What makes Piedmont Avenue worth exploring? Its commercial street brings together a neighborhood movie theater, longtime food institutions, bakeries, coffee and restaurants, with Mountain View Cemetery at the avenue's northern end. This is the Piedmont Avenue neighborhood of Oakland, not the separate City of Piedmont.
Oakland · East Bay
Piedmont Avenue, Oakland: Food, Film and Longtime Favorites
Westin's perspective: Fentons goes back to childhood
My family took me to Fentons when I was a kid, and it has been a favorite ever since. I have had more than a few sundaes and scoops there, but I like the food, too. It is not just an ice cream stop for me.
Later, while living in Grand Lake, I spent a lot of time on Piedmont Avenue. I saw great movies at the theater and used to cross the avenue along 40th Street on my way toward BART. Those everyday connections sit alongside the places I deliberately come back for—and newer favorites I have added since.
A longtime creamery and a neighborhood movie theater
Fentons Creamery dates its Oakland founding to 1894. That history predates my own family visits by a long way, but the personal connection is what keeps it on my list.
Landmark's Piedmont Theatre is another reason to spend time on the avenue. Its current listings are the place to choose a film. A neighborhood theater makes room for an outing that is about the movie, not just a meal or an errand.
Food and drinks I enjoy along the avenue
La Farine is an old favorite of mine: a French bakery I am always happy to recommend. Infinite Thai Eatery is another place I have visited several times and enjoyed. Mr. Green Bubble is the boba spot I had in mind when putting this list together.
Doña is a restaurant and bar I enjoy for its outdoor seating as well as the food-and-drink stop. The operator currently describes a heated, covered patio; check with the restaurant for seating availability.
MENSHO Oakland, at 4258 Piedmont Avenue, and Blue Bottle's Piedmont café, at 4001 Piedmont Avenue, are newer favorites of mine. “Newer” here describes my own list—not a claim that either just opened.
These are personal starting points, not a ranking. A bakery, a boba stop and a sit-down meal serve different purposes, which is part of what makes the avenue interesting.
Mountain View: history and a quieter setting
I have always liked how Piedmont Avenue leads into Mountain View Cemetery. I find it surprisingly serene and peaceful—a very different setting from the commercial street.
Mountain View is a working cemetery on private grounds, not an unrestricted public park. Its current recreation rules limit public recreational visits to Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and federal holidays, with entry through the Piedmont Avenue gate and a sign-in requirement. Check the current hours and rules before going; access can change.
The setting also has a landscape-history connection: the National Park Service identifies Frederick Law Olmsted as its designer. Respect for services, graves and other visitors comes first.
A nearby Sunday farmers market
For a farmers market outing nearby, rather than on Piedmont Avenue itself, the Temescal Farmers Market runs Sundays, 9 a.m.–1 p.m., at the North Oakland DMV, 5300 Claremont Avenue, adjacent to Frog Park.
Market details checked September 30, 2026. Times are local; confirm holiday closures and schedule changes with the operator. This is a separate Temescal destination, not a market on Piedmont Avenue.
Get to know the avenue in its own right
Piedmont Avenue and Grand Lake have both been part of my life in Oakland, but they offer different outings. Here, a film, a bakery visit, a restaurant or a longtime ice cream favorite can each be the reason to come.
Read the Grand Lake guide for a different neighborhood outing, or return to the Oakland overview.
If you are curious about the neighborhood, I would be glad to share more about the places I enjoy and hear what you want to explore.
Sources & local information
Business and visitor details can change. Follow the original sources for current information.