Walking into Burdell in Oakland feels like entering someone’s pink-steeped, midcentury living room: A family photo gallery wall frames a slim entryway that acts as a hinge between the main dining room and bar area. Brass orb sconces support muted sunbeams streaming through the dining room’s skylight, together casting blondewood tables and rattan Cesca chairs in an otherworldly glow. The restaurant, run by chef-owner Geoff Davis and his partner in life and business Zara Fernandez-Aurelio, has been a crowd-pleasing destination for locals and out-of-towners since it debuted in 2023, earning an Eater Award in its opening year. (Davis previously hosted a roving pop-up of the same name before opening the Telegraph Avenue location.) Here, Davis explores Black American foodways whose histories cross the Great Migration and his own family story; the restaurant’s name honors his matrilineal line. Dishes like barbecue shrimp and ham-threaded collard greens anchor the menu, while seasonal specials keep the lineup lively enough for return visits.
On Sundays, pairs of friends and hot millennial parents of the East Bay unite here for coffees, morning drinks, and plates of fried shallot–covered chicken and cornmeal waffles. At night, families and friend groups meet for “Family Dinner,” a tasting menu of Burdell hits like the cornmeal fried cod. Solo diners and couples fill the bar area for glasses of wine and newer snacks such as the “fish stix” and corn dog bites.
As with many things in life, heaven can become hell quickly — almost certainly if you walk into a destination restaurant without a reservation, and especially if you walk in with no reservation during peak brunch hours. Waits up to almost two hours for Sunday brunch happen, so make sure to book far in advance if you want the experience to feel worth the time investment.