Berkeley Restaurants

Students need a place to eat right? Well, walking into this eatery, one is overwhelmed with the presence of students, and… they are wolfing down the good cheap food. Although the restaurant will not will not win any awards for cleanliness, you have to buss your own tables, you will be satisfied with their menu. Breakfast is available all day, and the lunch menu consists of a wide variety of burgers, soups, sandwiches, and traditional sides. I had the meatloaf and cheese sandwich, it was sweet, although the coleslaw was actually kimche. At under $7 for lunch, it is a deal.

Favorite Dish: My favorite dish was the bacon. I ordered it for my vary picky 9 year old soon. At $1.60 for five slices it’s a steal. He ate two orders. My older son, Jon, highly recommends breakfast.

Great food; decor is funky--there is a fountain in the middle of the restaurant; there is a clothesline with clothes strung across one side of the restaurant, giving one the feeling that you are sitting alfresco on a small side street in Italy...service is good.

Favorite Dish: Had a prix fixe dinner--$22 for three courses:
* shaved fennel salad; * arugula fettucine w/ three kinds of mushrooms tossed w/ spinach, garlic and white truffle oil; * chocolate gelato w/ Tuscan cookies. Delicious red wine (yummmmm.....)

Good food, lively atmosphere (a bit on the loud side, but lively nonetheless!), great drinks.

Favorite Dish: Spicy fried squid; sizzling rice soup; gai lan (not with plain oyster sauce, but a flavorful delicious sauce); chow fun; everything I've had there is good.

On the right is the pizza, different everyday, always vegetarian, always delicious.
On the left is the bakery/ cheese shop, free tastes and heaping piles of cheese!
Cheese Board Pizza: They bake only one kind of pizza every day, they use seasonal, organic veggies whenever possible. Recently they seem to be open 11:00-2:00 and 4:30-7:00. There's a piano, but not many seats.
The Cheese Board: They're happy to let you try and compare various cheese. Ask lot's of questions about cheese.

Favorite Dish: The pizzas vary daily but all seem to qualify as being good combinations of veggie vs cheese. Thicker than NY style.... California style pizza.
The Cheese Board. The Zampanos (salty, spicy, cheesey, oily, mini loaves) are beautiful (not to be confused with zanpan, Japanese for table scraps).
Amazing selection of cheese, just choose a genre and ask lots of questions... start with blue.

The Cafe at Chez Panisse is the home of California Cuisine, the fusion of Eastern and Western. The menu changes daily but they always serve one Vegetarian, Chicken, Fish Meat and Other main dish. Also several Starters and Desserts. The food here is expensive but totally worth the price. I come here when I can afford it (rarely). The food is always amazing, I can't convey in hand gestures or word just how good it is.... really really good.
Heaven, ground zero.
make reservations

Favorite Dish: I had a goat cheese, mushroom, rocket starter which still makes me drool.

California cuisine at its finest. The food is fresh and delicious. A;ways a pasta or risotta on the menu, as well as several meat dishes...so there's something for everyone. Moderately priced. Definitely need reservations as it is always booked. I have never been disappointed.

Favorite Dish: Mushroom fritters (appetizer) is one of their specialities and one of the few items that is consistently available. Since the chef takes advantage of seasonal produce, the menu changes. The desserts are to die for!

There is a huge salsa bar with over 30 types of salsa to compliment your meal. The menu is extensive with everything from a mole nopales prawn burrito to tortas to daily specials. Good carne asada and polo asada. Imported Negro Modelo beer is only 2.70 a bottle.

Favorite Dish: My favortite menu items are the nopales mole burritos. The salsas are excellent and fresh, mild to sweet to freakin' hot! The hot latina behind the counter is a hot dish too. ;-)

This was the best place to eat on the north side of Berkeley. For $3 you can get a filling meal (with all 4 of the basic food groups). And it was only a few steps away from the Computer Science lab. They got a good tasty menu and the restuarant always makes it on to the city's "Best of Berkeley" list. Also listed as one of the healthiest places to eat in Berkeley.

Favorite Dish: $3.49 Grilled Chicken Burrito. It's big. Baja Fresh sells the same sized burrito for $7. I'd eat it at around 5pm and it would hold me for lunch and dinner on most days. Go easy on the beans if you were like me and planned to be sitting in the lab for a few hours (hazardous gas can build up).