Guidebook for Berkeley
Essentials
huge grocery store with fresh vegetable and fruits, lots of foodie options, fine wine, beer, cheese and pre-prepared deli options
419 locals recommend
Berkeley Bowl
2020 Oregon Sthuge grocery store with fresh vegetable and fruits, lots of foodie options, fine wine, beer, cheese and pre-prepared deli options
very close by only a 5 min walk for basic groceries like bread, juice, milk. If you want a huge selection I'd recommend walking a bit further to Berkeley Bowl.
Ashby Super Market
2948 Martin Luther King Jr Wayvery close by only a 5 min walk for basic groceries like bread, juice, milk. If you want a huge selection I'd recommend walking a bit further to Berkeley Bowl.
Food Scene
great thai food in a garden setting, its a community event, half of Berkeley eats here on sundays only, occasional Buddhist ceremonies on Thai holidays, gets crowded get there before noon
45 locals recommend
Wat Mongkolratanaram
1911 Russell Stgreat thai food in a garden setting, its a community event, half of Berkeley eats here on sundays only, occasional Buddhist ceremonies on Thai holidays, gets crowded get there before noon
artisanal and unique cakes, torts, pies, expressos, cappuccinos, nice indoor and outdoor seating
50 locals recommend
Crixa Cakes
2748 Adeline Startisanal and unique cakes, torts, pies, expressos, cappuccinos, nice indoor and outdoor seating
Vegan healthy mexican food! did you say vegan and healthy Mexican?? surprisingly delicious too!
44 locals recommend
Flacos
3031 Adeline StVegan healthy mexican food! did you say vegan and healthy Mexican?? surprisingly delicious too!
very spicy Thai food traditional style, fresh ingredients. you can ask them to tone it down if you can't take the heat
17 locals recommend
Giin Thai Canteen
3278 Adeline Stvery spicy Thai food traditional style, fresh ingredients. you can ask them to tone it down if you can't take the heat
great bakery, nice relaxing space to sit and read, i like the muffins, only 1.25 a piece and the coffee/expressos/cappuccinos are good. also all kinds of cookies, cakes, foccacia, all excellent
115 locals recommend
Sweet Adeline Bakeshop
3350 Adeline Stgreat bakery, nice relaxing space to sit and read, i like the muffins, only 1.25 a piece and the coffee/expressos/cappuccinos are good. also all kinds of cookies, cakes, foccacia, all excellent
authentic New York city style thin crust pizza. you must call 2 hours before you want your order. it opens at 4, if you call then you may get a pizza by 530-6. very small has 2 tables to sit at
19 locals recommend
Emilia's Pizzeria
2995 Shattuck Aveauthentic New York city style thin crust pizza. you must call 2 hours before you want your order. it opens at 4, if you call then you may get a pizza by 530-6. very small has 2 tables to sit at
hipster cafe, single origin pour over coffee made painstakingly one at at a time, not for those in a hurry, small nice space great for people watching, sitting, reading and working on your laptop
51 locals recommend
Alchemy Collective Cafe and Roaster
1741 Alcatraz Avehipster cafe, single origin pour over coffee made painstakingly one at at a time, not for those in a hurry, small nice space great for people watching, sitting, reading and working on your laptop
fresh sushi, best robata (grilled fish, beef, chicken, veggies) in town, sake, beer on tap, decor wise-nondescript on outside, simple and elegant on the inside. the prices are reasonable, always busy
79 locals recommend
Kirala
2100 Ward Stfresh sushi, best robata (grilled fish, beef, chicken, veggies) in town, sake, beer on tap, decor wise-nondescript on outside, simple and elegant on the inside. the prices are reasonable, always busy
delicious and calorie laden Creole food, free sampling before you order, get your dirty beans and rice here!
58 locals recommend
Easy Creole
1761 Alcatraz Avedelicious and calorie laden Creole food, free sampling before you order, get your dirty beans and rice here!
large coffee house/bar filled with art and lots of seating. great place to lounge, drink cappuccino or sip a microbrew, eat burgers made next door and check email
57 locals recommend
Actual Cafe
6334 San Pablo Avenuelarge coffee house/bar filled with art and lots of seating. great place to lounge, drink cappuccino or sip a microbrew, eat burgers made next door and check email
delicious grass fed beef burgers, delectable fries you can order here and get your beer on tap next door at actual cafe
29 locals recommend
Victory Burger
1099 Alcatraz Avenuedelicious grass fed beef burgers, delectable fries you can order here and get your beer on tap next door at actual cafe
not exactly great pizza but when you are hungry and tired they do deliver
22 locals recommend
Domino's Pizza
3264 Adeline Stnot exactly great pizza but when you are hungry and tired they do deliver
great huge bar/restaurant with outside seating in a garden like setting with a fire blazing in the middle of it all. excellent thin crust pizza, salads and live music
113 locals recommend
Jupiter
2181 Shattuck Avegreat huge bar/restaurant with outside seating in a garden like setting with a fire blazing in the middle of it all. excellent thin crust pizza, salads and live music
get a free sliver of pizza with your microbrew, the pizza is delicious though there is only one type made per day to ensure they make it quickly to meet the demand, very fresh
21 locals recommend
SLIVER Pizzeria
2468 Telegraph Aveget a free sliver of pizza with your microbrew, the pizza is delicious though there is only one type made per day to ensure they make it quickly to meet the demand, very fresh
delicious fresh and high end Mexican cuisine and unique artisanal cocktails, warning its not cheap...this is not your local taqueria, a highly acclaimed chef (Delfina of SF) owns it
134 locals recommend
Comal
2020 Shattuck Avedelicious fresh and high end Mexican cuisine and unique artisanal cocktails, warning its not cheap...this is not your local taqueria, a highly acclaimed chef (Delfina of SF) owns it
Izakaya style Japanese food which is kind of like tapas or small plates Japanese style, sushi, rolls, and grilled fish, meat, veggies. very simple but great.
9 locals recommend
Musashi
2126 Dwight WayIzakaya style Japanese food which is kind of like tapas or small plates Japanese style, sushi, rolls, and grilled fish, meat, veggies. very simple but great.
good traditional cantonese style food and very nice decor, modern and clean with a full bar, highly recommended
32 locals recommend
Great China Restaurant
2190 Bancroft Waygood traditional cantonese style food and very nice decor, modern and clean with a full bar, highly recommended
one of my favorites, Japanese fusion, will satisfy everyones tastes, traditional japanese and also fusion i.e. Kobe beef or pork belly sliders, teriyaki style beef tacos, good beer, wine and drinks
8 locals recommend
Joshu-ya Brasserie
2441 Dwight Wayone of my favorites, Japanese fusion, will satisfy everyones tastes, traditional japanese and also fusion i.e. Kobe beef or pork belly sliders, teriyaki style beef tacos, good beer, wine and drinks
Eureka!
2068 Center Stsports bar/restaurant with good food and drinks and atmosphere
Legit Pho (vietnamese noodle soup) which is hard to find in the area outside of Oakland Chinatown/ East Oakland
Phở K & K
2533 Telegraph AveLegit Pho (vietnamese noodle soup) which is hard to find in the area outside of Oakland Chinatown/ East Oakland
good bbq, beer and mixed drinks, also has alot of tv screens to watch your favorite sports teams
11 locals recommend
T-Rex Restaurant & Bar
1300 Tenth Streetgood bbq, beer and mixed drinks, also has alot of tv screens to watch your favorite sports teams
fascinating little place. founded by a Louisiana southern style cook (Lois) over 50 years ago. Opened her home kitchen as a restaurant. delicious huge portions. skip counting calories here.
52 locals recommend
Lois the Pie Queen
851 60th Stfascinating little place. founded by a Louisiana southern style cook (Lois) over 50 years ago. Opened her home kitchen as a restaurant. delicious huge portions. skip counting calories here.
Shopping
Walgreens
2801 Adeline Stpharmacy open late has lots of essentials
Arts & Culture
nationally renowned theater, worth a visit when in town, famous Tony Kushner productions
127 locals recommend
Berkeley Repertory Theatre
2025 Addison Stnationally renowned theater, worth a visit when in town, famous Tony Kushner productions
great venue to see all kinds of music, dance, musical theater, with delicious food from all areas of latin america, very progressive and activist lean
36 locals recommend
La Pena Cultural Center
3105 Shattuck Avegreat venue to see all kinds of music, dance, musical theater, with delicious food from all areas of latin america, very progressive and activist lean
Moe's Books
2476 Telegraph Avehuge bookstore, one of the few left
Drinks & Nightlife
infectious music and house brewed beers, hipster haunt, small space but cozy
50 locals recommend
Hoi Polloi Brewing Taproom and Beat Lounge
1763 Alcatraz Aveinfectious music and house brewed beers, hipster haunt, small space but cozy
unique Irish style pub with a stage: local acts, amateur nights, good burgers, pizza and salads, often impromptu drumming and Irish style music jamming, old hippies and young hipsters gather here
74 locals recommend
The Starry Plough Pub
3101 Shattuck Aveunique Irish style pub with a stage: local acts, amateur nights, good burgers, pizza and salads, often impromptu drumming and Irish style music jamming, old hippies and young hipsters gather here
beer, cocktails and game night with checkers, chess, scrabble you name it! also darts and pool, nerdy cal grad student central
61 locals recommend
Albatross Pub
1822 San Pablo Avebeer, cocktails and game night with checkers, chess, scrabble you name it! also darts and pool, nerdy cal grad student central
cheap beer tequila and whiskey, grunge divey bar with a backyard. a mix of locals and hipsters, yummy cheap huge bbq sausage sandwiches, burgers, pulled pork and veggie options, live rock, folk music
47 locals recommend
Missouri Lounge
2600 San Pablo Avecheap beer tequila and whiskey, grunge divey bar with a backyard. a mix of locals and hipsters, yummy cheap huge bbq sausage sandwiches, burgers, pulled pork and veggie options, live rock, folk music
fancy wine bar with wine flights, cheese, small with good ambiance, friendly servers who will teach you all you want to know about california wines
La Botella Republic
2055 Center Streetfancy wine bar with wine flights, cheese, small with good ambiance, friendly servers who will teach you all you want to know about california wines
Sightseeing
California's oldest public university, lovely campus, great college town, cheap eats, bookstores, street vendors, people watching
427 locals recommend
University of California, Berkeley
Oxford StreetCalifornia's oldest public university, lovely campus, great college town, cheap eats, bookstores, street vendors, people watching
awesome shopping district for cards, unique gifts, plants, flowers,foodie knick knacks, wine cheese fancy restaurants and house beautifying
184 locals recommend
Fourth Street
Fourth Streetawesome shopping district for cards, unique gifts, plants, flowers,foodie knick knacks, wine cheese fancy restaurants and house beautifying
nice views of the bay, easy stroll or run and recently renovated. if you're lucky you may see a rare burrowing owl that winter here in nests built under ground
8 locals recommend
Berkeley Marina
201 University Avenice views of the bay, easy stroll or run and recently renovated. if you're lucky you may see a rare burrowing owl that winter here in nests built under ground
gorgeous park with a merry go round, a petting zoo and miles and miles of trails that meander into forests and cliffs with great views
495 locals recommend
Tilden Regional Park
2501 Grizzly Peak Blvdgorgeous park with a merry go round, a petting zoo and miles and miles of trails that meander into forests and cliffs with great views
Everything Else
Ashby station
3100 Adeline Steasy transit to sf oakland other areas of berkeley and beyond
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
3001 Shattuck Averent a car a few blocks away