Those seeking a taste of Turkey — via Germany — can now grab an authentic doner kebab in Uptown Oakland.

Black Forest Kitchen opened its doors the first weekend of April inside Forage Kitchen, a shared cooking-and-event space nestled across from trendy art galleries. It focused on one thing, that being Berlin-style doner, though it  offers Californian twists like burrito-style and vegan.

Black Forest’s chef and owner, Pierre Slack, launched the business with help from the East Bay restaurant incubator, Oakland Bloom. Prior to the brick-and-mortar, Black Forest did pop-ups at nearby Two Pitchers Brewing Co. and West Oakland’s Prescott Night Market.

The doner restaurant Black Forest Kitchen opened in Oakland in April, 2025. (John Metcalfe/Bay Area News Group) 

Dober kebabs were brought to Germany by Turkish immigrants, and today you’ll find the signature meat-filled rotisserie rotating on many Berlin street corners. But it’s difficult to find in the Bay Area, with one Redditor complaining, “Doesn’t exist here. I wish it did.”

Slack originally hails from Frankfurt, Germany, and the doner’s basic formula reflects it. The “chef’s choice” Don kebab comes with chicken, red onions, red cabbage, feta cheese and both garlic and spicy sauces ($15). The Slim’Bo slice, a play on the name of MMA fighter Kimbo Slice, is a healthier version that ditches the bread in favor of mixed-green salad ($15).

There’s also a Doner’Rito that wraps all the ingredients up in a burrito ($17) and a plant-based Super Doner’ish with oyster mushrooms and vegan feta ($16). A “secret” menu lets you combine mushroom and chicken fillings. For a charge, diners can add extra meat or mushrooms, more garlic or spicy sauces and a side of bread — and that’s pretty much it.

Details: Black Forest Kitchen is located at 478 25th St., Oakland; blackforestkitchen.square.site and instagram.com/theblackforestkitchen