The monthly, outdoor antique faire in Alameda Point is a singular Bay Area experience. The largest antique show in Northern California, now in its 28th year, regularly draws 10,000 people on the first Sunday of each month. Teenagers wake up early on Sundays to thrift for clothes, partners leave with wagons full of plants, mirrors, and knick-knacks, and others just go to browse the hundreds of stands that sell anything from vintage dolls to records and baseball cards.
Know Before You Go: Alameda Point Antiques Faire
The Alameda Point Antiques Faire (alamedapointantiquesfaire.com) is held at 3900 Main St., Alameda the first Sunday every month from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. The next one is Sunday, June 7. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your visit.
- Parking is free, but expect to walk a bit if you arrive after 8:30 a.m.
- On rainy days, the antique fair may be postponed; check the website and Instagram before planning your day if the weather is iffy.
- There is an entrance fee, and it’s tiered by time of day (the later you arrive, the less you pay). It ranges from $5 after noon to $20 when the gates open at 6 a.m. Book tickets online ahead of time for the early hours, or pay in person (cash only).
- It can be windy and/or sunny, so dress accordingly.
- Food trucks are located on two sides – south and north – and on one side, the seating is behind the trucks.
- The fair is largely cash-only, including some of the food stands.
What’s less talked about are the food trucks there, and there are plenty. The fair started off with about 15 food vendors when it first opened and now has more than three dozen stands. “We’ve always had food trucks, just not this many,” said Randie Bradley, show manager of Antiques by The Bay, which hosts the monthly outdoor fair. “We gradually increased and added a whole [other side].”
The vendors line the north and south perimeters of the fair. They represent the diversity of the Bay: there are two Filipino food trucks, a hand-dipped ice cream stand, burgers, burritos, Indian food, plus trucks from established brick-and-mortar shops like Berkeley’s Gregoire and Lucia’s, and Alameda’s Donut Petit, Cafe Jolie, Calafia Taqueria, and Dragon Rouge (which operates as District 11 at the fair). There are other vendors like ones you’d typically find at a farmers market, such as tamales, kettle corn, acai bowls, and a honey vendor.
The fair was co-founded by Allen Michaan with his wife, Sandra Michaan. Allen also operates Michaan’s Auctions in Alameda and the historic Grand Lake Theatre in Oakland. Feelgood Bakery was one of the original stands at the antiques fair, which eventually became brick-and-mortar bakeries until it closed last year.
I did not try every single vendor, but focused on dishes that are harder to find. I did my best to try different cuisines and waited in several lines. Here are some of my recommendations, depending on who you’re going with and what you’re in the mood for.
For the sleepyheads
If you’re waking up at 5 a.m. on a Sunday, then you will most likely want something that will give you a jolt, say, a matcha or a coffee. Expect a line at Higher Land Specialty Coffee, located on the North Side. The coffee stand roasts beans at CoRo coffee collective in Berkeley (and is also at the Saturday downtown Berkeley and Kensington farmers markets), and makes a good matcha. There’s also one other coffee vendor on the opposite side of the antiques fair, Colibri cafe, that makes their own lavender syrup for the lavender latte.
For the ‘gram
Filipino Street Food vendor Street Stix knows how to present their street food. The Street Food Cup, $25, comes with sticks of fish balls, lobster balls, corn skewers, and chicken and pork barbecue skewers in a cup with small Philippine flags.
For the wallet
Popular Peruvian stand Michoz serves a pollo a la brasa, a Peruvian grilled chicken plate that comes with two pieces of chicken, potato wedges, pickled onions, cilantro, and a bright yellow ají amarillo sauce for $10.50. Michoz regularly pops up outside Oakland’s Stork Club and its choripan Peruvian sausage sandwich ($14.50) was recently anointed by food critic Soleil Ho as one of their favorite things they ate in April.
For a splurge
Yo Soy Ceviche is not the cheapest option, but it satisfies if you’re feeling spendy. The house ceviche, $20, comes with fish and shrimp, corn chips, corn nuts, a piece of corn on the cob, and two sauces. The menu also includes Peruvian-style empanadas.
For the sweet tooth
Get Dipped serves chocolate-dipped frozen bananas, strawberries, or vanilla ice cream bars, plus root beer or orange soda floats. All items are $8.
For a crispy and fried craving
Expect a line at Fely’s Cuisine during lunchtime. They grill the chicken and meat on site, deep fry housemade lumpia to order, and serve a popular tocino banh mi ($15.20). Ten pieces of lumpia cost $9.88.
For an out-of-town specialty without the trip
Lockeford Sausage rolls into town from San Joaquin County. There are only two options: mild or spicy, each $10. Add unlimited sauerkraut and ketchup or mustard. The sausage vendor regularly draws lines from this small, out-of-town shop.
For a lighter meal
If you’re feeling hungry but not wanting something too heavy, may I suggest Indian-style kebabs from Kebabs 2 Go? The tandoori chicken plate is $12.99 and comes with two well-seasoned, tender, grilled skewers with a piece of naan, chutney, and pickled onions on the side. Additionally, it wasn’t there when I visited, but Fungi Foods routinely shows up to the Alameda Antiques Faire with its 100% plant-based menu, and is a solid option for vegans and mushroom lovers.
For the kids
Go for empanadas, an acai bowl, lemonade, lumpia, quesadillas, tamales (with vegetarian options), Cafe Jolie’s hotdog, Donut Petit’s donuts (which include vegan and gluten-free options), or Lucia’s pizza (which has a gluten-free crust).
