Spending time in Central Oakland? Get to know this bustling college neighborhood by browsing the most popular local businesses in the University of Pittsburgh's backyard, from a mom-and-pop coffee shop to a Southeast Asian restaurant and teahouse.
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Central Oakland, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results.
1. Redhawk Coffee
Topping the list is coffee shop Redhawk Coffee, which offers espresso drinks, cold brew, hot tea and more. Located at 120 Meyran Ave., Redhawk (which also operates a food truck) is the highest-rated business in the neighborhood, boasting five stars out of 103 reviews on Yelp. Yelpers praise its lattes, mochas, friendly service and convenient location next to a doughnut shop.
2. Las Palmas
Next up is taco joint Las Palmas, situated at 326 Atwood St. With 4.5 stars out of 187 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. Yelpers love its reasonable prices on cooked-while-you-watch tacos, as well as the the self-serve toppings bar with a range of salsas from pico de gallo to extra spicy.
3. Mount Everest Sushi
Sushi bar and Asian fusion spot Mount Everest Sushi, which offers rolls, poke and more, is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 128 Oakland Ave., 4.5 stars out of 132 reviews.
Expert presentation and high-quality fresh fish are the selling point at Mount Everest, along with quirky takes on Asian fusion food like sushi tacos. Yelpers singled out the titular Mount Everest roll and the Steelers roll for praise.
4. Fuku Tea
Fuku Tea, a spot to score customizable bubble tea, iced tea and smoothies, is another much-loved neighborhood go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 110 Yelp reviews. Customers love its Thai tea and green Thai tea with boba, the freshness and texture of the tapioca balls themselves, and the ability to adjust the sweetness of the drinks. Head over to 3800 Forbes Ave. to see for yourself.
5. Spice Island Tea House
Last but not least is Southeast Asian fusion restaurant Spice Island Tea House, which has earned four stars out of 301 reviews on Yelp. Along with a menu combining Burmese, Thai, Malaysian, Indonesian and Singaporean cuisines, owner Ron Lee offers housemade ginger beer, cocktails and house-blended loose leaf teas by the pot.
Specialties include the mohinga (a fish noodle soup topped with fried squash fritters), la toke (a Burmese noodle salad with tofu and ground shrimp), and Java fried rice. You can find Spice Island Tea House at 253 Atwood St.
