Craving Italian food?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best high-end Italian restaurants around Oakland, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to meet your needs.
1. A Côté Restaurant
Topping the list is A Côté Restaurant. Located at 5478 College Ave. (between Lawton and Taft avenues.) in Rockridge, the Italian spot is the most popular business of its kind in Oakland, boasting four stars out of 1,309 reviews on Yelp.
We turned there for an overview of A Côté Restaurant.
"A Cote is a small plates restaurant in Oakland's charming Rockridge District," it writes on Yelp in the section about specialties. "Cozy tables surround a large communal table in both the main dining room and on our sunny patio, to create a festive atmosphere. Small plates reflecting the best of seasonal Mediterranean cuisine are served family-style by a friendly and knowledgable staff."
2. Rockridge Market Hall
Next up is Rockridge's Rockridge Market Hall, situated at 5655 College Ave. (between Keith Avenue and Ocean View Drive). With four stars out of 349 reviews on Yelp, the cheese and pasta shop has proven to be a local favorite for those looking to indulge.
This upscale market offers a variety of pasta, cheese, sauce and libations. Concoct your own Italian meal with the ingredients you find here.
Yelper Richard T., who reviewed Rockridge Market Hall on Jan. 1, wrote, "Awesome place. I went to get truffles and we were brought to the kitchen area to smell each one. The lady gave a great explanation of truffles and cheeses and gave us tips on cooking the pasta."
3. Market Hall Foods
Rockridge's Market Hall Foods, located at 5655 College Ave., Rockridge Market Hall (between Keith Avenue and Ocean View Drive), is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the fancy cheese and pasta shop four stars out of 49 reviews.
Score a variety of pasta, including a wide array of noodle choices. Pick up some meat and sauce while you are at it and make dinner at home for yourself or the family.
Yelper David L., who reviewed Market Hall Foods on Oct. 20, wrote, "Whenever my wife asks me to pick up dinner, I go to Market Hall. There are so many options. What's extra nice is that they have options for people who have allergies."
Yelper Annie L. wrote, "This is a fun place to go to which carries lots of specialty items and artisan foods. They have a produce market, butcher, seafood area, cheese and charcuterie area, a deli, a bakery and more."
4. MAMA Oakland
MAMA Oakland, a wine bar and Italian spot in Adams Point, is another pricey go-to, with four stars out of 81 Yelp reviews. Head over to 388 Grand Ave. (between Staten and Ellita avenues) to see for yourself.
If you're looking for more, we found these details about MAMA Oakland.
"MAMA Oakland serves a three-course dinner seven nights a week, designed to feel like suppers at your Italian grandmother's house," the business states in the history section of its Yelp profile. "The original Mama, specifically, is Maria Germano Stacionis, an Italian-American who emigrated to Rockford from the Abruzzo region of Italy and lived her life as the consummate hostess, mother and grandmother.
Fascinated so far?
"Mama is owned and operated by Stevie Stacionis and Josiah Baldivino (also of Bay Grape wine shop): a young, passionate, husband-and-wife team who met working together in restaurants and whose fondest memories involve shared meals with friends and family," the business writes on Yelp, this time in the bio section of its profile.
This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
