Oakland and Berkeley are the deep end: Temescal, Uptown, Piedmont Avenue, Fruitvale, North Shattuck, and the markets. Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Danville, Pleasanton, and Livermore are where a suburban downtown actually feeds you. Alameda’s two main streets and Richmond’s point are the shorter lists with high hit rates.
Do not hunt a single “best restaurant.” Hunt a neighborhood where you could eat three times without repeating a cuisine, then move there if that is the life you want.
Towns
Inner East Bay
Oakland
The bridge lands here, and so does dinner.
OpenBerkeley & the north hills
Berkeley
Campus, canyons, and a food culture that predates the trend.
OpenCentral Contra Costa
Walnut Creek
The East Bay downtown people drive to on purpose.
OpenInner East Bay
Alameda
An island of Victorians, beaches, and a main street that still works.
OpenTri-Valley
Livermore
Wine country, a science town, and a downtown coming into its own.
OpenTri-Valley
Pleasanton
A historic downtown and a job base in the same city.
OpenLamorinda
Lafayette
A downtown you can actually finish walking, plus a reservoir.
Open