-fried tofu, seitan and veggies, vegan biscuits and gravy, and much more. Open Tuesday-Saturday 11AM-8PM.

 

 

 

 

Using traditional family recipes, Minnie Bell’s menu offers delicious home-style food and gets a lot of hype for its famous (and delicious) rosemary fried-chicken. Open Thursday and Friday 3-7PM and Saturday and Sunday 11AM-2PM.

 

 

 

 

alaMar is a fast casual seafood-centric restaurant best known for its famous finger-licking seafood boils. If you’re not a seafood fan, don’t despair, the braised oxtail is a crowd favorite. Open Wednesday-Sunday 11AM-8PM.

 

 

 

 

Looking for authentic Ethiopian food? Go to Cafe Colucci. They serve intensely flavored dishes such as doro wat (a meat stew), azifa (a lentil salad served with injera), and a sour fermented flatbread. Open daily 2-8PM.

 

 

 

 

Kingston 11 Cuisine is a community-oriented restaurant providing delicious Jamaican specialties using local and organic ingredients. It will more than satisfy your jerk chicken, sweet plantain, and rice and peas cravings. Open Thursday-Saturday 2-7PM.

 

 

Photo from Eric Wolfinger for 7x7: Insider's Guide to the Best of San Francisco

 

 

 

Miss Ollie’s is an Afro-Caribbean restaurant located in the Swan Market providing delightful tofu curry or slow-cooked, island-style pork served with beans. Open Tuesday-Saturday 12-7PM.

 

 

 

 

PieTisserie offers a selection of popular pies and seasonal options all in flaky, buttery crusts that has those with a sweet tooth coming back week-after-week. Right now, you’ll find key lime, strawberry rhubarb in chocolate, and apricot pies along with savory options like wild trumpet mushroom quiches.

 

 

 

 

Little Giant Ice Cream offers delicious ice cream and waffle cones made from scratch. One of their most popular flavors is Dirty South with caramel ice cream, bourbon-caramel swirl and candied pecans. They also have vegan options.

 

 

 

 

James and the Giant Cupcake is a bakery specializing in delicious and beautiful cupcakes in many seasonal flavors like lemon-blackberry, sea salt caramel and strawberries n’ cream. They also offer a stay-at-home cupcake kit to design your own cupcakes, and have vegan and gluten-free options.

 

 

 

 

This list hardly scratches the surface of the large number of local businesses owned by people of color in the East Bay. But it's a start - so go ahead and order from one of those delicious looking menus and help to support the people that contribute to making the East Bay the wonderfully diverse place it is!