552 Grand Ave.
Oakland, CA
510-839-9124
Close enough to take a before- or after-dinner stroll around Oakland’s scenic Lake Merritt, brightly-lit, kid-friendly Zza’s (crayons at every table) is celebrated for its relatively inexpensive, good Italian-themed food and abundant red table wine. From pizza to pasta, gnocchi to Gorgonzola and calzone to Chianti, Zza’s is a bit raucous, but it’s easy to feel at home at the often-crowded trattoria. Tell them it’s your birthday and see the bright Zza’s bulb sign light up. Dinner nightly, weekend brunch.