Meals tend to taste best at a full table — at least, that’s the popular cultural narrative. But eating out alone can be just as fulfilling as sharing a meal with friends and family. It’s an opportunity to spend solo quality time while you bask in the warm glow of a wood-fired pizza oven. It’s your chance to order your favorite thing on the menu with full confidence that nobody will ask you for a taste. It’s an excuse to get yourself out of the house in pursuit of your best bite of the week, and even if that happens to be pineapple on pizza or a well-done steak, no one’s there to judge.
These are Nosh’s 10 favorite places to eat alone in the East Bay right now. At these solo-friendly spots dining alone doesn’t feel weird, awkward or lonely. You won’t feel the need to scroll through social media as a buffer. These restaurants are ripe with personality, offering up more than just excellent food and drinks. Read on for formidable solo dining experiences that range from no-fuss to as fancy as it gets.
Baltic Kiss
If the prospect of eating alone gives you stage fright, you’ll have no trouble slipping in behind the scenes at Baltic Kiss, a 120-year-old event venue boasting a savory Southern menu, a full bar and near-nightly live performances. Comedy nights grace the stage on Mondays, but you can catch a live music act the rest of the week (other than Tuesdays, when they’re closed).
Though their performances are the main event, Baltic Kiss doesn’t mess around when it comes to serving up authentic Southern fare. Try Chef Tony’s Signature Gumbo—cajun shrimp, grilled chicken and Andouille sausage served in a bed of Caribbean rice—or fill up on crunchy mac and cheese and crispy fried hush puppies stuffed with cheesy grits and a spicy aioli. The menu has a handful of vegan-friendly options, too, including the Vegan Bayou (red beans, corn, eggplant, portobello mushrooms, greens and stewed okra), plus vegan red beans and rice.
Baltic Kiss; 135 Park Place, Richmond; open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 4 p.m. to 1 a.m., Friday and Saturday 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Closed Tuesdays
Belotti Ristorante
Belotti has been a beloved Italian staple since it opened its doors in 2016. Situated on a peaceful stretch of Rockridge’s College Avenue, Belotti’s approach is innovative and somehow simultaneously no-frills, focusing on the highest-quality authentic ingredients sans pretentiousness. Arrive early and snag a seat at the bar if you can.
If you’re feeling adventurous, the tagliatelle al cinghiale is there for you: think long, narrow pasta, pecorino Toscano, black pepper and a marinated wild boar sugo swimming in juniper, bay leaf, thyme, cinnamon and clove. But if your heart is set on classic comfort food, don’t skip the spaghetti. It’s topped with fresh basil, burrata and a rich, fiery orange tomato sauce that screams summer vacation—it’s made of precious San Marzano tomatoes imported directly from Italy. Pair it with a Negroni or a glass of wine and finish off the meal with an affogato (house-made vanilla gelato doused in a shot of espresso, whipped cream and sprinkles of cocoa powder).
Belotti Ristorante; 5403 College Ave., Oakland; open Monday to Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Burdell
Eating alone is never lonely at Burdell. Here, you’ll feel at home from the moment you step across the threshold: family photos adorn the entrance, and the walls and bar glow with warm green, orange and pink accents. You might as well be in somebody’s dining room, and the menu stars comforting, homestyle soul food with a distinctly Californian edge.
Crafted by chef Geoff Davis (recently named a James Beard Award semi-finalist), Burdell’s rotating menu gives local produce a seat at the table but still pays homage to traditional fare.
Consider classic sides such as the cornbread, made with stone-milled red corn and served with a tangy butter infused with local Marshall’s Farm honey and apple cider vinegar. Main courses include dishes like a fried chicken sandwich and the lightly smoked swordfish, which plays delightfully with brothy butter and pole beans, shishito peppers and preserved Meyer lemon. Pro tip: order the whipped Roscoe potatoes on the side, then use them to soak up the broth once you’ve polished off the swordfish.
Burdell; 4640 Telegraph Ave., Oakland; open Wednesday to Saturday 5 to 9 p.m., Sunday brunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday dinner 5 to 8:30 p.m.
Cafe Colucci
Cafe Colucci, one of Oakland’s oldest Ethiopian joints, is the place to go if you’re craving the heat of East African heirloom herbs and spices. You can get your fill of them in dishes like the sumbussa, Azifa lentil salad, slow-cooked spicy beef stew and shrimp tibs—or peruse the restaurant’s sister spice shop, Brundo Spice Co., to bring some home with you. If anything, make sure to grab a jar of berbere, the spice blend that gives Ethiopian dishes their signature peppery, sweet flavors. Brundo’s spices are processed at a facility in Modjo, Ethiopia using traditional spice blending methods.
You’ll also find traditional herbs and spices in Cafe Colucci’s drink menu, which offers both non-alcoholic beverages like Ethiopian spiced tea and cocktails like the fat belly bessobela, a sweet and spicy lemonade with Ethiopian basil and mezcal.
Cafe Colucci; 5849 San Pablo Ave. Oakland; open daily 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Commis
You’ll find no better place to spoil yourself than Commis, Oakland’s only two Michelin-star restaurant. Fine dining aficionados far and wide descend upon Commis for its Thai-inspired prix fixe tasting menu, which comes in at $270 a head. If you’re not quite ready to commit to the splurge, reserve a seat at the bar and try the four-course tasting menu for $109.
The ambiance is moody, pairing glass light pendants with dimly lit candles, dark furniture and bare walnut tables; the multicourse meals manage to highlight every ingredient’s bold flavors without sacrificing their delicate presentation. Standout dishes have included bison tenderloin in shaved cabbage, Dungeness crab and its tomalley accented with Makrut lime and lychee granita with rhubarb. One of the menu’s permanent residents is the slow-poached egg sweetened with dates and alliums, plus the housemade bread for soaking up the yolk.
Commis; 3859 Piedmont Ave., Oakland; open Tuesday to Saturday 5 to 10 p.m.
Great China
Great China is one of Berkeley’s best purveyors of Northern Chinese cuisine. But beyond the menu’s generous portions of Mongolian beef, half tea-smoked duck and garlic-sautéed chrysanthemum leaves, Great China’s award-winning wine list is perhaps this sleek, airy restaurant’s biggest draw. The extensive offerings feature wines that hail primarily from Burgundy, but you’ll also find wines from French regions like Alsace and the Loire Valley, as well as German, Austrian and Californian wines.
Dinner portions run large here, so be prepared to double down (or to eat leftovers for lunch the next day).
Great China; 2190 Bancroft Way, Berkeley; open for lunch every day (closed Tuesdays) 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., dinner Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Friday 5:30 to 9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 5 to 9 p.m.
Hương Trà Vietnamese Restaurant and Deli
Richmond locals have known and loved Hương Trà for its nearly three decades of dependable, no-fuss service and unwaveringly delicious Vietnamese fare. Even if you’re not local to Richmond, it’s not to be missed, and nobody bats an eye at diners enjoying hearty bowls of pho on their own.
With dishes like hot and spicy beef noodle soup, grilled pork on rice vermicelli, clay pot catfish and crispy prawns with ginger, onion and jalapeño, the menu is as diverse as it is decadent — and it comes at an affordable price point. Fresh summer rolls will run you just $6, and a bowl of seafood and barbecued pork pho comes in at $13.
Hương Trà Vietnamese Restaurant and Deli; 12221 San Pablo Ave., Suite 8, Richmond; open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Popoca
Popoca is a love letter to Salvadoran cuisine and authentic cooking techniques, one that sings the praises of rustic dishes like pollo en chicha, pupusas and curtido (Salvadoran fermented cabbage). Located in Old Oakland, Popoca (which means “to emit smoke” in the Salvadoran indigenous language Nawat), has a spacious bar area that includes counter seating by the window and is the perfect spot to stop in for a solo dinner after cruising around the neighborhood’s shops and art galleries.
The pupusas, made from scratch, are a no-brainer. From a handmade masa, the pupusas are shaped and filled with cheese, maitake mushrooms, beans and chicken chicharon, then grilled over flat griddles. Pollo en chicha—a marinated chicken leg braised in fermented pineapple juice—is supremely smoky and served with carrots, radishes and potatoes. Using only local and seasonal ingredients, Popoca might as well be a love letter to California as well.
Popoca; 906 Washington St., Oakland; open Tuesday through Thursday 5:15 to 9:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 5:15 to 10:00 p.m.
Rose Pizzeria
From its charming interior parlor to its beautiful outdoor patio, Rose Pizzeria is an obvious choice for a late lunch or a solo dinner date. Tables fill up fast, so get a reservation if you can. And prepare to try more than just the pizza—Rose offers a little bit of everything that pairs well with a sunny afternoon in the East Bay, including oysters, natural wine and a crunchy, spicy Caesar salad made with little gems, shared cultures miso, Calabrian chili dressing, black pepper, pecorino and crispy breadcrumbs (anchovies optional).
From a pizza standpoint, it’s pretty clear why the New York Times recently crowned Rose one of the best pizzerias in the nation. Atop sturdy beds of sourdough crust are toppings like fennel pork sausage, goat horn peppers, green onion, tomato sauce and Sicilian oregano (the Old Faithful) or, in the case of the Alpine Gold, Yukon potatoes, truffle cream and smoked mozzarella.
Rose Pizzeria; 1960 University Ave., Berkeley; open Wednesday through Sunday, 12 to 9 p.m.
