Chef Nelson German is an especially busy guy these days. Oakland hotspot alaMar Dominican Kitchen is still going strong after more than a decade; it originally opened as a seafood boil spot in 2014 before becoming the only Dominican restaurant in the Bay Area in 2023. German’s Afro-Latin lounge Sobre Mesa recently turned five. And the chef is now gearing up to open Meski, an Ethiopian-inspired lounge in SF where he’s partnered with restaurateur Guma Fassil and Golden State Warrior Draymond Green.
But German has long championed his Oakland community. He’s always thrilled to talk about some of his favorite restaurants in the city (and a few in SF, too!), many of which are one-of-a-kind destinations showcasing hard-to-find cuisines in the Bay Area. It’s an especially exciting time to eat out here given that MICHELIN just added cozy tasting-menu spot Sun Moon Studio to the California Guide and Condé Nast Traveler’s readers named Oakland their top food city in the country late last year.
Read on for some of the restaurants Nelson German loves to visit in the Bay Area, and book them all on OpenTable.
Mägo (Oakland)
Chef Marc Liberman showcases his Colombian heritage at this fine-dining restaurant rolling out a full tasting menu that always includes a special arepa.
Why Nelson loves it: “I had my birthday dinner there and it’s fantastic. The storytelling aspect is really cool, and it’s cool to have someone chasing another MICHELIN Star in Oakland, where there aren’t many of them. It’s definitely a cuisine that’s underrepresented.”
Burdell (Oakland)
Food & Wine’s Restaurant of the Year is where James Beard Award-nominated chef and owner Geoff Davis honors his grandmother with a thrilling soul food menu that’s grounded in California ingredients.
Why Nelson loves it: “Chef Geoff Davis has changed the game in showcasing his heritage and family in a beautiful light. The space is like you’re walking into a grandma’s home with all these retro vibes. The food is great; a lot of flavor, love, and nostalgia. They’re changing the narrative on what soul food is.”
Commis (Oakland)
The only MICHELIN-Starred restaurant in the East Bay is still known for its signature minimalist aesthetic with celebrated chef James Syhabout folding in influences from his native Thailand.
Why Nelson loves it: “Chef James is one of the greatest chefs ever, and the way he represents Oakland and the East Bay has been incredible. A true mastermind, he brings technique to his food, but it’s still fun.”
ACRE Kitchen & Bar (Oakland)
Chef Dirk Tolsma and restaurateur Pete Sittnick took over the storied Oliveto space in 2022, and they’re now slinging woodfired pizza and pasta in this cozy corner with two stories.
Why Nelson loves it: “They still give a nod to Oliveto while separating themselves. The pastas are fantastic. The pizzas are out of this world. I’m a big pizza guy. The wine list is one of the best. It’s a neighborhood place. You feel at home right away.”
Jaji (Oakland)
This new Afghan restaurant from the owners of Parche brings contemporary takes on lentils and lamb kebabs to a colorful space floating with cloth panels in Uptown Oakland.
Why Nelson loves it: “It’s the feeling there. There’s lots of nostalgia with pictures of Sophia Akbar’s [one of the owners] grandma and grandpa traveling from Afghanistan to the Americas, photos of family, and vintage art. There are modern touches, too. It’s a grand feeling. You’re going somewhere really special.”
Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine (Oakland)
An Instagram sensation with colorful dishes, Farmhouse has big flavor to back it up. Chef Kasem “Pop” Saengsawang recently won a “Chopped Championship” on The Food Network, and he’s keeping the boba cocktail and lobster noodle party in Jack London Square alive.
Why Nelson loves it: “Pop’s innovative, kitschy, and fun as hell. But the flavor is everything. It’s not just for show, they bring the flavor beautifully, and show the best of Thai cuisine in a fun way.”
Trabocco (Alameda)
This spacious Alameda restaurant from Giuseppe and Christine Naccarelli has been a neighborhood favorite for more than a decade with locals returning for the lasagna and the classic cocktails.
Why Nelson loves it: “The owner is from Italy, so it’s super authentic, but still Californian ingredients. It’s a date night spot for sure, you feel at home there, and the service is always fun.”
One Market Restaurant (Embarcadero)
This San Francisco mainstay right across from the Ferry Building and the Bay Bridge still remains a go-to destination for farm-to-table comfort food more than three decades after it opened.
Why Nelson loves it: “I gotta give it up to One Market. It’s an iconic place. I just did a collab there with chef Mark Dommen and sommelier Tonya Pitts. It’s a restaurant that’s been a staple in SF for years and their food still showcases the best of California cuisine.”
Piglet & Co (Mission)
This Asian comfort food destination tapped into night market nostalgia for its 2023 debut, when Eater named it one of best new restaurants in America thanks to its sticky ribs and numbing spices.
Why Nelson loves it: “Chef Chris Yang and his wife Marcelle Gonzales Yang are an amazing couple. He’s a good friend and his food has always been a favorite. Now owning his own restaurant, he’s diving deep into his roots and diaspora, in a fun way and [in] a homey setting.”
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Becky Duffett is a food writer living and eating in San Francisco. Her work has appeared in Bon Appétit, EatingWell, The New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, Eater SF, and Edible SF.
