Issue #29: All About Oakland's Rockridge Neighborhood
A walk through my old stomping grounds, my favorite local businesses in Rockridge, and charming homes for sale in the neighborhood.
The Silvert Lining is a place where I talk about real estate, cool homes for sale, things I’m looking forward to, and how I’ve been spending my time. In addition to this newsletter, I also post regularly on Instagram. You can follow me at Dan Silvert Homes. If you would like to meet with me to discuss your home search, you can schedule time here.
As Silvert Lining readers know, I am a devoted Noir City fan. If Eddie Muller is screening a noir film in the Bay Area, I will most likely be in attendance. On June 21, 2025, Noir City returns to the Empress Theatre in Vallejo for a screening of the 1947 noir film Johnny O'Clock. There will be a Q&A and book signing with Eddie. I attended the December 2023 Noir City screening of Pitfall at the Empress Theatre and the Q&A with Eddie was “off the cuff” in the best possible way.
In issue #26, I wrote about spending an afternoon in Berkeley’s Elmwood neighborhood. This issue is all about Elmwood’s neighbor to the south, Rockridge. This Oakland neighborhood is one of my favorite parts of the East Bay. I consider myself a bit of an expert as I lived there for a number of years.
The neighborhood of Rockridge traces its origins to the era of Spanish colonial rule. In 1820 the Spanish government gave Luis Peralta a land grant for the 44,800-acre Rancho San Antonio, which includes the modern-day cities of San Leandro, Oakland, Alameda, Emeryville, Piedmont, Berkeley, and Albany. Fun fact: Che Guevara was a descendant of Luis Peralta.
In 1842 Peralta divided the land amongst his four sons. The property swaths were so vast that the Peralta heirs could not prevent squatters and began selling off parcels. In 1869 the Peraltas sold what is now Rockridge to the Livermore family who had made their fortune in the lumber and mining industries. The Livermores and John Coffee Hays (San Francisco’s first elected sheriff) began developing the area by building their homes. Hays was an early commuter who would take the ferry from his home in Oakland to work in San Francisco. The legend states that if he missed the ferry he would row himself across the Bay.
The neighborhood was originally named Rock Ridge for a large rock in the area that was formed by the Hayward Fault. The name “Rock Ridge” appears on maps of the area as early as 1878. The first house that the Livermores built is now the site of the Claremont Country Club, although the original building burned down during WWI.
Like Elmwood, Rockridge has a problematic and racist history. In 1906 the Laymance Real Estate Company began selling plots of land for residential development; this vintage real estate flyer documents their redlining policies. After the 1906 earthquake and fire, San Francisco residents fled to Oakland and Rockridge flourished with the influx of new residents. Eventually its namesake rock was destroyed to make space for new developments.
In 1927 the Oakland Police Department broke up a Rockridge-based sex cult and arrested the leader, Gertrude Wright. The cult was called the Great White Brotherhood and preached a mix of free love, racial harmony, and communing with the divine via fornication - while borrowing tenets of different religions. The cult had chapters in San Francisco, San Jose, Portland, and Chicago, and its members included college students, city council members, teachers, and businessmen.
The police became involved after a couple of Rockridge mothers became concerned about the classes their daughters were attending at the Great White Brotherhood and the poetry included in the curriculum. Following a police raid, Wright was arrested on charges of encouraging delinquency, but fled while on bail to Mexico.
If you want to travel back in time - at least in spirit - you can grab a drink at the Rockridge Improvement Club (RIC) on College Avenue. The building dates back to 1911 when it was home to the Vernon-Rockridge Improvement Club. The Club may have been a secret temperance club or just the civic organization and community space it claimed to be. In the 1920s the building became the Hut (later renamed Ye Olde Hut), which billed itself as a Prohibition-compliant recreation club until the 21st Amendment passed and it became a bar. In 2016 new owners purchased the bar and renamed it the RIC as an homage to the building’s first tenants.
Although the early 1900s Laymance Real Estate Company flyer boasts the absence of businesses in Rockridge, today the neighborhood is filled with stores, cafes, restaurants, and bars. If you find yourself on College Avenue in Rockridge, here are my favorite places to grab drinks and food.
Highwire Coffee
There are many great coffee shops in Rockridge. Highwire is where I go when I want something that falls between fancy and reliable. I also love local favorite Cole Coffee.
Ben N’ Nick’s
If I want a cold draft beer with a side of wings, my go-to spot is Ben N’ Nick’s. The bar is a Rockridge institution that always hits the spot.
À Côté
À Côté has my favorite - and possibly the best - happy hour in the East Bay. A bold statement, I know! For $45 you can have a full order of mussels and fries with two glasses of house wine or draft beer. This special is only available Tuesday through Thursday from 5 to 7 PM, so plan accordingly.
Rockridge Cafe
When I lived in Rockridge, if I was going out to breakfast I was eating at the Rockridge Cafe. The diner is a local’s spot with good food and fast service. I’m partial to the pancakes and chilaquiles.
Ramen Shop
If I am ever at a loss as to where to eat dinner out, nine out of 10 times I will go to Ramen Shop. The food is always delicious and I like the dark and cozy ambiance. I usually order the Shoyu ramen with a Japanese whiskey highball.
Redfield
This cider and natural wine bar and bottle shop is across the street from Ramen Shop. Named after the Redfield variety of apples, Redfield has a large selection of delicious libations and a parklet to enjoy your drink al fresco.
Rockridge is a neighborhood filled with charming, historic homes. Here are my four favorites that are currently for sale in the neighborhood.
Let me know if you are looking for a new home and I can create a customized search based on your wants and needs that will email you homes that meet your search criteria. You can schedule time with me to discuss your search for a new home or selling your current home by emailing me at DanSilvertHomes@gmail.com. DRE #01963734