Guidebook for Berkeley
Food Scene
This is a casual Italian restaurant with very reasonable prices, and an outdoor patio
9 locals recommend
Pasta Bene
2565 Telegraph AveThis is a casual Italian restaurant with very reasonable prices, and an outdoor patio
Le Bateau Ivre
2629 Telegraph Ave"The drunken boat". A French restaurant in a lovely old house.
Japanese tapas. This is a tine place and very popular – go early! There is frequently a line outside the door.
22 locals recommend
Kiraku
2566B Telegraph AveJapanese tapas. This is a tine place and very popular – go early! There is frequently a line outside the door.
Nepalese restaurant, very good selection of curries and other eastern dishes, including many vegan and vegetarian items. Prompt service. and reasonably priced.
15 locals recommend
Mount Everest Restaurant
2598 Telegraph AveNepalese restaurant, very good selection of curries and other eastern dishes, including many vegan and vegetarian items. Prompt service. and reasonably priced.
Thai noodle house (the food is tasty and reasonably priced, but the décor is a bit stark)
6 locals recommend
Racha Café
2516 Telegraph AveThai noodle house (the food is tasty and reasonably priced, but the décor is a bit stark)
Well known upscale Italian restaurant in the Rockridge Market Hall which is right by the Rockridge BART station. Worth making ng a reservation.
48 locals recommend
Oliveto
5655 College AveWell known upscale Italian restaurant in the Rockridge Market Hall which is right by the Rockridge BART station. Worth making ng a reservation.
A Parisian-like collection of small specialist food shops all under one roof, for baked goods, seafood, produce, pasta, grass-fed beef, cheeses, fresh roast organic coffee, and anything else you might desire to prepare your own gourmet meal.
64 locals recommend
Rockridge Market Hall
5655 College AveA Parisian-like collection of small specialist food shops all under one roof, for baked goods, seafood, produce, pasta, grass-fed beef, cheeses, fresh roast organic coffee, and anything else you might desire to prepare your own gourmet meal.
Wide selection of coffee and non-coffee drinks and pastries. Peet's was founded in Berkeley and is now a major national brand.
259 locals recommend
Peet's Coffee
2124 Vine StWide selection of coffee and non-coffee drinks and pastries. Peet's was founded in Berkeley and is now a major national brand.
This is a popular hangout for students and others. Very good coffee and unique atmosphere. From the outside you might think it was a classroom since almost every customer is working on a laptop.
17 locals recommend
Sack's Coffee House
2701 College AveThis is a popular hangout for students and others. Very good coffee and unique atmosphere. From the outside you might think it was a classroom since almost every customer is working on a laptop.
Shopping
7-Eleven
1501 University AveFor quick essentials (milk, toothpaste, etc.) Open 7 AM to 11 PM.
Large supermarket-style selection of packaged food, drink and household items as well as pharmaceutical and cosmetic goods.
83 locals recommend
CVS
2655 Telegraph AveLarge supermarket-style selection of packaged food, drink and household items as well as pharmaceutical and cosmetic goods.
A full-service supermarket selling natural, organic and healthy foods and drinks as well as household products , diet supplements, and cosmetics. Deli counter for sandwiches, snacks and coffee. Parking lot is usually crowded.
553 locals recommend
Whole Foods Market
230 Bay PlA full-service supermarket selling natural, organic and healthy foods and drinks as well as household products , diet supplements, and cosmetics. Deli counter for sandwiches, snacks and coffee. Parking lot is usually crowded.
An incredible selection of fresh organic fruits and vegetables. Very popular - often crowded.
419 locals recommend
Berkeley Bowl
2020 Oregon StAn incredible selection of fresh organic fruits and vegetables. Very popular - often crowded.
Essentials
Derby Food Center
2707 College AveSmall grocery store for basic foods and drinks
Sightseeing
30-minute ferry trip across the Bay to San Francisco. Schedules and routes are published on the web: http://sanfranciscobayferry.com/
73 locals recommend
San Francisco Bay Ferry station
10 Clay St30-minute ferry trip across the Bay to San Francisco. Schedules and routes are published on the web: http://sanfranciscobayferry.com/
Arts & Culture
Yoshi's is an iconic West Coast jazz venue. They also feature hip-hop, blues, soul, funk, and occasionally Hawaiian music. Check the schedule and buy tickets on their website www.yoshis.com. Preferential seating if you reserve dinner at the restaurant before the show.
136 locals recommend
Yoshi's Oakland
510 Embarcadero WestYoshi's is an iconic West Coast jazz venue. They also feature hip-hop, blues, soul, funk, and occasionally Hawaiian music. Check the schedule and buy tickets on their website www.yoshis.com. Preferential seating if you reserve dinner at the restaurant before the show.
Zellerbach Hall on the UC Berkeley campus has a schedule of fine arts music, theater and dance performances. They publish a schedule on the web; http://calperformances.org/.
32 locals recommend
Cal Performances
101 Zellerbach HallZellerbach Hall on the UC Berkeley campus has a schedule of fine arts music, theater and dance performances. They publish a schedule on the web; http://calperformances.org/.
Oakland Symphony
1440 BroadwaySymphony concerts - see http://www.oaklandsymphony.org/
Concerts, plays and shows of all kinds. It’s worth a visit just to see the grand Art Deco architecture and design! They give tours on the first and third Saturdays of each month. http://www.paramounttheatre.com/tour.html
120 locals recommend
Paramount Theatre
2025 BroadwayConcerts, plays and shows of all kinds. It’s worth a visit just to see the grand Art Deco architecture and design! They give tours on the first and third Saturdays of each month. http://www.paramounttheatre.com/tour.html
The "Berkeley Rep" is a Bay Area favorite. Consult their website for plays and shows. http://www.berkeleyrep.org/
127 locals recommend
Berkeley Repertory Theatre
2025 Addison StThe "Berkeley Rep" is a Bay Area favorite. Consult their website for plays and shows. http://www.berkeleyrep.org/
Guided tours, artists’ talks, illustrated lectures, poetry readings, musical performances. http://www.bampfa.berkeley.edu/
171 locals recommend
Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive
2155 Center StGuided tours, artists’ talks, illustrated lectures, poetry readings, musical performances. http://www.bampfa.berkeley.edu/
This place offers a very wide variety of music (e.g., folk, bluegrass, honky tonk, guitar, swing, a capella).
Good acoustics. http://www.thefreight.org/
87 locals recommend
Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse
2020 Addison StThis place offers a very wide variety of music (e.g., folk, bluegrass, honky tonk, guitar, swing, a capella).
Good acoustics. http://www.thefreight.org/
Regular intimate concerts – not exclusively piano, but the unique concert venue is right in the piano showroom (you sit among the Steinways and the Yamahas!). You can also rent piano practice rooms by the hour .
Piedmont Piano Company
1728 San Pablo AveRegular intimate concerts – not exclusively piano, but the unique concert venue is right in the piano showroom (you sit among the Steinways and the Yamahas!). You can also rent piano practice rooms by the hour .
Exhibitions and tours (e.g., art, history, natural sciences). http://museumca.org/tours
547 locals recommend
Oakland Museum of California
1000 Oak StExhibitions and tours (e.g., art, history, natural sciences). http://museumca.org/tours
Parks & Nature
A large regional park in the Berkeley Hills. Really good hiking trails. It also has a golf course, picnic areas, an antique merry-go-round, and a “Little Farm” where kids can learn about and pet the animals
495 locals recommend
Tilden Regional Park
2501 Grizzly Peak BlvdA large regional park in the Berkeley Hills. Really good hiking trails. It also has a golf course, picnic areas, an antique merry-go-round, and a “Little Farm” where kids can learn about and pet the animals
A very pleasant place . It's about 3 miles to walk or jog around the reservoir. You can also rent a paddle boat.
70 locals recommend
Lafayette Reservoir
A very pleasant place . It's about 3 miles to walk or jog around the reservoir. You can also rent a paddle boat.
Everything Else
A very grand old 1920’s hotel (now a “resort hotel”). "Period" decor and architecture.
41 locals recommend
Claremont Club & Spa - A Fairmont Hotel
41 Tunnel RdA very grand old 1920’s hotel (now a “resort hotel”). "Period" decor and architecture.
A Greene and Greene house (Arts & Crafts style). It’s occupied by a fraternity, and they give informal tours. website. http://thorsenhouse.org/
Sigma Phi Society of the Thorsen House
2307 Piedmont AveA Greene and Greene house (Arts & Crafts style). It’s occupied by a fraternity, and they give informal tours. website. http://thorsenhouse.org/