First Friday is the perfect time to get to know Oakland. It’s a swirling, lively collection of open galleries, events, and food trucks. Every bar is jumping, every stage is occupied, and every part of the city is ready to be seen. Take BART or a Lyft instead of trying to park, carry cash for the staggering food truck lineup, and bring along your sense of adventure.
GALLERIES
This clean, all-white space is packed with contemporary art from Northern California artists. The halls are wide and accommodate the sometimes huge First Friday crowds, and exhibitions are thought-provoking. 473 25th Street, Ste. 6
Normally open by appointment only, slipping in with the First Friday foot traffic feels like a treat. This is a good gallery to challenge your notion of art, as they mostly feature abstract works and street photography. 473 25th Street
This should definitely be on your walking map of Uptown, especially if you’re just easing into the art scene. If you’re accustomed to getting your aesthetic fix from graphic novels or films, many of Oakopolis’ choices will appeal to you. 447 25th Street
Chandra Cerrito Contemporary is the choice for the designer in you. This gallery stresses the use of space with site-specific art where artists use the existing architecture to shape the work. If you’re more into decorating than creating from scratch, you will love what they've done with this place. 480 23rd Street
Just a short walk away in downtown, Pro Arts has an enviably large open floorplan. They put their good fortune to use by housing sculptures large enough to walk around and examine from every side. If you’re going to grab dinner or drinks later and you want to have something to talk about, Pro Arts is guaranteed to be a conversation starter.
An impeccably hip gallery with a party atmosphere, Loakal also has a consignment shop up front. Local graffiti artists are commonly featured alongside photography, paper art, pop art, and an endless combination of others. This gallery and boutique has a quick maze of exhibition space with individual studios in the back and a mingling area in the middle. If you feel like chatting with a stranger, the odds are good here. 560 2nd Street
Another Jack London Square favorite, Blackball Universe is run by a creative collective and always packing a surprise. This is a great place to go and be inspired; you will always get a thrill or a shock at the top of their staircase. Presenting the work of local artists, BBU often shows up-and-coming or virtually unknown names that they want to promote. It makes for an unpredictable experience. 230 Madison Street
EAT + DRINK
A glittering black box of yellow lights on a busy night, Make Westing serves the best-made bufala negra cocktail in Oakland. They also have an impressive menu of sandwiches and bar bites for when the drunchies hit. 1741 Telegraph Ave
Cafe Van Kleef
Just a few beautiful blocks away, Café Van Kleef sits waiting. Look up at the vaulted ceiling and you’ll find moose antlers, or a life-size mermaid, or a stuffed lamb on a Harley Davidson, or a school of fish encased in Lucite on top of a player piano… but you’ll never see the same thing twice. Pick up a fresh-squeezed greyhound at the bar and tell your date you want to play I Spy. 621 Telegraph Avenue
Try a little of everything! Charlie Frank’s Pies makes a sweet potato and peach pie unlike any pie on earth.
Beulah’s Beans is a coffee truck that serves a salted Nutella latte that will give you extra lives.
Fist of Flour drives out a real-deal clay pizza oven on a truck and makes cheesy gladness that might bring ninja turtles up out of the sewer.
