Bombera

The story

Bombera Oakland | Mexican-Californian Restaurant with Michelin Bib Gourmand

Bombera

The name means "firewoman," and Bombera occupies a former firehouse in Oakland's Dimond neighborhood. Chef Dominica Rice Cisneros and historian Carlos Manuel Salomon have created a full-service restaurant that turns lessons from ancestors and elders into a loving place for family, friends, and community.

The menu at Bombera is a true reflection of Chef Rice Cisneros’s memories—from her grandmother’s tamales to the smoked trout tostada, a dish inspired by the Jewish delis of New York City and the fresh fish of Baja California. Here, the culinary ways of Mexico and California intersect with the environmental urgencies of our time. Ingredients are sourced from the best farms in California, and corn is nixtamalized to make masa for housemade tortillas and tamales. The restaurant is committed to social action in its communities and serves as a tribute to Oakland’s beautiful history and people—and a protector of the sacred flame of maíz.

Chef Rice Cisneros is a second-generation Mexican-American whose career spans more than three decades. She honed her fine dining skills working with mentors including Chef Alice Waters and Chef Chris Lee at Chez Panisse, Chef Alex Lee at restaurant Daniel, and with Chef Antonio Rivera in Mexico City. It was that experience in Mexico City where she developed an appreciation for local farmers markets and seasonal cooking—a practice she continues to live by. She opened her first solo project, Cosecha café, at Swan’s Market in 2010, where her soulful cooking drew lines for nearly 12 years and earned her a James Beard Foundation semifinalist nod for Best Chef California in 2019.

Now at Bombera, the Michelin Guide has named the restaurant a Bib Gourmand discovery—an award that recognizes good quality, good value cooking. The restaurant has also been named one of the Best Restaurants in Oakland by the San Francisco Chronicle. Walk-ins are welcome on a first-come, first-served basis, dinner service runs Monday and Wednesday through Saturday, and takeout is available select evenings.