Whether you're in the heart of Oakland Chinatown or the student-filled streets of Berkeley, the East Bay is arguably the best place in the entire Bay Area for authentic Chinese soul food. Here’s our combined guide.
Look, if you haven’t had the Peking Duck here, are you even in the East Bay? It’s the spot everyone takes their parents to. The skin is that perfect glass-shatter crisp.
The Insider Tip: Don’t sleep on the Double Skin noodle salad. It’s weird, it’s jiggly, and it’s absolutely addictive.
You can usually see them rolling dough in the window. These hand-pulled noodles with Sesame Sauce have a "Q" (chewiness) that you just can't find elsewhere.
The Hype: People travel from all over the Bay for the Shandong Chicken. It’s tangy, garlic-heavy, and cold—it sounds simple, but it’s legendary.
They specialize in Hunan cuisine, which means one thing: Heat. The Cumin Lamb is a certified banger. It’s smoky, spicy, and will probably make you sweat a little.
Dim sum in Oakland means Peony. It’s that classic, massive banquet hall experience. Get the Baked BBQ Pork Buns and the Siu Mai.
Hidden in plain sight, this place is a gem for Shaanxi-style food. The Cumin Lamb Hand-shaved Noodles are shaved off a block of dough into boiling water. Thick, irregular, and perfect.