It has been quite an awards season for chef Geoff Davis and his Burdell, the fine-dining, soul-food hot spot that opened in Oakland last fall. The restaurant was just named Food & Wine’s Restaurant of the Year.
The magazine announced the winner on Wednesday morning, writing that Burdell “reimagines soul food through a modern lens.”
“Stepping into Burdell feels like stepping back in time, as though you’ve been welcomed to a cheerful Sunday Supper,” Food & Wine restaurant editor Raphael Brion writes. At Burdell, “chef-owner Geoff Davis cooks soul food in a bright and modern way, catapulting it into the future.”
In November, Burdell was named one of Esquire’s top restaurants in the U.S. It won kudos from Michelin as a “new discovery” in March — and in April, Davis was a James Beard finalist for “Best Chef: California.” So the restaurant’s omission in last month’s Michelin star announcement surprised Bay Area diners and critics, who have been wowed by Davis’ creations.
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Inspired by his grandmother, Burdell Demby, Davis opened Burdell to warm reviews last year with a philosophy “centered on nostalgia, family recipes and sourcing,” the restaurant website explains, “and on the forgotten impact of Black farming, ranching, fishing, foraging, and culture on American cuisine and hospitality.”
A veteran of Michelin-starred Cyrus and Aqua, Davis began Burdell as a series of pop-ups before he opened the brick-and-mortar in Oakland’s Temescal district.
At Burdell, he created a menu that includes fresh takes on traditional soul food items, like the chicken and waffles, remade as chicken-liver mousse with crispy skin and shallots ($19), while also offering such classics as collard greens made with smoked ham hock, cider vinegar and berbere spice ($14).
Food prepared by chef Geoff Davis at his Oakland restaurant, Burdell (photo courtesy Food & Wine).
Davis, who grew up in Modesto, also offers “family dinner,” a family-style, four-course meal ($79) centered around pork chops for the table to share.
The vibe at Burdell is old school, with avocado-green and mustard-yellow tones highlighting the 1970s decorations and old family photos. Dishes are served on vintage Pyrex plates, and servers wear aprons with floral patterns. The menu language is simple, designed to feel comforting and easy.
“Given his fine-dining experience, Davis easily could have opened a fancy French bistro or a high-end Italy-meets-California concept and watched the accolades come in,” Brion writes. “But he felt compelled to do something true to himself.”
Details: Open 5-9 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. for Sunday brunch and 5-8 p.m. for Sunday dinner at 4640 Telegraph Ave., Oakland; burdelloakland.com. Read more in the October 2024 issue of Food & Wine magazine and at www.foodandwine.com.
Chef Geoff Davis at his Oakland restaurant, Burdell (photo courtesy Food & Wine).
Chef Geoff Davis at his Oakland restaurant, Burdell (photo courtesy Food & Wine).
Food prepared by chef Geoff Davis at his Oakland restaurant, Burdell (photo courtesy Food & Wine).
