On a recent tour, we stopped at Jack London Square in Oakland, in the Oakland Alameda Estuary, for lunch at Kincaid’s. Getting there was half the fun. From San Francisco we passed the Admiral’s house on Treasure Island, including his own light house on the south end of the Island.
The Coast Guard base there and the new sections of the Bay Bridge grabbed our attention as we made our approach in to Jack London Square, named for the accomplished author.
Jack London Square is a maritime center for lots of different boats and modes of transportation. It is the home of restaurants, hotels, specialty stores and an Amtrak station. Ferries go back and forth between San Francisco and San Mateo Counties all day long. It enjoys an abundance of entertainment, boasting itself as center of the bay area jazz scene. A farmer’s market is hosted among the retail shops on Sunday mornings.
A visit by boat to Jack London Square offers the sights and sounds of a unique historic location and the opportunity for lunch at an amazing restaurant, Kincaid’s. On a recent visit, one of our guests enjoyed one of their Lavender Cosmos. There was also a Jumbo Prawn Cocktail with spicy aioli and a perfectly textured Lobster Bisque. While we were there, everyone marveled at the view of San Francisco and the bridges.
Kincaid’s has a great wine list with a moderate price range. At the higher end, they carry Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valle and the Louis Roederer Brut Premier, one of my personal favorites.
There are some notable items on the lunch menu such as the French onion soup, the Chophouse Burger with Brie, and the Seafood Louie salad. The dinner menu features a Seared Peppercorn Crusted New York Steak and a Pan Seared Shellfish Fettuccini.
As delicious as the food was, the view was what brought it all together. From the deck of the restaurant, we could see the San Francisco skyline across the water, framed by the boats docked on both sides and the crane of the port of Oakland.
On the weekends Jack London Square fills with one person sail boats, including dragon boats at the end of the summer preparing for the San Francisco Dragon Boat festival. The Estuary is a bustle of excitement on weekends.
Come join us for a cruise on a historic wooden Jackie O’ designed vessel into our own Bay Area history at Jack London Square.
