Spring is in the air and you know what that means: Alameda Restaurant Week (March 3-12, 2023) is the perfect opportunity to visit and support BIPOC-owned restaurants, which you know we love to frequent!
As part of Beautiful Brown Adventure’s (BBA) mission to highlight and support Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities, and to make it easier for you to identify and support BIPOC-owned restaurants, we’ve put together lists of spots that are owned/operated by BIPOC chefs and restauranteurs, and which you can enjoy with your family – or without :).
We didn’t identify any Black- or Indigenous-owned restaurants on the most recent Alameda Restaurant Week list of participants below, which hopefully will be remedied in future Restaurant Weeks. We did find quite a few participating restaurants owned by other People of Color (POC), and, in particular, Women of Color (WOC).
Let us know your favorite BIPOC-owned Alameda eateries in the comments below!
We respectfully acknowledge that Huchiun (also known as the East Bay Area) is the stolen and occupied land of the Lisjan Ohlone people.
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Family-Friendly Restaurants with Outdoor Seating
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Family-Friendly Restaurants with Indoor-Only Seating
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For a Kid-Free Night Out
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Something Sweet
When we say “family-friendly,” we’re expecting that
1) our kids can eat food off their menu, even if they don’t offer a kid’s menu,
2) they offer high chairs and bathroom changing tables,
3) spacious outdoor seating is available, and
4) there is ample space for toddlers on-the-move to roam about.
Before you go
- Make reservations, if possible!
Family-Friendly POC-Owned Restaurants with Outdoor Seating
Abigail’s Moroccan Cuisine
~$15-45/person
Angel: Located on Ballena Bay, Abigail’s Moroccan Cuisine—a WOC-owned restaurant—serves up delicious Moroccan food with an incredible view of the San Francisco Bay. Sit on their front patio to enjoy windswept views of boats and the San Francisco skyline as you drink delicious mint iced tea ($1.50) and eat kefta (a Moroccan-style meat patty) and saffron rice ($13.25). I loved the kefta sandwich served on crispy bread with caramelized onions ($10.25), too.
The service can be slow, so order ahead. Also, the place is BYOB (bring your own booze), so no corkage fees if you’re so inclined!
Bowl’d Alameda
~$20-$40/person
Jelly: When I was pregnant I didn’t notice any real food cravings, but I did often default to Korean food and Bowl’d always satisfied! Located conveniently in the Southshore shopping center, Bowl’d has plenty of indoor and patio seating. This is an off-shoot of their original Albany location and also sister-restaurant to Spoon in Berkeley (and other locations).
Get the stone-hot-bowl bibimbap ($14.99), soft tofu stew (soondooboo, $13.99), and jhap chae ($13.99). I’m usually a fan of the savory pancakes, but the kimchi pancake at this location was much too salty, unfortunately.
Burma Superstar
~$30-$50/person
Jelly: Another of our favorite restaurants! Their covered parklet is a saving grace when we want to sit outside and nosh on some crave-worthy tea leaf salad, samusa soup, mohinga soup, and platha (our kid’s fave).
Cafe Jolie
~$15-$25/person
Angel: Located on Webster Street in Alameda’s West End neighborhood, WOC-owned Cafe Jolie serves up some of the best breakfasts in town. I always order the same thing: a cooked-to-perfection Monte Cristo ($15) served with breakfast potatoes and fruit, and a mocha ($5.50). My kiddos love the beignets ($13) with chocolate ganache for dipping ($1.50).
Although indoor seating is available, our family prefers to sit outside in the heated parklet to let the kids move around a little bit. The servers are very kid-friendly, providing coloring pages and Wiki Sticks for the kids’ entertainment, as well as a kid’s menu with pancakes and French toast ranging from $8-$10 an order.
On some weekends there is even musical entertainment outside along the street! You may have seen me there? You know, the one with the two little girls dancing in front of the piano player the whole time instead of eating their pancakes?
East Ocean Seafood Restaurant
~$20-$30/person
Jelly: One of the things we miss most about the before-times was having dim sum together with a table full of friends and family. We would go at least once a month! It was loud, raucous, and full of delicious smells and eats. It’s the perfect group outing because you can share a greater variety of dishes, and at the same time, folks are free to order what works best for them without having to order a whole plate of one dish.
Thankfully for us, East Ocean is a great option for sit-down dim sum both indoors and out, having served up Hong Kong-style dishes for more than 30 years! Our family’s fave dumplings are shrimp har gow, pan-fried shrimp and chives, and pork and shrimp siu mai. Don’t forget to grab some baos, plus sesame balls, egg custard tarts, or pineapple buns to finish off your meal!
The Preacher’s Daughter
$15-$25/person
Angel: Cafe, wine bar, bistro, you name it! This cute little WOC-owned spot was new to the Park Street scene as of 2021. Try their Mexican Mocha, goat cheese crostini, and salads. They will even bring a cute little coloring book and crayon set for the littles.
Enjoy sitting on the parklet or in one of the indoor nooks by the windows to people-watch. I love coming here with my family for brunch or for one of their live music events.
Jelly and I also like to enjoy afternoon tea, coffee, or a glass of happy hour wine while we blog. Say “hi” if you see us in the window!
Spinning Bones
~$20-$40/person
Spinning Bones ($6-$40)
Angel: Spinning Bones is one of my favorite restaurants in Alameda. Did you know it is also on the Michelin Guide? Their slow-cooked meats are cooked to perfection and served with their Asian-fusion sides. Everything we order is delicious, every-single-time.
Our kids love the mochiko fried chicken (chicken-licken’ $14), while we usually order a Trip’s Tripple (¼ chicken, tri-tip, and pork shoulder $34) to share. Don’t forget to add a roti ($2) to your meal! Seating inside or in the parklet on Park Street. Check out the menu here or follow them on Instagram for their secret menu!