{"id":164310,"date":"2026-02-04T23:48:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T23:48:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/164310\/"},"modified":"2026-02-04T23:48:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T23:48:14","slug":"searching-for-a-valentine-east-bay-spots-where-sparks-fly-for-singles-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/164310\/","title":{"rendered":"Searching for a Valentine? East Bay spots where sparks fly for singles"},"content":{"rendered":"

Love it or hate it, Valentine\u2019s Day is nearly upon us.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This is possibly exciting news for long-term partners or newly-fledged situationships. But if you\u2019re single, it might be a little stressful \u2014 and maybe you\u2019re wondering if there\u2019s still time to ask someone out on a cute Valentine\u2019s date. There are dating apps, sure, but the East Bay is brimming with romance, and if you know where to look, finding your next Valentine\u2019s Day date IRL is completely achievable.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Here are some of Nosh\u2019s favorite East Bay spots for making new connections.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Berkeley Thai Buddhist Temple (Wat Mongkolratanaram)<\/p>\n

Hear me out: there\u2019s almost nothing that says love at first sight like sharing heaping plates of authentic Thai food on communal tables with friends and strangers alike. Wat Mongkolratanaram, Berkeley\u2019s Thai Buddhist temple, is definitively the place to do this. Every Sunday, scores of people across all age groups dig into noodles, curry, Thai tea and dessert items freshly made by the temple\u2019s monks. It\u2019s cash only \u2014 you exchange cash for tokens, which are used to pay for the food \u2014 and it\u2019s best to show up on the earlier side, around 10:30 a.m., to avoid long lines. Tables are long and the place gets packed, so you\u2019re sure to elbow up next to someone you haven\u2019t met before.<\/p>\n

Wat Mongkolratanaram<\/a>, 1911 Russell St. (at Martin Luther King Jr. Way), Berkeley<\/p>\n

\"PeopleThe Wat Mongkolratanaram Thai temple\u2019s budget-friendly Sunday brunch attracts hundreds of hungry visitors. Credit: Credit: Skylla Mumana\/Nosh<\/p>\n

Best Friends<\/p>\n

Wine bars are an obvious choice for sparking new romantic connections, but Best Friends, the Albany wine bar and specialty goods shop, is a standout in this category. Beyond serving wine, beer and small bites, Best Friends offers ample opportunity to meet people at their many public events. Go meet a cutie at one of its secondhand markets! Fall in love at a winemaker talk! Hit it off at a comedy show! The opportunities are endless here. And even if you\u2019d prefer to just hang at the bar for a drink or two, there\u2019s something about this place that makes it feel like you and your neighbor might walk away as more than just friends.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Best Friends<\/a>, 901 San Pablo Ave. (at Solano Avenue), Albany\u00a0<\/p>\n

Clio\u2019s Books<\/p>\n

If there\u2019s anywhere in Oakland to make a good romantasy come to life, it might be Clio\u2019s, the bar\/bookstore named for the Greek muse of history. The low lighting here is about as romantic as it gets, and the big, cozy armchairs were made for unwinding with a drink and a good read. Clio\u2019s has a full bar and offers small bites like cheese plates and olives, so despite the emphasis on reading here, it\u2019s still a great setting to meet fellow book lovers and cocktail connoisseurs alike. Better yet, Clio\u2019s implores its dear readers to resist using phones and laptops while in the space. (I think we can all agree that screen-free romance is the best kind of romance.) Who knows? You might just kick off a love story that\u2019s better than fiction.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Clio\u2019s Bookstore<\/a>, 353 Grand Ave. (at Perkins Street), Oakland<\/p>\n

\"\"Cozy up to a cuties at Clio\u2019s and make a zine together. Credit: Tovin Lapan\/East Bay Nosh<\/p>\n

Faction Brewing<\/p>\n

I am a firm proponent of drinking al fresco, as this may be the most effective way to turn strangers into friends and friends into lovers. There\u2019s just something about a 65-degree day, sunshine and sweeping Bay views that pairs well with a cold beer and the thrill of new romance on the horizon. Faction Brewing in Alameda delivers all of this, plus loaded bar food like the blueberry burger, garlic fries, falafel and crispy fried Brussels sprouts. Pour up a Pils, chat with your neighbors and see where the day takes you \u2014 this area is ideal for bar-hopping, with Almanac Brewing, Saltbreaker and the St. George distillery all within walking distance.<\/p>\n

Faction Brewing<\/a>, 2501 Monarch St., Alameda<\/p>\n

The Factory Bar<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re laughing, you\u2019re more likely to make a romantic connection. It\u2019s science. Laughter facilitates the release of endorphins, which in turn helps build emotional bonds, reduce stress, and make it easier to connect with others. Every first Wednesday of the month, Richmond\u2019s Factory Bar hosts a comedy night, including some shows headlined by comics with Netflix and HBO specials. On Feb. 4, Paul Conyers, whose debut stand-up special \u201cAbove The Fray\u201d can be found on Amazon Prime, will take the stage. Even if you can\u2019t make the comedy show, the Factory Bar is still fertile ground for sowing the seeds of a new relationship. The truly brave can turn out for Tuesday karaoke nights to cast a siren song on fellow singles in the crowd with their best ballad. The bar also hosts a rotating cast of food trucks, and frequently schedules DJs and live music (especially on Thursday nights), so there is always something new to spark up a conversation about.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Factory Bar<\/a>, 12517 San Pablo Ave., Richmond<\/p>\n

La Loulou<\/p>\n

In true French fashion, I do think La Loulou really is for lovers. The beauty of this Parisian-inspired, Art Nouveau wine bar is matched only by its stellar French wine program, which was highly praised by voters in last year\u2019s Nosh awards. (A newcomer to the scene, La Loulou took home the title of the East Bay\u2019s best wine bar<\/a>). It\u2019s so flush with patrons on weekends that crowds often spill out onto the sidewalk, cab sauvs and pinot noirs in hand. There is, of course, an inherent romance \u2014 or perhaps a certain je ne sais quoi \u2014 to sipping wine on the sidewalk as the sun sets on Piedmont Ave.\u00a0<\/p>\n

La Loulou<\/a>, 4250 Piedmont Ave., Oakland<\/p>\n

\"\"Sharing is caring, and a good way to meet people. Order a La Loulou board and offer samples to other singles. Credit: Estefany Gonzalez for East Bay Nosh<\/p>\n

Jupiter<\/p>\n

The Garden of Eden-esque quality to Jupiter, Berkeley\u2019s mainstay brewery, is all I really need to be convinced that love exists. And yes, I believe you can find it here, amongst the hanging vines and wood-fired pizzas on a languid evening. Each pie is named for a celestial body (Andromeda, Pluto, etc.), which seems like a clear sign that this is the place for star-crossed lovers to meet. Also, you get free drink refills here. Sounds like real love to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Jupiter<\/a>, 2181 Shattuck Ave. (at Allston Way), Berkeley\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Pete Rosos<\/p>\n

Small Change Oyster <\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a seafood lover, Small Change Oyster has all the right ingredients for meeting a future Valentine\u2019s date. There\u2019s intimate indoor bar seating, which provides ample opportunity for solo diners to strike up conversation. There\u2019s also the outdoor patio space, which is perfect for intermingling in larger groups. Natural wine is as abundant here as the fresh oysters, clam chowder and fish and chips. If seafood isn\u2019t your style, the chicken wings, salads and garlic parm fries are there for you. But by the way: oysters are aphrodisiacs. Just thought you should know!\u00a0<\/p>\n

Small Change Oyster<\/a>, 5000 Telegraph Ave. (between 49th and 51st), Oakland<\/p>\n

\"\"Everything at Viridian, from the dumplings to the decor, is as sexy as it gets. Credit: Jeremy Chiu<\/p>\n

Viridian<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t think of a bar much sexier than Viridian, where tequila tomato beef cocktails, caramelized crab sauce wings and miso garlic noodles nearly outshine the splendor of the interior neon blues and pinks. Nearly. I do think the food and cocktails are the main draw here, but the atmosphere undoubtedly is the right one for cultivating meet-cutes and stealing glances across the bar. Again, solo diners and bigger groups all thrive here, so be prepared for anything. And if you\u2019ve met someone and really want to sweeten the deal, order the Pandan cr\u00e9me br\u00fbl\u00e9e and thank me later.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Viridian<\/a>, 2216 Broadway (at Grand Ave. and 22nd), Oakland\u00a0<\/p>\n

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“*” indicates required fields<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCecilia Seiter is a freelance writer from Oakland. She reports on the local food and drink scene for Nosh and contributes regularly to Forbes Advisor’s education vertical.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMore by Cecilia Seiter\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n