Oakland Restaurant Week returns March 12–22, featuring 140-plus participating restaurants, prix-fixe menus, and events
Oakland’s annual dining promotion is set for March 12–22
Oakland Restaurant Week will return from March 12 through March 22, 2026, marking a 10-day citywide promotion built around limited-time menus, fixed-price options and special dining experiences across Oakland neighborhoods.
The event is presented by Visit Oakland and has been held annually since its launch in 2010. Organizers say participation is open to Oakland restaurants at no cost, with each business designing its own offer—ranging from multi-course prix-fixe menus to family-style dinners, tastings, or one-off menu items.
How the pricing is structured
Restaurant Week pricing this year is organized into set tiers for traditional meal periods. Participating locations may choose which tiers to offer, depending on their concept and capacity.
- Lunch price points: $15, $25, $35
- Dinner price points: $35, $45, $65
Organizers also indicate that restaurants will be categorized for diners by neighborhood, cuisine, meal type and price point, allowing visitors to plan across different parts of the city.
Scale and geographic spread
Visit Oakland is promoting the 2026 edition as featuring more than 140 participating restaurants and bars, with offerings distributed across multiple districts—including areas frequently highlighted by the tourism agency such as Jack London Square, Temescal, Uptown and Fruitvale. The same participant directory is expected to allow filtering by cuisine and neighborhood, reflecting Oakland’s broad mix of dining formats—from cafes and breweries to fine dining, dessert shops and nightlife-focused venues.
Experiences beyond prix-fixe menus
In addition to discounted or fixed-price meals, organizers have encouraged restaurants to build experiences that combine food with entertainment or retail. The 2026 planning materials include examples such as DJ-hosted dinners, interactive art activations, themed cocktail offerings, and “sip-and-shop” collaborations with local retailers.
Restaurants are being encouraged to create limited-time experiences—alongside menus—designed specifically for the 10-day promotion.
Overlap with other Oakland events
This year’s Restaurant Week calendar overlaps with several scheduled Oakland events. Organizers have pointed to the Oakland Roots’ opening game at the Coliseum on March 14 and the Oakland Marathon running March 20–22, alongside live performances scheduled at major local venues during the same period.
What diners should expect
Oakland Restaurant Week typically functions as both a marketing push and a planning tool, consolidating time-limited deals and special menus into a single window. For diners, the practical takeaway is that offers may vary widely by restaurant—some focusing on value through prix-fixe pricing, others emphasizing special formats such as tastings, themed dinners or limited-run dishes.
The 2026 edition runs for 10 consecutive days, from Thursday, March 12 through Sunday, March 22.