Calavera brings best of Oakland cuisine and art at OAK Airport location

Oakland, Calif. – March 9, 2023: New restaurant Calavera is now open for business and serving passengers at Oakland International Airport. Calavera is a Mexican-inspired airport restaurant and bar based on the popular Uptown Oakland location. It is the eighth new restaurant opened as part of OAK’s new food and beverage program. 

Calavera at OAK will be open daily from 4:30 AM to 11:00 PM. The restaurant is located in Terminal 2 across from Oakland Draft House featuring Sierra Nevada, another eatery that recently opened in 2022. 

"We hope that our passengers enjoy the new dining options available at Oakland International Airport, especially newly opened Calavera. One goal of our new food and beverage program was to capture East Bay’s renown culinary scene. Calavera, and the art displayed within, is a beautiful expression of Oakland,” says Bryant L. Francis, Director of Aviation at the Port of Oakland.  

Calavera Mexican Kitchen, from acclaimed local chef Chris Pastena, celebrates the flavors of Oaxaca. All menu items are seasonal and made from scratch, and the ingredients are sourced with the same integrity Chris and his chefs put on display at Calavera in Uptown Oakland.  

“It has been an honor to work with the team at High Flying Foods to bring Calavera to OAK. We are excited to bring even more great food and drinks to people who are traveling to and from ‘The Town’!" says Chef Chris Pastena. High Flying Foods is the airport concessionaire that is operating the new location. 

The modern, warm, and inviting space was designed by local architect Claudio Martonffy (principal at CMD), also responsible for the outstanding design of Oaklandish Coffee Collective in OAK’s Terminal 1.

One standout feature of the new eatery is the large mural located on its side wall adjacent to the to-go counter. The mural, named “La Calavera Catrina,” was created by local Oakland artist Jorge Bejarano (also known as Abstract Oakland). The artist also has a mural on display at Calavera’s street location. Donning the image of La Calavera Catrina has become an iconic tradition of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a Mexican holiday

For more information about the Calavera street-side restaurant, visit their website here: https://calaveraoakland.com/  

POST-SECURITY MEDIA ESCORT AVAILABILITY:

Tuesday, March 14th from 10AM –12PM.  

During this period of time, press will be allowed to photograph the new post-security airport restaurant, interview with airport spokesperson and Calavera’s Chef Chris Pastena, and there will also be the opportunity to capture post-security airport B-roll.

Please RSVP for Media Escort by 5:00 PM on Monday, March 13th to [email protected]. 

About Oakland International Airport 

Oakland International is the main airport for the greater East Bay, the most populated area in the metropolitan San Francisco Bay area. It is the closest airport to most Bay Area employers. By roadway and BART air-rail, OAK enables excellent access to all of the region’s business, entertainment and tourism venues. The vision of Oakland International Airport is to be the airport of choice for San Francisco Bay Area residents and visitors alike. OAK is operated by the Port of Oakland, which also oversees the Oakland seaport and 20 miles of East Bay waterfront. Together with its business partners, the Port supports more than 84,000 jobs in the region with more than a $130 billion economic impact. 

Updates about travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, current departure and arrival information, airport maps, and details about on-airport parking, shopping and dining and more, can be found at www.oaklandairport.com.

Contact - Members of the Press and Media Only
Kaley Skantz - Airport Spokesperson, [email protected]

Media On-Site Request & Parking Form: https://www.oaklandairport.com/media-on-site-request-form/ 

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