Bay Area/ Oakland/ Food & Drinks
Published on February 04, 2019
Celebrate Lunar New Year at one of these top Vietnamese restaurants in OaklandVien Huong. | Photo: Lyna N./Yelp

Ready to celebrate Lunar New Year? Tomorrow, February 5, families around the world will take part in the celebrations for Tết, the first day of the Lunar New Year — and spring — for Vietnamese families.

To kick off the celebration, families gather at home or at a favorite restaurant on New Year’s Day for a reunion meal, often featuring specialties that include dưa hành (pickled spring onions), bánh chưng (sticky rice with meat or beans wrapped in leaves) and boiled whole chicken.

If you’re looking for a feast to celebrate the Year of the Pig with friends and family, Hoodline has crunched the numbers to find the top Vietnamese restaurants in Oakland, based on Yelp ratings and our own methodology. Happy Lunar New Year!

1. Golden Lotus Vegan Restaurant

Photo: Aeon N./Yelp

First up is a haven for veggie lovers (and those who like to eat vegetarian on the first day of the year): Golden Lotus Vegan Restaurant, situated at 1301 Franklin St. (between 13th and 14th streets). With four stars out of 999 reviews on Yelp, the all-vegan Vietnamese eatery has proven to be a local favorite.

2. Monster Pho

Photo: Ali R./Yelp

Piedmont Avenue's Monster Pho, located at 3905 Broadway (between 40th Street and 40th Street Way), is another top choice. Yelpers give the phở-focused restaurant, which also has popular pork rolls and pandan waffles, four stars out of 924 reviews.

3. Vien Huong Restaurant

Photo: Alex T./Yelp

Vien Huong Restaurant, a Vietnamese-Chinese hybrid spot, is another go-to, with four stars out of 810 Yelp reviews. Head over to 712 Franklin St. (between 7th St. and Eighth Street) to see for yourself why the East Bay Express calls its Chow Jew Ho Fun, featuring shrimp, fish cakes and chicken, "one of the best noodle soups in Chinatown."

4. The Temple Club

Photo: Alex T./Yelp

Last but not least, check out The Temple Club, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 202 reviews on Yelp. Its mi quang phu chiem is a favorite, with soft, flat rice noodles topped by a toasted sesame chip, rock shrimp, pork, shallots and a quail egg. You can find it at 2307 International Blvd.