Eat Here-Oliveto

About a month and a half ago my husband and I found ourselves in downtown Oakland. We decided to make the most of our situation (we were childless for the afternoon) and get lunch somewhere. Deep in the heart of Oakland, on College Street, is a lovely cafe named Oliveto. It is technically Oliveto Restaurant and Cafe, but we did not know that at the time. It is situated on a busy corner, and it is an unassuming little place, just the kind I like.

When you enter the front door, a nostalgic stairway winds its way up to an unknown second floor (we found out later it was the restaurant area). We sat in the cafe, and promptly fell in love with the ambiance of this place. Sausages hanging in the fridge and a large wood burning pizza oven just added to the visually pleasing aesthetics of our table.
We started off with a tart that had thinly sliced potatoes, red onions and gruyere. With it's rich pastry crust it was a bit heavy for a starter, but nonetheless, very delicious. We then enjoyed a freshly baked pizza topped with thinly sliced red onions, sausage and an arugula salad. Absolutely delicious and fresh tasting.
We ended out our meal with a house made plum ice cream with plum caramel sauce. Very good, with a rich, full flavor. The bill ran us about $25 with tax and tip, which by all means is a very good price for a meal for two.
The menu changes quite often because the chef's rely on local, seasonal produce. Not a bad thing.
If  you are ever in the area, I would recommend you stop by Oliveto Restaurant and Cafe at 5655 College Avenue, Oakland, California, 94618.
You can also view their current lunch and dinner menus and see if there is anything that excites you.