Having Lunch with Your Dog? Try these hidden gems in Oakland.
Must Love Dogs
These two neighborhood favorites are dog-friendly and both are Italian with different twists – Italian Colors in the Montclair district and Ballanico Restaurant and Wine Bar in the Glenview district of Oakland.
Italian Colors
Owners Alan Carlson and Steve Montgomery started Italian Colors 23 years ago and many of their staff have been with them a very long time. They say they are always undergoing a culinary evolution so their menu changes frequently, but I seem to always be able to have my favorite dishes. Lots of creative salads (best Kale salad last summer), house-made pasta, excellent fish and a wonderful daily specials menu. Sometimes it is just perfect to sit at their supper bar and enjoy an appetizer with a glass of wine.
A soothing waterfall makes the patio an easy place to have lunch with your best friend. If you ask, they will bring your dog a bowl of water.
Italian Colors is located just a bit outside Montclair Village at 2220 Mountain Blvd. in a small shopping mall. 510-482-8094
Bellanico Restaurant & Wine Bar
It’s fun to have lunch at Bellanico and chat with the owner Elizabeth Frumusa, or E, as she is called. She will always introduce you to a new wine as you ponder the menu. All their pasta is house-made and their unique sauces are scrumptious. I love the ravioli.
Take a look at their Facebook page and you will certainly want to take your appetite to this wonderful Italian restaurant.
KQED’s Check, Please! reviewed Bellanico Restaurant & Wine Bar at 4238 Park Boulevard (at Wellington Street). Check it out. Your dog will be glad you did. 510-336-1180
Sun., Sept. 25 from 10am to 5pm. Presented by the Montclair Village Association, more than 70 artisans “pop-up” on Mountain Boulevard along the sidewalks of Montclair Village this weekend displaying their handcrafted works, including garments, sculptures, photography, watercolor and oil paintings, jewelry, ceramics and more.
Enjoy the fall weather, have some lunch in Montclair and get some early holiday shopping done while you learn about the artists’ process and passion and find that perfect art piece as a gift for a friend, yourself, home or office. It’s a free art-filled weekend in Montclair district of Oakland, supporting makers of handcrafted goods!
