A crash course on College Avenue in Oakland - Oakland, California

Sunset, April, 1994 by Beth Crichlow

For everything from fruits to flowers

WRITER GERTRUDE Stein, who grew up in Oakland more than a century ago, couldn't get out of town fast enough. "There is no there there," she sniffed from the security of her Paris salon, a slight that San Franciscans have been repeating ever since. But today there's a lot more "there" in Oakland, especially along a mile-long stretch of College Avenue, where the concentration of small shops and cafes has caused a few partisans to compare it to, well, Paris.

You can start your day the way many Parisians do, with a cafe au lait and pastry, at any of the many neighborhood coffeehouses and cafes, including one o the Bay Area's best-loved bakeries, Katrina Rozelle Pastries and Desserts (5931 College; 510/655-3209). Other worthwhile wake-ups are found at Royal Coffee Exchange (307 63rd Street; 653-5458), and La Farine French Bakery (6323 College 654-0338). Get a jump on your grocery shopping with a stop afterward at Magnani Poultry (6317 College; 428-9496), which has been purveying roasters, fryers, an stewing hens since 1917, or J. Wiggins Chesse (6309 College: 652-4171), a small wedge of a cheese shop a few doors down.

South of the Rockridge BART Station are four furniture showrooms, including Rockridge Antiques (5601 College: 652-7115), which trades in Arts and Crafts-style pieces, and Fenton MacLaren (5533 College; 658-1414), which is filled with turn-of-the-century American furnishings in walnut and mahogany. More interesting, though, to your 6-and-under charges is Cotton & Company (5858 College; 653-8058), a crayon box come to life of brightly colored kids' clothes

And even children who dread getting their hair cut will delight in Snips (5335 College; 547-7277), part barbershop, part playhouse, with oodles of games, toys and obligatory plastic dinosaurs.

VARSITY DINING

For most people, the heart of College Avenue is Rockridge Market Hall (5655 College). Here you'll find all the ingredients you need for a movable feast--from the spinach parmesan bread at Grace Baking (428-2662) to the rolled pork with apricots, prunes, and pears at Enzo's Meat & Poultry (547-5839).

If you'd rather let someone else do the cooking, Oliveto Care & Restaurant (547-5356), also in Market Hall, serves Tuscan-inspired cuisine prepared from locally grown organic produce and naturally raised meats. Down the street, Citron (5484 College; 653-5484) is another excellent dining choice, as is Gauch Rotisserie (5478 College; 652-3462).

Of course, if you can think of no nobler food than the humble pizza, take your place in line outside Zachary's Chicago Pizza (5801 College; 655-6385), justly famous for its robust, stuffed, two-layer pie, or at Pizza Rustica Cafe and Tapas Bar (5422 College; 654-1601).

GETTING INTO COLLEGE

Although you can drive to College Avenue (take State Highway 24 to Claremont Avenue exit, turn left and go 1/2 mile to College), parking can be tough. We suggest you ride BART to the Rockridge station instead.