Creating a Restaurant Community in Oakland

Over a two-day, 19-stop food tour of Oakland hosted by California almonds, a few phrases came up as we chatted with chefs, bakers and restaurateurs. “Community,” “diversity” and “neighborhood,” were some, along with “approachable,” “filling a niche” and “casual.” They were being used to describe the businesses that continue to pop up in Oakland neighborhoods, from Uptown to Jack London Square. A consistent theme also emerged; many of the owners had decided to bypass the pricey rents of San Francisco to...