The Best Places in Alameda
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The best places in Alameda, according to the experts: The New York Times, Eater, and San Francisco Chronicle have all weighed in, and their honors are what rank this list. Fikscue comes out on top.
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Spinning Bones and Utzutzu hold the next two places. San Francisco Chronicle shows up on more of this list than any other guide, with Michelin Guide next.
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Rank 1. Fikscue
Texas Southeast Asian Barbecue
Halal Texas-style barbecue and Indonesian cooking share a menu here, which sounds like a provocation until you taste it. The team built a following through pandemic-era pop-ups before settling into a brick storefront in Alameda, where brisket and smoked ribs coexist with Sumatran noodle soup and smoked fried chicken in balado sauce. The New York Times and Eater both took notice in 2024, and a James Beard semifinalist nod followed. The wait can stretch to two hours, so plan accordingly.
The awards
- The New York Times The New York Times: 2024 · The Restaurant List
- Eater Eater: The Best New Restaurants in America
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: #41 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
- The New York Times 2024 · The Restaurant List
- Eater The Best New Restaurants in America
- San Francisco Chronicle #41 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 2. Spinning Bones
Californian American
A rotisserie spot on the little island of Alameda where the meats get a koji and fermented rice marinade before they go on the spit, which explains the depth of flavor you weren't quite expecting. The room is industrial, the counter faces the kitchen, and the menu wanders happily into Hawaiian and Japanese territory. The Michelin Guide gave it a Bib Gourmand, which tracks for a casual place doing this much with a rotisserie chicken.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Bib Gourmand
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Rank 3. Utzutzu
Sushi
No sign on the building, a steep staircase to climb, and eight seats at the counter once you get there. This omakase spot in Alameda runs a set menu that moves through composed dishes and precise nigiri, with the cooked courses pulling as much weight as the fish. The Michelin Guide has taken notice. Bring cash, bring patience for the stairs, and don't be surprised if the eggplant is the thing you're still thinking about later.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Restaurant
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Rank 4. East Ocean Seafood Restaurant
Cantonese
A golden dragon installation anchors the back of this sprawling Alameda dim sum hall, where Lazy Susans spin constantly and the noise level confirms everyone is having a good time. Siu mai and har gow are done right, and the golden shrimp rice rolls, crunchy fried shrimp wrapped in chewy rice noodle sheets, are the kind of thing you keep ordering before the last plate is gone. The San Francisco Chronicle named it among the Bay Area's top dim sum spots.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best dim sum restaurants in the SF Bay Area
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Rank 4. Pacific Lighthouse
Cantonese
Floor-to-ceiling windows face the marina, and the room leans into it with a chandelier big enough to mean business. This is a dim sum hall in Alameda, the check-box slip-and-tray kind, with a menu that mixes traditional and modern. The baked pork puffs, shiny and sesame-flecked, are the thing to track down when the cart comes by. The San Francisco Chronicle named it among the Bay Area's best dim sum.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best dim sum restaurants in the SF Bay Area
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Rank 4. Sandwich Board
American
The squat brick building on Webb Avenue smells like Thanksgiving every single day, because Sandwich Board roasts its turkey in-house and has been doing so forever. This old-school deli counter is an Alameda institution, and regulars have been known to walk in, say nothing, and walk out with exactly what they wanted. The Dutch crunch sandwiches are the move, loaded with that carved turkey alongside avocado and pepperoncinis.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best sandwich spots in the Bay Area
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The floor tilts so sharply that the table legs have been sawn down just to keep your drink from sliding off. This ancient saloon, built from whaling ship timbers and barely changed since forever, sits in the middle of a modern plaza like it missed the memo. Jack London drank and wrote here, then name-dropped the place seventeen times in "John Barleycorn." Order something simple and let the lean do the work.
The awards
- Difford's Guide Difford's Guide: 3.5 stars · Difford's Guide