Directions to 582 - 7th St.
La Borinqueña Mexicatessen
courtesy Paula Wirth
La Borinqueña Mexicatessen was a small, family-run Mexican delicatessen, spanning 71 years and three generations. Forced to relocate twice because of freeways, it was a mainstay in the neighborhood until 2015. Famous for their tamales, people would return to buy them even after they had moved from the area.
courtesy 10000 Steps
Oakland’s first Latino Barrio
Tina Tamale: Guardian of cultural heritage
On cobblestoned La Siete
You might have noticed that 7th St. is unusually wide. This is because the railroad ran down 7th St.; there’s an old train station a few blocks east. Oakland was the terminus of the first transcontinental railroad. To continue west, passengers would take the train to a pier in West Oakland and catch a ferryboat.
Depending on the state of the pavement, you may spot the older cobblestone pavement peeking through.
