Black Brunch in Oakland: The Spots to Know (2026)

Oakland brunch runs deep, and the best of it carries a soundtrack. From Old Oakland's historic corridor to the water at Jack London Square and Lake Merritt, these are the sit-down spots and recurring series where the food, the DJ, and the crowd all show up. Here's who to know.

Town Fare — Oakland Museum of California

A Black-owned Southern-soul restaurant from Chef Michele McQueen, set inside the Oakland Museum of California at 1000 Oak St. Sunday brunch runs weekly, 11am to 4pm, with a resident DJ. Soul food and a museum courtyard is a hard combination to beat.

The Cook and Her Farmer — Old Oakland

Saturday jazz brunch, 10am to 3pm, in the historic Old Oakland corridor at 720 Washington St. Expect live jazz and seafood in one of the neighborhood's most storied blocks. An easy, unhurried way to spend a Saturday morning.

The Lake Chalet — Lake Merritt

Lakeside Sunday brunch from 10:30am at 1520 Lakeside Dr, right on Lake Merritt. Live jazz, R&B, and funk come with the view. Come for the water, stay for the band.

Everett & Jones BBQ — Jack London Square

A legendary Black-owned BBQ and soul-food institution at 126 Broadway, est. 1973. First Saturdays bring free-entry live blues, jazz, and R&B. Decades in, it's still a cornerstone of the Jack London Square scene.

Chalaca Anexo — Oakland

"Mimosa Sundays" pairs Peruvian food with a Sunday brunch spinning funk, soul, old-school, and R&B. It's a favorite in the Black social scene. Come hungry and ready to hear something good.

Mad Oak Bar 'N' Yard — Downtown Oakland

"Beats & Brunch" is a rooftop Sunday brunch and day party at 135 12th St, 11am to 3:30pm, 21+. The vibe is DJ-driven R&B and hip-hop. Brunch upstairs, in the open air.

Starline Social Club — Oakland

"The Financially Lit Brunch" is a Black-professional brunch built around financial empowerment. It blends networking with money education. Good food, good company, and something to take home beyond the meal.

ForTheCulture Oak — Oakland

"LOVE AND CULTURE" is an afternoon R&B day party rooted in Black music culture. If your ideal brunch tips into a daytime dance floor, this is the one.

The Pergola at Lake Merritt

"Days Like This" is a free community daytime dance party — soulful house, Afrobeats, hip-hop, and funk. A Black-led Oakland gathering out by the lake. Bring your people.

Burdell — Temescal

Chef Geoff Davis's soul-food restaurant at 4640 Telegraph Ave, named for his maternal grandmother and rated by the MICHELIN Guide. Sunday is the day for brunch, 11am to 2pm, where staples like fried chicken and collard greens get reworked with berbere and pickle brine. Small menu, serious cooking.

Lois the Pie Queen — North Oakland

One of the oldest Black-owned restaurants in Northern California, at 851 60th St near Adeline. Founded by Lois Davis in 1951 and still family-run, it's a breakfast-and-brunch institution known for its pies and Southern morning plates. Generations deep, and worth the wait for a table.

Whether you want a slow sit-down plate or a rooftop with a DJ, Oakland's got a lane for you. Browse every Black brunch in Oakland on the Oakland brunch page — and if you host one, list it free.