Best Burgers in Oakland: Temescal to Uptown

The best burgers in Oakland are found along a handful of corridors: Telegraph Avenue through Temescal, College Avenue in Rockridge, Uptown near the Fox Theater, Grand Avenue and Lakeshore Avenue by Lake Merritt, and the waterfront at Jack London Square. Most of them sit a short walk from a BART station.

Oakland is a city of neighborhoods, and its burgers sit inside a food scene shaped by the people who live here: Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurants in Temescal, taquerias in Fruitvale, Cantonese and Vietnamese kitchens in Chinatown. Many Bay Area restaurants name the Northern California ranch behind their beef, so the menu often tells you more than the sign. On Saturday mornings, the Grand Lake farmers market draws shoppers from across the East Bay.

Burgers in Oakland: key facts

• Neighborhoods to explore: Temescal, Rockridge, Uptown, Grand Lake, Piedmont Avenue, Old Oakland and Jack London Square.
• Getting around: BART stops at 12th Street, 19th Street, MacArthur, Rockridge, Lake Merritt and Fruitvale.
• Food culture: Ethiopian and Eritrean in Temescal, Mexican in Fruitvale and Asian kitchens in Chinatown.
• What to read on a menu: the ranch or supplier behind the beef, often listed by name.
• Currency: US dollar (USD); Alameda County sales tax and tip are added to menu prices.
• What our guides check: the beef source, the bun and a venue confirmed open when the guide goes live.

Every guide we publish on Oakland is dated and lists only venues, addresses, prices and ratings we could verify. For other cities, browse all our burger restaurant guides.