The Tastiest Grocery in Oakland

Golden Baer Food Center and Spirits

★★★★★ 5 (2)

"This place is great The store is really clean and super organized. Prices are on point. They have a huge selection of beer, wine, and liquor. Definitely my new favorite spot for drinks"

Giovanni's Produce & Grocery

★★★★☆ 4.1 (86) • $$

"One of the things I unearthed in the freezer was a pound of beef liver from El Cerrito Natural Grocery. I put it in the refrigerator to defrost and today I decided to make chopped liver. I hard boiled two eggs, but needed to buy onions to cook in chicken schmaltz and grind up w/ the liver and the eggs, using my mother's old cast iron hand grinder. I decided to drive north to Giovanni's rather than to my other choices, parking right in front. A woman was leaving as I walked in and we chatted briefly. The nice man working there gave me her shopping cart to use, which I appreciated. Of course I left w/ more than onions, including a package of 4 vegetarian tamales, a bottle of Côtes du Rhone that sounded tasty from the description on the card, and a pint of organic sun gold tomatoes. The chopped liver is made and chilling in the refrigerator. I have offered some to Nina, who loves it. I enjoy wandering around Giovanni's and seeing what interesting products they have, and they have a wide range. It's an old school independent market. They had bottles of a $2 or $3 wine that was described as cooking wine. I loved that."

Woodminster Market

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (25) • $

"didn't look at the other groceries but noticed all shelves were fullbeer selection not too shabby, standards at reasonable pricing.brew: Stone i.p.a. (4.49) 6.9%-very hoppy (bitter) on first gulps.-latter gulps starting to mellow. getting buzzed.checkout:-cashier friendly but unhappy to move to L,A.think i can stand it a few months, how many reviews will that be?"

Siddhartha International

★★★★☆ 3.7 (18) • $$

"Siddhartha International is a small family operated Indian centric mini grocery.offeriings: produce, grains, spices, snacks, frozen, dry foods, few ready to eats.buy: peanut snack (1.99) buy one, get one free.-usual fried salty confection.3.5 starsnotes:-greeted by owner prompty-no prepped food seen, little ready to eat items.(ice bar yes)."

786 Market

★★★★☆ 3.5 (48) • $$

"Faisal Market is a small market that specializes in Indian/Pakistani food. wasn't sure till i checked the website. halal meat counter in the rear, small aisles containing condiments, sauces, packaged goods, pre-made pastries, cookies, snacked, all factory made. didn't see any local made goods.not everything was priced. small produce section in front.few middle eastern items seen. items had too much fat content so i passed....."

Ratto's International Market

★★★★☆ 4.2 (444) • $$

"First time I ordered the Italian and this was during the beginning of Covid. Then I decided come here after work STARVING at like 8am last week. At 8am, there aren't much restaurants or shops opened that serve non-breakfast food. Had the Turkey avocado with sliced sourdough w/ no onions two times and also got the Bumpcity cheesesteak for my brother. A lot of bread options, customer service is quick and friendly. They have mini coolers that hold soda, juice and other drinks that you can get. The interior is clean and spacious. You can actually sit there and eat if you wanted to. I think I'm going to come here every other week now because the Turkey Avocado reminds me of this sandwich I used to eat as a child."

Bottleneck

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (15) • $$

"Bottleneck, I love you. You are the only place within a 3-mile radius that carries half and half. You even had cranberry sauce in a can on that desperate Thanksgiving last year. You are open late, when all else has long since closed. I never see people selling crack in your parking lot. Thank you, Bottleneck. You've been a lifeline."

Berkeley Bowl Marketplace

★★★★☆ 4.1 • $$

"Thanks Berkeley Bowl - from now on I will walk through any Whole Foods in disgust - thats how spoiled you made me.For years my lawyer neighbors told me to go here. It took till today - because I was just across the street to get Girlfriends Accord an oil change. For years I went to Oakand Honda - but I don't like the changes since Cardinal took it over. So yes, I drive past 3 Honda dealers to get to the one I like - and I would do the same and drive past 3 cities for this grocery store also.Never been to an Erewhon but I imagine this to be the same - although less stuffy. Erewhon is the benchmark grocery store but other than being stuffy and probably a bit more expensive I don't think they could offer more. I like all the people working here. I didn't notice any crazy uniforms or goofy unnecessary nonsense. Overall the people working here were energetic and happy looking. I liked that. Spoiled isn't the word for what this place will make you become. Endless variety in the produce section or anywhere else for that matter. I was shocked to see Josey Baker bread - I love that place but don't have it often since its across the bay on Divis. I believe that is the most flavorful bread around - its Tartine quality but lesser known. They are one of the very very few that use fresh milled local organic grains. The bakery is another section you will be impressed with. The most beautiful fruit tarts I've ever seen and I grabbed the last mango mousse cake. Haven't tried it yet but look forward to my 'Hand Crafted Cakes by Karl.' I personally am so tired of that 'signature' butter cream utilized at WF. Its so uninteresting and sold everywhere - somehow I've told myself that it tastes like Amazon. I picked up what I could in a short amount of time and noticed at 5:55 that I needed to be across the street to scoop up GF Accord before the Honda dealer closed at 6pm. I raced to the front - noticed one cashier with a big sign 'in training' - i'm sure that person was ok - but wasn't going to take any chances. Shopped around for more seasoned looking cashiers that could check me out quick. Was out in another couple minutes and my purchases were neatly placed in a beautiful box that my Mr Moose made his new home the minute he saw it. Probably the biggest (not Amazon big but by options and floor space) and best grocery store around. And thankfully they don't do things The CardinaleWay."

El Cerrito Natural Grocery

★★★★☆ 3.9 (236) • $$$

"My family and I live in Oakland but we keep coming to El Cerrito Natural Grocery store for over 2 years now :)Why do I come here? First of all, everything is organic so I don't have to read all the labels to see what is and what is not organic. Second of all, prices are fantastic and much more affordable than other places. Third of all, they have an amazing bulk/loose section where you can choose from. I get all my flours, rice, lentils, beans, nuts, dried fruits and more here and I am always happy! I bring my own jars whenever I can and i love that they offer brown paper bags instead of plastic bags. We absolutely try to be a zero waste family so this is in line with our values! I love that they spend time to research and find good serious brands that are making a serious impact on the planet in a positive way. I love their loose honey and coffee too! Also, various compostable products like plates and silverware for parties. The parking is limited but somehow you always find a spot :) and there is food annex right by it if you are hungry and running short on time. I love the area is quiet and safe! I highly recommend this store :)"

Maiwand Market

★★★★☆ 3.6 (144) • $

"The best Afghan fresh baked bread and other sweets .. best Afghan grocery market I live in OC but whenever I'm in SF then I always get a bunch of fresh baked bread from them"

Santa Fe Market

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (51) • $$

"I love coming to the Santa Fe market for fresh fruit in the morning. I also appreciate they are consistent with keeping stock of much needed household items during the pandemic, as a small business they are doing a great job to care for their community. They have great prices and we are very grateful to have them in the community!"

Encinal Liquor Grocery & Deli

★★★☆☆ 2.9 (12) • $

"I always stop by for some soda. They carry Mexican glass bottled sprite and coke which taste so much better than the American coke and that's why I like going here."

World Champion Smokehouse

★★★★☆ 3.8 (237) • $$

"This spot is in a location I pass by all the time on my way to I-80. It's not the kind of place I'd usually think to stop and dine, especially since it's inside a store--kind of like a liquor store or marketplace. But I love BBQ, and their big sign with pictures of their dishes caught my eye, plus the reviews looked solid, so I decided to give it a try.When you walk in, you're basically walking into a store, and you place your food order at the same counter where people buy their groceries. There's a small pickup window by the entrance for your food. The setup is pretty casual, so expect some foot traffic and a bit of crowding, especially near the door. There's no real waiting area, so I just stood by the window or waited in my car.I ordered the catfish and fries, along with some fried chicken. I didn't get any BBQ this time, so I can't speak to that. The fried chicken was already prepared--it wasn't fried fresh to order. It was decent, but not the kind of chicken that would make me rush back for more. The catfish was flavorful, a little greasy, but that's typical for soul food. It wasn't too salty, so that was a plus.I can't say this is a place I'd add to my regular rotation based on the fried chicken and catfish, but I might stop by again to try the BBQ since the reviews are so good. Overall, it's not a bad option if you're in the area and want to give it a go."

Farmer Joe's Marketplace

★★★★☆ 3.6 (502) • $$

"This place is fantastic. The produce is top notch, reasonably priced and carefully displayed. This sections dwarfs other large retail chains and I've always been happy with what I've gotten. Lately I've been exploring the deli section and found a selection of if Po'boy sandwiches at the quick grab section. This was the item pushing me to write a review today. So glad this is in my neighborhood"

88 Manor Market - Hayward

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (75) • $

"They offer a lot of different selections for Asian dishes. I enjoyed finding things from all the ethic groups of Asia. They have a decent selection of fresh seafood in the store. We appreciated the customer service we got in the back while choosing out our seafood."

Estudillo Produce & Delicatessen

★★★★☆ 4.1 (293) • $$

"Great sandwiches! Love having this neighborhood grocery store that carries all the essentials, a huge plus is they also have many gluten free items which is great when you're in a pinch!"

South Berkeley Produce & Meat Market

★★★★★ 4.7 (35) • $$

"Halva, canned hummus, and vegan ice cream. I didn't know this store had all this inside, even some kind of vegan burger patty I've never heard of. Really enjoyed coming here, glad i could get my hands on some marbled halva again!"

Shalimar

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (13) • $$

"it's obvious this Shalimar isn't a restaurant. probably hasn't been one for years. now it's a small time grocery store. maybe Indian, Pakistani for sure. small section of refrigerated and produce section. little ready to eat foods. buys: fried mint flavour potato sticks(2.49)-not as many selections as indian groceriesleftovers:-adequate parking in area-no patrons seen while i was there in afternoon."

J & A Market

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (10) • $$

"I've stopped in here a couple of times now on the way to a friend's house in El Sobrante. (Don't want to show up empty handed!) I've always had friendly service at the registers, and the store has a good selection of beer, wine, and other alcohol. They don't carry dry-filtered sake though, which is one of the only things my friend can drink due to allergies, so that's a bummer."

New Comback International

★★★☆☆ 3 (12) • $

"This is my GO TO place when I am getting ready to BBQ~You can get 11 lbs of party wings for only $15!! They also have alot of other meats you can BBQ here for a steal of a deal.This place is located almost across the street from the Sears outlet and can be easily missed.This is a warehouse run by some friendly Chinese Folks and is open to the public."

Los Pericos Market

★★★★☆ 3.5 (151) • $

"Omg we came for some yummy tacos and I must say wow ! This place is pretty legit ! We got some tacos and burritos ! The tacos are good, slightly dry but they're good. Their Horchatas are not as sweet so it's perfect!"

Madina Halal Foods

★★☆☆☆ 2.3 (63) • $$

"Madina Halal Foods is at the backside of the commercial strip. good sized store even though front looks small.offerings: fresh halal meats, groceries, produce, condiments, refrigerated goods. not sure if eatery is open.buys: "Nan Khatai" classic biscuit (1.49)-% of nutrional info not very bad. slight amount of palm oil, sugar-slight sugary taste, fattiness.lots of parking, didn't see ready to eat goods."

Lakeshore Produce

★★★★★ 4.7 (19) • $$

"LOVE this place! Very nice, friendly couple who own it. They have fresh fruit and veggies all the time. They carry basically everything you need from a bigger store. Lots of choices for condiments too. Their prices are a little higher than a chain store but I prefer going here bcuz it's usually not crowded, fresh good quality produce and friendly service. Not to mention supporting a small local business. Oh, their avocados are always ripe! They have a lot of vegan friendly items and milk alternatives. Just a little side note: they do take EBT"

Seven Palms Food Center

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (40) • $$

"Seven Palms is the neighbourhood grocery store for the Northside. You're darn right that they serve a captive market and that things are priced accordingly. However, a cost-benefit analysis may yet result in a positive net present value, depending how far you want to walk to say Andronicos or Safeway on Shattuck. And as long as I limit my shopping to "onesy, twosy" stuff that I need in a pinch (or a stomach growl), this place is A-OK."

Grocery Outlet

★★★★☆ 3.6 (44) • $$

"This commercial space was built in 1955. There was always tenants changing. With Grocery Outlet moving in, this space was named after them. Tenants:eats: Services Shopping-taqueria. Metro Beck's shoes-neveria Nails. Grocery Outlet Cleaners Big 5parking lot isn't big. Peak hours late afternoon may exhaust spaces. This g.o. Is better than most. doesn't compare with ones in higher income locales."

Johnston's Market

★★★☆☆ 2.7 (32) • $

"Johnston's Market offers all the usual of a mini-mart: beer, wine, snacks, cigs, sodas, ice cream, groceries. beers in six packs a bit pricery (bud lite 6/10.99). not many minimarts around here so it's take it or leave it. i mostly left it.drink: arizonia tea (.99)-just shopping for valuedrips:-5 stars if you really need the stuff here and don't want to travel-3 stars for value or lack thereof."

Hong Lih Food Products

★★★★★ 4.8 (8) • $

"The BEST noodles I've ever had in the US. This place sells noodles to restaurants, but they're happy to sell fresh noodles by the pound to regular consumers too. Convenient location just off the 880 (at Oak & 4th), and my parents always make a stop here on their way up to Berkeley from the South Bay. Lucky for me! Yum!"

Of All Places

★★★★★ 5 (6)

"After lunch at Troy today Mary and I walked into Of All Places, where we were warmly greeted by Celia and Joe. We wandered through the store looking at the various products on the shelves. When I got to the cold case I grabbed a package of the Slanted Door mushroom baos and look forward to having a couple of them for lunch tomorrow. As we were checking out Celia and I got into a conversation about the hours we sleep, having dogs, dog doors and raccoons coming into houses through them. I stay up late and sleep late. When I had dogs, Emily got along w/ the raccoons, allowing them in the house while we were at work, while Genie wouldn't. I have a Dutch door w/ the top open downstairs which keeps the raccoons out of the house. When I had dogs I couldn't close it because they would be unable to access the dog door, but now that I am w/o a dog I keep the Dutch door closed so if they do come in the dog door they can't get beyond the space where the furnace, water heater and washer/dryer are. Celia and Joe can't have a dog door because of the raccoons and their dog wakes her to go out. Mary bought some French made whipped cream which she plans to use on top of hot chocolate and her morning mocha. She seemed to be as enthralled w/ Of All Places as I am.Addendum 1/1/25 I had two of the mushroom baos for lunch today and was disappointed. They were good, but not great. They tasted good, but I would prefer more filling and less bread so I won't buy them again. It was worth a try."

Wah Hang Market 2

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (6) • $$

"Wah Hang no. 2 is just a street away from the lst location. like the other chinese groceries, the produce is stacked onto the sidewalk, contributing to a bottleneck. for people walking by.all the ladies were huddled around the grapes (.88/ib), just grabbed a bunch. inside they sell fresh pork, frozen seafood, and a small amount of chinese condiments."

Natures Best Foods

★★★★☆ 4.3 (108) • $$

"This place is around the corner from the all female tattoo shop I go to but there's always weird guys hanging around outside even though they lock the door so instead of waiting for my uber at the shop I went to, I walk down two blocks or so to Nature's Best Foods and buy some treats with a higher convenience mark-up than I'd like but a much less dodgy area to wait for an uber. It looks tiny from the outside, and its def a small place, but it does expand a bit inside and they do a lot with the little space. Is it ADA compliant? Absolutely not. At least not by the snack and canned goods labrynth, but they sell the sloppy joe mix I like and they have beyond burgers here (though they're priced 30% higher than if you went to Safeway or Whole Foods). They have a great tea and cold beverage selection and always have full bins of fruit but it all kind of seems like fruit that you need to eat right then and there and I don't live nearby so I tend to stay away from their "fresh" items. The shop is always getting some sort of delivery and has a real cute neighborhood vibe. I like the people who run the shop and every time I've been here I've seen some pretty cute guys that I know I'm better off without."

Maitland Market Cafe & Deli

★★★★☆ 3.8 (125) • $

"Sandwiches are decently priced. Tasty and leaves me wanting to try more of their sandwiches. I ordered the Cali Special and Carlito's Way on dutch crunch since it was recommended by the worker. The worker was nice and always offered to help every customer. I like the Carlito's way more but both are good. Next time, I want to try their fries and burgers!"

Ashby Super Market

★★★★★ 4.8 (51) • $

"Hands down the BEST Tuna sandwich I have ever consumed in all my life! Am I being super dramatic, no. I'm dead, serious!I have driven by this market for the past 20 years or so and have never stopped till today. As soon as I walked in, to my right was a little deli featuring Boars Head meats. I love boars head! While perusing the menu board. Came to the conclusion that I wanted Tuna, I'm feeling Tuna. Tuna on wheat with Lettuce, tomato, black olives, pepperoncini and mustard. And awesome kind team member gave me free American cheese. In a world of "dollar" more, that was really pleasant. At first bite to the last, that sandwich was amazing, scrumptious AND messy. Which was just fine by me!These little amazing unexpected food encounters has really taught me something.A. I really love simple, made with care deli sandwiches. B. I really love simple good customer service. And what I mean by simple, is, acknowledgement of customers and committing to the task/job at hand. I am really sick and tired of seeing people do a job they have no business doing. If you don't like customer service you shouldn't be in customer service. If you don't like "serving" random customers, then don't. Get a job where you don't have to deal with the public. Anyway...Sorry, I digress.In my humble opinion, the artistry and all the fancy ways of doing restaurants don't mean a damn thing if these 2 components are absent.Good food and good service. That's all you need. It was nice to have a sandwich that I really loved eating!"

North Side Supermarket

★★★★☆ 3.8 (26) • $

"This little market has what every corner store traditionally carries a meat counter, fresh produce, a decent amount of basic essentials, and of course a litter of conventional spirits. The workers are generally friendly and the front counter accepts everyday tender. My favorite part of the store is the meat market. Bring cash, debit or EBT only. This is not where you go for organic or cage-free or free-range, there's no grass fed or prime cuts, this is chock full of conventional poultry (chicken and turkey), and pork and beef that's generally frozen or nearly frozen. They make low-end sandwiches which have things uncommon to most California delis, like spicy hog head cheese, hot links, liverwurst, and bologna. No frills, but if you need a fix of neck bones, pig feet, or salt pork stop here. They even have meat packages at reduced prices."

A 1 Market

★★★★★ 4.7 (27) • $$

"This is our neighborhood market and we love it! Produce is always fresh and they carry almost everything you'll need. The selection is pretty amazing - I even saw my favorite French cookies (Bonne Maman biscuits). I'm usually here when I just need a few things for dinner - a few russets, organic strawberries or a bag of broccoli. Friendly service and no lines - what's not to love?"

Indian Market

★★☆☆☆ 2.1 (82) • $$

"Indian Market is literally hiding in plain sight. to wit: the entrance is in the rear of the building that has Sidhu Liquor in front. turn into Sidhu's parking lot when u see a tall brown building cuz the next parking lot isn't accessible to Indian market. inside is a small grocery store with narrow aisles and the usual amenities: meat department, produce, condiments, frozen items, spices, etc. albeit in a small space with no pricing posted.3 check out cashiers in front. a Mr. Biryani take out food stand on weekends at entrance. menu is accessible via QR code.buy: Mirch Masala-Channa Dal (2.99) 12 oz.-split chickpeas fried with expeller pressed canola oil, flavored with tumeric.-spicy food burns calories i hear. -doesn't have the bad calories as usual "food"...leftovers:-the overall experience was confusing re the entrance in rear, no pricing on items, the cashier not having change for a $20, cramp space-difficult to socially distance3.5 stars results good but the journey was stressful due to uncertainties. would repeat. too many unknowns to classify as an hidden treasure..."