“We wanted to work together to help improve things and get people back into restaurant and bars and coffee shops on a more regular basis.” — Luigi Di Ruocco
Oakland Restaurant Collective and Savor Oakland Debut “Summer Affair”
Oakland Restaurant Collective, which was founded in early 2025 and spearheaded by local restaurateurs Nelson German, Paul Iglesias and our own Luigi Di Ruocco, aims to counter the stigma surrounding Oakland and its culinary scene by amplifying positive stories highlighting the city’s bars, cafés and restaurants. As a continuation of this initiative, the Collective helped launch the consumer-facing Savor Oakland to connect food lovers with Oakland’s best restaurants, cafes, event venues, chefs and food experiences.
Savor Oakland’s debut event is Summer Affair, a monthlong culinary celebration spotlighting the best of Oakland’s sizzling food and drink scene. Participating member restaurants, including The Caffè by Mr. Espresso, are offering unique specials, discounts, events and more for the entire month of June. This event is one of four that Savor Oakland expects to coordinate every year.
