Oliveto

This is the best Italian in the E. Bay, without qualification. Everything they do here is creative and authentic. This is primarily Tuscan style food...fresh and slow cooked. Good wine list, reasonable corkage ($18)and a daily menu that accentuates t ... more

This is the best Italian in the E. Bay, without qualification. Everything they do here is creative and authentic. This is primarily Tuscan style food...fresh and slow cooked. Good wine list, reasonable corkage ($18)and a daily menu that accentuates the food in season. All the pasta is good...the anti-pasta's are sometimes sublime. less

Wonderful food; every time we go there, we get a taste sensation that we havent had before; a bit expensive, but plenty of food; best are the antipasti/salads and primi piatti, but the spit grilled meats are great too. A bit loud on the weekends, ... more

Wonderful food; every time we go there, we get a taste sensation that we havent had before; a bit expensive, but plenty of food; best are the antipasti/salads and primi piatti, but the spit grilled meats are great too. A bit loud on the weekends, but there is nothing quite like it for the food; less

This is a great place!! It has a super atmosphere and great food! It is a true Italian resturante!! We enjoyed it! The olny negetive was the service was poor! Our waiter had no idea how or when to fil up an empty glass! But he was t ... more

This is a great place!! It has a super atmosphere and great food! It is a true Italian resturante!! We enjoyed it! The olny negetive was the service was poor! Our waiter had no idea how or when to fil up an empty glass! But he was tipped accordingly! If it had not been for him I would have rated this place a 5 star! less

This is by far the favorite fine dining restaurant for my husband and I. The food is simple and only the best, freshest in season foods are on the menu. You can usually discern a theme from the menus that are constantly changing with what is comin ... more

This is by far the favorite fine dining restaurant for my husband and I. The food is simple and only the best, freshest in season foods are on the menu. You can usually discern a theme from the menus that are constantly changing with what is coming in season and available. I realize it is expensive, but I actually enjoy this more than Chez Panisse. By the way, they make their pasta in house and fresh. less

This restaurant is more Italian than most restaurants in Italy. Straight up, Oliveto Restaurant is not a value place. Dishes are plated with minimal decoration and the kitchen's ethic is simplicity. The wine list is on the high side. Servi ... more

This restaurant is more Italian than most restaurants in Italy. Straight up, Oliveto Restaurant is not a value place. Dishes are plated with minimal decoration and the kitchen's ethic is simplicity. The wine list is on the high side. Service is very knowledgeable (take the opportunity to request suggestions on the night's menu), but if you are looking for pomp and circumstance you may be disappointed. However, if you know food, you will likely be blown away. The chef Paul Bertolli is formerly of Chez Panisse and his latest cook book "Cooking By Hand" shows how much work goes into bringing out perfection in simplicity. He hunts his own boar, grinds his own wheat, forages for mushrooms, makes his own charcuterie, makes his own balsamico, etc. If possible check out the once-a-year white truffle-themed dinners (but bring a thick wad!) or the tomato-themed dinners or the balsamico dinner (century old vinegars). Signature dishes are the charcuterie platter, any of the pastas, meat off a woodfire rotisserie. What I find particularly amazing is that one can generally just walk in to a restaurant of this quality -- if it wasn't located in Oakland, this wouldn't be the case. Downstairs the cafe offers great sandwiches and lunch specials and the chance to sit outside and watch foot traffic. Located across the street from the Rockridge BART station. less

Took friends to Oliveto last night which makes it my third trip. As usual, the food was excellent and the service was perfect....just the right amount of attention. My guests were already excited because someone at their hotel told them they'd b ... more

Took friends to Oliveto last night which makes it my third trip. As usual, the food was excellent and the service was perfect....just the right amount of attention. My guests were already excited because someone at their hotel told them they'd be in for a "big treat", and they weren't disappointed. less

I went for lunch on a very hot and sunny day. I had the veal milanese and an apricot and blackberry tart with vanilla ice cream. The veal was great but the tart was gorgeous! The apricot was incredibly ripe. It was a cooked tart and so the flavors ... more

I went for lunch on a very hot and sunny day. I had the veal milanese and an apricot and blackberry tart with vanilla ice cream. The veal was great but the tart was gorgeous! The apricot was incredibly ripe. It was a cooked tart and so the flavors just exploded in your mouth. Well done! less

this restaurant is listed 2x on this webpage. i urge the editors/webmasters to please consolidate these 2 listings! i wanted to try oliveto while i live so close to it. it's in the rockridge neighbourhood of oakland, on college ave. altho ... more

this restaurant is listed 2x on this webpage. i urge the editors/webmasters to please consolidate these 2 listings!

i wanted to try oliveto while i live so close to it. it's in the rockridge neighbourhood of oakland, on college ave. altho' street parking is hard, i'll hook u up w/ a tip that there is a parking lot in the back. that's a big hook up, i tell u... neway, oliveto is beautifully decorated. the fud is very delcious, altho' a li'l 2 rich 4 my taste. in ne case, 1nce in a while u gotta splurge. save oliveto 4 those occassion; don't expect to have healthy fud there. we had pate, braised rabbit, grilled swordfish, n' a chocolate dessert w/ chocolate mousse surrounded by a tiramisulike cake. we also had a 0.5 bottle of navarro pinot noir. i really did like the swordfish, served w/ artichoke, altho' it was in a very rich sauce.

let me sum up: oliveto is very rich fud, n' it's quite a bit overpriced. i would have given this restaurant a higher rating, but it's 2 expensive. consider this a low 4 because of the price. still, i'm sure u have special nites to celebrate, don'tchu?

beno

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Oliveto's is understated in everyway. The service was pompous, the portions small and curiously underdone, the management snotty and the waiters culitivated to intimidate. The cusine should be French, not Italian. Please save yourself a trip an ... more

Oliveto's is understated in everyway. The service was pompous, the portions small and curiously underdone, the management snotty and the waiters culitivated to intimidate. The cusine should be French, not Italian. Please save yourself a trip and just send them a check. less