Kitava

My friends and I stopped by Kativa in Oakland, and I’m so glad we did. I went with the build-your-own bowl, crispy chicken, cauliflower rice, sweet potatoes, and brussels sprouts and it was absolutely delicious. Everything tasted fresh and well-seasoned, and I loved that I could customize it exactly how I wanted. The space has a really welcoming vibe with its modern, clean design and friendly staff. You can tell they care about quality ingredients and creating food that’s both healthy and satisfying. It’s the kind of place where you can feel good about what you’re eating without sacrificing flavor. Perfect spot for a casual meal with friends or a quick solo lunch. Highly recommend if you’re in the area!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

I really like this place. Floor to ceiling windows let in lots of light. Cozy, attractive interior. There are both tables and counter seating. Tall ceilings make it feel airy. My bowl was delicious. Service was fast and friendly. Definitely coming back! I found street parking easily on a Friday at lunchtime and there are bike racks in front.

I have scrolled past this place and drove past the restaurant several times never thinking much of it. After the gym I wanted something fulfilling yet healthy open later at night. I ordered the plantain bowl with a side of chicken nuggets. My meal was outstanding! The plantain bowl was super flavorful and the chicken nuggets were yummy as well. Popped them in the oven for just a few minutes and they were perfect. Would definitely come back, I’m even considering another visit this week! It’s so good. Can’t believe it’s taken me this long to try it out.

SO GRATEFUL that everything is gluten free and dairy free here and that there are high quality animal protein options (and bomb chicken bone broth!) as well as vegan options. Truly something for everyone. :D

All staff were very kind and welcomed me in from the door. I had a couple concerns as I was following a dietary fast that restricted added sugars amongst many other things and the staff referenced the ingredient guide for the sauces and meals to insure that they provided me accurate information about the menu. I ordered the sweet plantain bowl it was very good and I have returned three times since also trying the power mezze bowl!

Absolutely love Kitava in Temescal! This place is a gem for anyone craving healthy, gluten-free food that doesn’t skimp on flavor or portion size. The manager is genuinely awesome—super friendly, attentive, and always makes sure everything runs smoothly with a big smile. The restaurant is spotlessly clean, bright, and welcoming, making it a comfortable spot to dine in or grab takeout. Service is lightning fast; even during busy times, my order was ready in no time without feeling rushed. And the food? Hearty, nourishing, and downright amazing! I built my own bowl with crispy chicken, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, and that incredible green goddess sauce—packed with fresh veggies, mindful proteins, and bold flavors that leave you satisfied and energized.

If you are hungry and would like something healthy yet filling too!!! You will not be disappointed. I ordered the sesame chicken with broccoli. It is a suggested bowl not a build a bowl. It definitely quenched my hunger!!!

Decent vegan options, very fresh food. Quick service and kind staff. Highly recommend!

The ambience here is very nice. I visited this location on a Sunday afternoon with my boyfriend and it was very busy. It's keto friendly, which was good for him. He really liked his meal and actually went back for seconds a few days later. I ordered the mushroom bowl, the mushrooms were amazing! The sauces are really good as well. I also ordered the cauliflower with the hummus, which was very tasty. Definitely recommend!

Came across this place as a Yelp suggestion and decided to have a lunch meeting here. I'm so happy I found this place! It's literally the best place for delicious food, but great lighting and seating options. I had the sweet plantain bowl and added paprika chicken, plus a side of the cauliflower bites. The cauliflower was perfectly crispy. Though it didn't have a sauce on them, they were perfectly seasoned. The dipping sauce was so yummy too! I wanted a bottle of it to take home. My bowl is perfectly balanced, perfectly seasoned and great portion size. My colleague enjoyed her food as well, the only down side to her meal was that it took a bit longer to make but the woman who took our order didn't give us a heads up. I can't remember the name of the dish, but it's something they should either note on the menu or disclose when people are ordering. Other than that, this place is a winner! Food rating Sweet plantain bowl 10/10 Cauliflower bites 10/10 Customer service 8/10 Ambiance 9/10

They were very kind and welcoming here! I felt like a regular despite never reviewing the menu. Options were given as to how to order from how to read the menu to "we will take suggestions." And order here or go to the QR at the table. A relic of the pandemic, but sometimes you don't want to talk, and that's okay. I got a paprika chicken added Wild Mushroom Bowl... with cauliflower rice. Everything was fresh and well seasoned. Love the cafe environment. I think I could study or spend a few minutes researching something here. Will definitely be back!

Our office in Livermore catered a lunch today and though I only had the chicken rice bowl, I'm eager to try other items on the menu! Not only was it delicious, the idea that I don't have to worry about seed oils or unhealthy ingredients is such a relief! I read labels when shopping but almost everything has at least one bad ingredient or it tastes terrible. Please make your meals available for purchase online or in local stores. I'm not sure which location lunch was from but the nearest appears to be Oakland. Love love love.

Exceptional and totally gluten free establishment. Was impressed that they have full nutritional information on their website that lists allergens, ingredients and nutrition facts. If a restaurant does this, they really to care about your health and well-being. I was caught off guard that the wild mushroom bowl was served cold (other than the wild rice), but aside from that, the bowl was an ideal and realist portion size of each item. The chimichurri mushrooms were rich. The ranch dressing was so herby, one of the best vegan ranch dressings I've ever had because it has so much herby flavor. The green goddess dressing was the best vegan green goddess dressing I've had. It's got a prominent acid punch. The wild rice was a little too mushy for my preference. I'm glad I ordered an extra side of greens, if I hadn't, the bowl itself would not have hit the mark of pleasure without the greens... would have been too much starch for me. The plant protein patty was the best black bean patty I've eaten. With the pumpkin seeds, oats and almonds, it really earns a gold medal in my book. I stuck around for dessert after my bowl. The soft serve ice cream is oh so creamy, hard to believe it's vegan and refined sugar free. The chocolate is uber rich and the maple is extraordinary. I also ordered a carrot spice muffin - gooey and delicious. I'm embarrassed, not, to say I devoured everything I ordered. Looking forward to returning and working my way through the menu! The dining room is roomy, with options to sit a high-top bar along the windows or at the official bar. Everything to-go is compostable. Love the care and diligence for health conscious humans and earth lovers. The only thing that disappointed me was the $1 extra charge for sauces. All the staff were genuinely caring and engaging. Made me feel really valued as a guest.

I've been back a couple of times and unfortunately it wasn't as good. The rice was mushy and a bit cold, and it felt bland. I love the concept of this place and will continue to come back and try other dishes. No substitutions as an fyi, even if just swapping out types of greens. The staff is nice and the ordering is easy. It's pricy which make sense if the quality of ingredients is good, but I wish it was a bit more consistent and it hasn't felt worth it lately tbh

Let me start off by saying this place was a very pleasant surprise! We came here randomly after an appointment nearby wanting something other than fast greasy food. The salads were so fresh and just the bit of healthy we needed at the moment. Staff was super friendly. We sat at the bar which was fine because the place was packed out. It had a cool little vibe where a lot of people seem to work from there or come chill out. Some people were playing cards, lots of laptops and also friends just enjoying a good meal with one another. We will be back to try new and different combos!

New favorite restaurant! Been maybe 5-6 times. The chicken soup with wild rice and collard greens is quite possibly the best soup on planet earth. Love the fancy chickie nuggies and the green drink. Nom nom nom! Oh and let's not forget the fried plantains! Staff are really great and it's a great place to grab food to go or to dine in. Spacious and bright! Recommend highly!

Omgggg, I gotta hurry up and catch up with my reviews! Lol Anyway, this place is one of my favorites in the East Bay. The quality of the food is delicious and I feel light and healthy eating it! Also, if you sign up to their membership, you get discounts:)

It was pretty tasty. I made my own bowl- barbacoa, tahini sauce, broccoli, wild rice and sweet potatoes. The ingredients are healthy so pretty basic. The only thing is only because they didn't want to replace the chicken with beef, I had to pay a few dollars more. It would be convenient if we can replace oan item rather than create a whole new bowl which is more expensive. The service was fast.

Food: I shared the poke bowl and sesame chicken bowl with my partner. I liked the poke bowl more but $17 is kind of a lot considering the amount, you could definitely get a better deal at a regular poke spot. The sesame chicken bowl was okay, the broccoli was yummy! But I didn't find it too flavorful. I know this is a health food place, and everything does indeed taste fresh! But I think the tastiness doesn't match the high price for me :/ I also tried the seasonal agua fresca and sadly I didn't like it either. They top it with soda so it's not fully authentic and I think there was too much of the soda that took away from the fruit flavor. Service: you either order with someone at the counter or on your phone at the table once you scan the QR. the food came out quickly and workers were friendly. Ambiance: beautiful! Great lightning, lots of seating and space, WiFi, modern and comfortable furnishing. Overall, I wasn't super impressed with what we ordered and I had high expectations because the reviews were so good and the pictures looked yummy! Perhaps I'd come back to try other things on the menu.

I love this place for it's all gluten free menu with fresh vegan options. I also appreciate that they charge extra for meat instead of charging me full price to remove animal products like most restaurants. I thought I had given this place 5 stars before but it's only 4 stars now I'm my book... shrinkflation is in full effect. Prices went up at some point over the past year so I can no longer get a lunch under $15, there is an employee wellness surcharge added to your bill (which I think may now be illegal), they're payment service annoyingly asks for tip when you get your own cutlery/water/napkins and bus your own table, and the portion sizes keep getting smaller. The food still tastes good though and I support the mission of providing real food... so there's that.

Order at the counter, choose a seat, and once the food is ready, an employee will bring it to you. Don't forget your utensils before sitting either. Pretty much self service I'd say. I was pretty underwhelmed with my first time here at Kitava. I ordered the power bowl and added paprika chicken. The dressing itself didn't have much impact on the dish and the sweet potatoes overpowered everything. Overall, I wouldn't exactly recommend Kitava. $22 for a bowl that tasted like a sweet potato salad was just not impressive for me. There were also a lot of bugs flying around in the seating by the glass window.

Everything about Kitava is lovely - delicious nourishing food, caring employees, and relaxing comfortable atmosphere! We enjoyed every item ordered (see pic description). I was indecisive about the many flavors of kombucha so a staff person gave us tastings (in THE cutest sampling glasses!) and did not make me feel rushed. I love that everything else you need is available for self service - from the yummy lemon cucumber water to takeout containers.

Amazing so yummy!!! Hands down the best vegan soft serve I've ever had! It's chocolate & maple walnut swirl OMG . As a Gluten Free & Dairy Free person with a chronic inflammatory disease it's such a TREAT to have a place like this in Oakland . I'm having the GF crispy chicken on top of the Evolved Caesar Salad that has GF croutons & DF cashew parmasean . Yes yes yes!!! My partner had the mezzobowl with barbacoa, which is so so flavorful! He's happy and they have cauliflower toubuleh which is helpful with managing his diabetes. Thank you to the Manager Maya for being attentive, friendly, helpful and professional!!! We will be back

I've been here a handful of times and by far today was the busiest I've ever seen it. Congratulations Kitava! We ordered off the brunch menu and got the gluten free pancakes. It was a bit like mochi texture and we ordered the chocolate sauce on the side. Highly recommend putting the sauce on the side as it's very very rich. We also ordered the Evolved Caesar Salad with a side of crispy chicken. The chicken sadly was so dry! Typically it's always moist so not sure why this batch was incredibly dry.

Highly recommend Food is fantastic - delicious, healthy mostly organic at a good price. Friendly staff. You order on a screen as you walk in and a server brings the food to your table. Hot and fresh. Clean and casual, no white tablecloths - nothing fancy but a nice vibe inside and 2 tiny outdoor tables. Lots of car break-ins in Oakland these days so for safety, the staff advises parking around the corner as opposed to on 40th. I've been there many times day or night without a problem.

Randomly found this place and did not realize everything was gluten free! There's QR codes on the tables where you can order and pay. I got the brownie and the worker gave this to me so quickly! The taste of the brownie was incredibly dark, i wasnt a fan. However I did like the sweet plantain bowl with crispy chicken. I would try the other signature bowls out next time

I had been excited about Kitava because they have some really healthy food for the most part. The ingredients are well sourced. My friend bought me a power bowl. it was so delicious. Then I went back again and I got some of their fries. They were so tasty as well. I like that they don't use seed oil. Then I went on my own and I went to pay for my items and the woman said they don't accept cash. I was dumbfounded because that's what I make most of my transactions in. Dealing in cash, eliminates, needless fees, and promotes our currency. With some upset and hesitation. I found my card in my purse and I paid for it with a credit card, which I am trying to eliminate from my life. Was my power bowl tasty again? Yes but not as much because my enthusiasm for it has waned knowing that Kirava does not accept cash. It will probably deter me from going there as frequently or ever. Update: thank you for your response, Bryan. I truly empathize and did not even consider lawlessness of our Bay Area and California in general to be the reason why you went cashless, but now from that perspective, it makes sense. It's so unfortunate that these are the times we live in. Society is shooting itself in the foot. I appreciate the offer of a a free meal, but probably better not to become a soup kitchen. ;). Glad to hear there have been no more robberies.

I catered food from Kitava for a birthday gathering and was absolutely delighted with the food. All of my friends raved about both how delicious and nutritious it was. We had the lemon tahini salad, kale slaw, za' atar hummus with cauliflower, wild rice, and paprika chicken. It was divine! And the catering staff at Kitava were easy to communicate with and had helpful suggestions about our menu. I will definitely go to Kitava for any catering needs in future. Yum!

If you asked me about my favorite lunch spot, I'd recommend Kitava. The space is inviting, the staff has always been welcoming, and the food is delicious. I've worked my way through their menu and my favorite item is their power bowl with a side of chicken nuggets or cauliflower bites. Their seasonal salad and evolved Caesar salad have also made it into my lunch order rotation. Check out Kitava if you're looking for something quick to grab for lunch that's light, but filling.

This place is fantastic and absolutely worth the drive if you're gluten sensitive or celiac. We've got a celiac kid and we love coming here even though it's far away for us. Great drink selection and everything is delicious. Kids love the fries and nuggets (is that house-made ketchup, too?) and specials are always great (fish and chips recently). I could eat here every night.

Kitava is a fun and bright restaurant that offers healthy food options that are packed with flavor. I came here with my work team to have a holiday celebration meal. Our team has a few allergy restrictions and this place checked off all of the boxes. The overall vibe is positive and the ambiance is inviting due to the light color notes along with the high ceiling. We ordered some shareable plates that were delicious and filling. The Brussels sprouts dish has a great char on it with a good dipping sauce. We all ordered bowls and kombucha as our main meals. The table ordered poke bowls while I got the sweet plantain bowl with barbacoa beef. My bowl was really good with kale, white rice, plantain and a yummy orange sauce. The beef was stewed just right and really soaked into the rice to marry with all the flavors. The blood orange kombucha was good, subtle flavor but refreshing. Everyone loved their meal and we had a great time catching up outside of work. The service was quick and excellent in general. I appreciated the changing station in the bathroom. Stop by Kitava for a delicious and healthy meal if you're near the MacArthur BART area of Oakland. From a carnivore with picky taste, this place is top notch! Next time I'll try the gluten free beer and some other food options. ^_^

Delicious food, easy to order, and lots of seating! The staff were helpful as well! I will be coming back for more.

Kitava is a trendy spot with build your own bowls and fresh ingredients. The staff was still helpful although we ordered through the kiosk and food came out fast. While enjoyable, I just felt like it was sooo expensive for a bowl, almost $20 if you want to add protein. It might just be the midwesterner in me, but it hurt to pay almost $80 for three people (three bowls and some hummus).

Arriving at Kitava is easy, located at the corner of 40TH st & OPAL ST. The 2 times I've been here I was able to park on OPAL ST Once inside , ambiance is Airy & Bright from the natural lighting . Ordering Experience via QR code, easy to navigate, items have depth description . Every table has a QR code for ordering on phone. You could also place the order at the high bar. Food is fresh and almost herbaceous. I like having the option of Gluten-free but knowing every food option is made with quality ingredients . Could be slightly on the pricy side Total for my 3 items and 10% tip = $51.30

I was immediately greeted when I walked in the door. The young lady at the counter was friendly and helpful. It was my first time at Kitava and she walked me through some of the local favorite foods. The restaurant is clean, stylish, and accomodating. They have cucumber water available to grab on your own and the atmosphere says, "welcome". After eating their amazing food,I will be back.

Driving through the area and stopped by with a friend for lunch. Everything we ordered was very tasty and the ambiance is very nice! counter person service and help was great also. This was back in 2024.

A lot of great healthy options. Food was fresh and very tasty. I ordered the power bowl and added barbacoa and it was delicious. Would recommend for someone who is trying to find a place that offers healthy food that tastes great. I love the fact that they have a lot of options to pick from and you can build your own bowl.

I loved Kitava, but I've noticed recently that the quality has changed. The rice is overcooked, mushy and really difficult to stomach. Please tell whoever is in the kitchen to be careful about the amount of water they are using because the rice is no good. Thanks.

Yummy healthy food, super friendly staff and good beer selection. Glad I popped in. I'll definitely come back when I'm in Oakland again.

I liked Kitava. I went for a work lunch and enjoyed the healthy menu options. This place does healthy bowls and salads. The space is bright, airy and modern. The menu is gluten and dairy free, as well as free of many other additives. In the end, I debated between 3 and 4 stars. It's pricey, but everything is pricey these days - and this spot is healthy. Portions are health minded (read not large) and ingredients are stated to be fresh. I went with a poke bowl and my lunch partner went with the sesame chicken bowl. They were well prepared and good, albeit a bit bland. Not a ton of flavor, but I guess that's what happens when your food isn't covered in salt and sugar. Prices are high, portions will leave you without any leftovers, but everything is relative. They serve kombucha, beer, wine and iced tea/lemonade. Overall, for those with ingredient allergies or being mindful of health, this is an incredible option. I do think there is room for improvement on ways to add more flavor to the bowls to make things a bit more interesting, but still a solid lunch.

Came here for dinner last night with my partner. We usually get delivery, but my girlfriend and I decided to dine in last night. Big difference in freshness, I must say! They had some new stuff on the menu, like this seasonal rice noodle bowl. Interesting, but a little too tart for my taste. I prefer my noodles savory. You might like it, though! The chicken nuggets? Crispy as usual, but a tad too large and chewy. The homemade ketchup was on point, though. I wish I could bottle that stuff up! But let me tell you about the soft serve. Imagine the best ice cream alternative you've ever had, topped with olive oil and sea salt. Tasted a bit like light coffee. Absolute perfection! I'd eat it every day if I could. And don't even think about leaving without trying that soft serve!

Live from Oakland this is a gem! One day after the gym, I was starving and craving something healthy. I stopped in for their nuggets and wow--they are the bomb.com! I also got some broccoli, seasoned to perfection, and a refreshing smoothie. I tried the cauliflower rice, and while it wasn't my favorite, everything else more than made up for it. This place is fantastic! Conveniently located, it's the perfect stop after a workout. Friendly staff, great options, and a lovely establishment. Definitely my go-to spot for a quick, healthy bite!

Love this place. Usually checks all the boxes for flavor and options and also healthy choices at a good price. I also love that they have a very intricate nutrition facts menu on their website. So important. That's why I'm so bummed that this is the $2 worth of avocado that they gave me. A sliver. That's all.

I have been waiting for a place like this to open near me. It's on a quiet location off Broadway, where the search parking is not going to stress you out. There are so many healthy food choices and they taste great. There are choices for kombucha and other beverages on tap; they have cucumber and fruit water. You know it's good when three tables of customers spontaneously start telling each other we all want to order way more food than we know we need and laughing. I brought a colleague who lives nearby, and she kept exclaiming, "How did you find this place?! How did I not know about it?!" Nobody else please come. We enjoyed not having to wait in line for our lunch.

Service was super friendly. I loved the build your own bowl. Bright and nice vibe. Loved that they offer the Give a Meal app!

Really cute quaint place in Oakland. Not far from Piedmont. I had a bowl it was delicious. I loved the plantains. Also had the watermelon refresher I would give it a 3.5 out of five. I like the atmosphere the server was friendly. I would definitely go again.

Got takeout from here for my husband and kids. The citrus salad was solid, the Caesar wasn't really like a Caesar (but not bad) and the fries were cold, soggy and sad.

Kitava opened in the space that was Magpie/Hog's Apothecary. infrastructure similar. cosmetic upgrades, note: lacking pics due to iCloud download issue.... drill: order, pay at counter, food brought to table. offerings: desserts, drinks, coffee/tea, beer, kombucha, bowls, b.y.o. bowls, small plates, sides, immunity bowls, eats: power bowl (12) marinated mushroom (+5) -marinated mushrooms was tender, tasty, and a small portion. not worthy. -the power bowl was very flavorful with the total ingredients mixed together: "farmer's greens( romaine lettuce?), ancient grain mix, pea hummus, sweet potatoes, avocado, pickled onions, sunflower seeds, green goddess dressing dressing." worthy portion. fab integrated tastes. *gave me an idea how to create my own version at home... 5 stars for the salad, 3 stars for mushrooms...so 4 stars. service 5 stars. I seldom rate service. take outs -food brought to table within 5 minutes. -my preowned iPhone 11 Pro Max lock me out of iphone. after erasure. I mistakenly downloaded from old iPhone 10 instead of iPad. didn't see download from iCloud directly as an option. lost data from 4 reviews. ):

Eating healthy does not mean eating pain food, this was all delicious and filling. Wished I had this restaurant near where I live

Overrated chipotle for crazy prices. I was not impressed by this place. The flavors were not that great and it was way too saucey. It did not feel healthy at all. I felt so groggy and gross afterward. The meat was tender but somewhat flavorless. The texture of the meal just felt like mush covered in sauce. It is very cute and vibey in here but nothing to write home about. It's very trendy but I would not come back again. The people were very nice and it was nice to be able to just order from the table via QR code. It kinda felt like I was in the middle of a neighborhood and this random restaurant was here. I don't think I'd return.

There food is always delicious and fresh and always very fantastic service and the lemon cucumber water is just a added BONUS

Been wanting to try this spot for the healthy meal options and it didn't disappoint! My mother-in-law law is sensitive to sugar and gluten and we loved that they have a binder they can check for any questions on ingredients, and each of the dishes use simple ingredients to begin with. I ordered at the register but you could sit down and order via QR code. The dishes are mostly vegetarian or vegan so you will need to add protein if desired. We added the herb chicken or the power bowl ($18), which was delicious! Only wish the portion of meat was a little more. The sesame chicken bowl ($14) overall was not bad but the ingredients were just not prepared as listed - the chicken wasn't crispy breading, the broccoli was lightly steamed/barely cooked versus charred, and the rice was wet so it stuck together. My MIL built her own bowl and loved it. They have a cucumber lemon water station available. Def want to try the kombucha on tap next time. We were overall satiated and felt good (healthy haha) after the meal, though felt like the portion could be a tiny bit more considering the price. Could eat this for lunch every day. The vibe inside is so cute! The staff was so nice. Definitely would recommend and be back!

Kitava is a consistently good. They backed off the salt and food bowls are always tasty! I also love the weekend pancakes!

My whole family loves Kitava. It's very nutritious with lots of fresh options and pretty invariably delicious. We usually go several times a month. We like to design our own bowls and usually get the crispy chicken. If I add an extra veggie to the bowl, it's usually enough for two (lighter) meals for me. Also love the vegan soft serve. It's not cheap to eat out here, but it's not outrageous either and everyone leaves happy.

I absolutely love this place! Not only does it have great aesthetics inside, but the food is amazing! Almost everything is gluten free and there are soo many vegan options which is great! Everyone there was so nice and the staff was welcoming and made sure we were well taken care of and attended to. Will definitely continue to go here!

This place is EVERYTHING I love and miss about the bay area. GF and Delish. So much transparency around ingredients if you so desire and most important - the food is SO flavorful and good. I ordered the Tuna bowl but got cauliflower rice and that rice was seasoned so well. Did not miss 'real rice' The kale salad had so much kick - ginger and garlic The cauliflower sid also a winner Get as many sauces as you can and tip that staff they are AMAZING! Another bonus (I got my food to go) was the ambiance and the lemon cucumber water available to sip on. PS sorry no photos I was too busy eating.

Great food, great service. The ambiance was nice. The restaurant was cleaned and organized. The Management team was awesome. The power bowl is great. Kitava is a great restaurant. Will definitely go back