Oakland Named Best Food City in the Nation for 2nd Year in a Row

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For the second consecutive year, Oakland has been named the #1 Best Food City in the U.S. by Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards—beating out culinary powerhouses like New York City and San Francisco. With more than 757,000 readers voting, the message was unmistakable: Oakland’s food scene is unmatched in diversity, creativity, and soul. As CN Traveler notes, there’s no wrong neighborhood to begin exploring—Temescal’s buzzworthy eateries like Pizzaiolo, Fruitvale’s legendary taco trucks, West Oakland’s fine dining, and the city’s thriving taproom and tasting room culture all contribute to a dining scene that’s “staggeringly diverse” and deeply rooted in community. Adding to this momentum, Food & Wine named Steve Joo of Joodooboo one of its Best New Chefs of 2025, awarded Sun Moon Studio its first Michelin star, and honored Burdell as the Best U.S. Restaurant of the year.

Local coverage echoes the excitement. As KTVU reported, “For the second year in a row, Oakland was just named the best place for food in the United States,” highlighting that Oakland’s food scene is thriving, exciting, and reflective of the city’s cultural richness. The article celebrates Oakland’s “incredible diversity, authentic global flavors, thriving food trucks (especially in Fruitvale), and vibrant scene of local eateries and taprooms.” It’s exactly this kind of culinary energy—bold, multicultural, and ever-evolving—that makes Oakland not only a destination for food lovers but also an inspiring place to call home.

From Caspian Residences at Brooklyn Basin, homeowners are perfectly positioned to enjoy it all. The entire iconic dining scene of Oakland is accessible in ~15 minutes by car, and the FREE Brooklyn Basin shuttle provides easy weekday access to the Uptown entertainment district, Jack London Square, Downtown Oakland, and BART, making restaurant-hopping effortless. And some of the best flavors are right outside your front door. Enjoy Filipino-inspired favorites crafted Chef Alex Retodo at The Lumpia Company, where creative lumpia mashups have become neighborhood must-haves, and East Bay rap legend E40 is an investor and co-owner of the growing business. Just steps away, Brotzeit Lokal brings Bavarian comfort food and waterfront beer garden vibes with views—another reminder that living at Caspian means living deliciously. And don’t get us started on Zocalo Coffee and Kitchen’s buzzworthy brunches and Crème Brûlée Latte. Next time you’re there, order the Avocado Toast or Fried Chicken Sando, you won’t be sorry!

For food lovers, Caspian offers more than a home—it offers a gateway to Oakland’s award-winning culinary culture, set against the calming backdrop of the Brooklyn Basin waterfront. Whether you’re exploring the city’s Michelin-recognized restaurants, discovering local gems in every neighborhood, or enjoying comfort food just downstairs, Oakland is the perfect place to savor life—and Caspian is the perfect place to begin the experience.

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