Berkeley is a substantial metropolis . With a spring up universe of over 110,000 individuals ( 100,000 of which can be found on a bicycle at any given time ) and a college brimming with rarified undergraduate , we need a few solid options when it amount to boom out .
practiced thing Berkeley ’s the place of birth of the slow food for thought move , as well as the home plate ofthe macrocosm ’s best hot dogs . And with that kind of range … there ’s probably at least one position in townspeople to fit your fondness . Here are the ripe restaurant in Berkeley right now .
Best for lunch with a beer:Jupiter
DowntownThe backyard beer garden at Jupiter is beautiful when it ’s sunny , and heated when it ’s cold . There ’s really no spoilt time to visit . Go in and snap up a tush outback – perhaps near the flame quarry – and relish the outdoors while bask a forest - fired pizza and sip a theater brew . If you ’re more of the indoorsy case , the converted two - story livery stable dates back to the 1890s , and is chock full of local diachronic pieces . Jupiter ’s passably much a classic on theEast Bay brewery scene . Scope the springy music Tuesday through Saturday ; it ’s heavy on wind , dj , and Americana folk bands .
Best place to take your parents:Corso
Corso have modern Italian food that ’s pure Berkeley at heart . The green goods and ingredients are sustainable and locally sourced , they slaughter and develop the heart in - house ( including house - cured salumi ) , and the pasta is homemade with no pre - made sauces . Be sure to order the Branzino , an intact grilled sea bass , that tastes as skillful as it looks . Reservations are a good idea , and should you make this a date spot ( and not parent dark ) , snag retort nates look out over the open air kitchen .
Best place for a date:Rivoli
Berkeley HillsReady to have the “ let ’s be single ” chat ? Make the ask at this upscale , mod American spot . The dining room ’s massive window rampart overlooks a lush , gullible private garden – the perfect setting for staging Latinian language move . Chef and proprietor Wendy Bruckner ’s locavore fare changes with the time of year to best display case seasonal meats , fish , and get . The only constants are dead golden mushroom fritter curling with flakes of Parmigiano . The service is brilliant , and even if you get deny significant other status , do n’t skim Rivoli ’s desserts , made in - house by the pastry chef .
Best spot to sate your sweet tooth:Endless Summer Sweets
DowntownOf course Berkeley has a restaurant dedicated to your favored deep - fry county fair nutrient done in the most artisanal way possible . Their whipped emollient is homemade , their corn dogs are hand - dip , and they make everything in house . Think caramel apples rolled in Fruity Pebbles ; funnel shape cake topped with caramelized banana and mizzle with Ghirardelli chocolate ; hand - issue bacon tall mallow fry ; decadent ice-cream sundae ; late - electrocute Oreos .
Best place to splurge:Chez Panisse
Gourmet GhettoThe iconic Alice Waters opened Chez Panisse in 1971 , and has been fairy of California cuisine ever since . This is the birthplace of the slow food social movement – the sustainable , local , constitutional bountifulness that defines your Saturday morning time farmers market ritual . If you ’d wish to one day revel in the tasting menu here , get wise to thereservation policy . If you ’re footing the bill , eat up the stairs at their more low-cost Cafe ( but do n’t think that means you may decamp the reservation ) . Prices are steep but eating here is a rite of passage for any ego - proclaim gourmet .
Best quick grab close to campus:Zach’s
1865 Euclid Avenue , Northside BerkeleyZach ’s dish up sizeable and pleasant-tasting option for educatee ( or non - student ) on the move . Owner Jamal Fares hand - reach savory PIE , with veg and kosher meat options , that are easy to seize and feed on the go . You ’ll also observe homemade soup and ready collation like fruits , chips , and coffee ( coffee ’s a bite , veracious ? ) . It ’s a diminutive place , and only open 8am-3pm on weekday , so be sure to design accordingly .
Best spot for grabbing ice cream close to campus:Ici
ElmwoodIci serve up sinfully safe scoops until 9 pm on weekday and 10 pm on weekend . They utilize overbold , local , organic factor ; generator seasonal flavors ; and prepare all their ice rink cream and desserts in small pot . And you could secern . It ’s freaking delicious . Menus change daily and include standout smack like candied Meyer lemon and ginger gingersnap . Best of all ? The tips of their housemade bread cones are filled with housemade burnt umber .
Best Indian food in the Bay Area:Vik’s Chaat & Market
West BerkeleyChaat are savory Indian snack and if you have n’t assay one , now ’s the time . On weekdays , Vik ’s serves up delicious Indian street fare ( include chaat ) from 11 am to 6 pm – and 8 pm on weekends . The food tribunal - style setting Army of the Pure you foot and choose to your heart ’s content , and the attached market is full of specialty groceries , so poke around in thereafteryour belly is full . Word to the Isaac Mayer Wise : There ’s a blanket survival on weekends , and you ’ll wanna go early ( or late ) to avoid the luncheon rushing .
Best pizza joint:The Cheese Board Pizzeria
Gourmet GhettoThis culinary offshoot of the worker - owned Cheese Board Collective has been titillate tastebuds since 1985 . There ’s only one feel of Proto-Indo European per day and you ’re gon na have to wait in line ( call - in rescript are taken for eight or more pie only , and there ’s no bringing ) , but it ’s 100 % worth it . There ’s alive music each daytime during luncheon and dinner , which makes the wait a spot more supportable .
Best sushi (especially on a budget):Manpuku
ElmwoodIf there ’s such a thing as a sushi dive , Manpuku is it . A once long , skinny organization that recently expanded to offer more radical seating area , it offers endless sushi rolls that wo n’t slim your notecase . Nigiri starts at $ 1.80 , traditional rolls at $ 3.50 , and the fancy dragon scroll natural process tops out at $ 9.50 . You may consider at these prices the sushi leaves something to be desired , but that for certain is not the casing . halt in and be pleasantly surprised .
Best breakfast spot:Tomate Cafe
West BerkeleyA classic breakfast joint with the gourmet twist , Tomate Cafe serves up mouthwatering saucer like the zucchini bar , kale , fried orchard apple tree , and applewood bacon ( or chicken sausage balloon ) witness in the ever - popular crop Plate . It ’s the perfect stop - off before a lazy Sunday strolling the Fourth Street scene . Best of all ? Canine friend are welcome on the airy back terrace .
Best burger:The Snack Shack
NorthsideWhat you ’ll observe here : juicy burgers , waffle fries with garlic herb garlic sauce ( or truffled parmesan , maple butter , or naughty fungi fries ) , beer on tap , and homemade milk shake . It ’s small , casual , no nonsense , and exactly where you ’ll want to be after a few drinks .
Best place to grab brunch:Venus
DowntownIn an surface area rife with astonishing brunch choice , none have a dish that vie with the stinker ricotta hotcakes pass with lemon curd , blackberry fruit compote , and maple syrup from Venus . If you need to soak up last night ’s sinfulness , order the housemade biscuits with housemade pork sausage gravy , or go the Berkeley route and opt for a locally sourced omelette wedge - full of seasonal veggies . It ’s not cock-a-hoop inside , but the cozy two top table and intimate vibe provide the perfect setting for a brunch academic term with your sleepover steady .
Best late-night food:Top Dog
SouthsideOpen until 2 am on weekday ( and 3 am on the weekend ) , Top Dog has been satisfying drunchie - induced gluttons since 1966 . Go classic with the eponymous , all - bitch Top Dog ; ensure you sleep alone with the beef , pork , and fresh garlic German Frankfurter ; or choose the wellness route ( yes , cad can be healthy ) with the fan - favorite Chicken Apple . If the party ’s at your shoes , find fault up a six - pack of cold-blooded Canis familiaris and bun for the grillroom . There ’s usually a crowd during the former - nighttime hours , so gestate some lively conversations .
Best for vegetarians:Cha-Ya Vegetarian Japanese Cuisine
Gourmet GhettoVegetable - laden rice bowl , beautiful tempura sushi whorl , and a delicious Kinoko Miso ( mushroom cloud - packed ) soup are just a handful of the vegan - favorable treat on offer here . The interior is no - frills , but you ’ll be too focussed on your dental plate to even notice . Pro gratuity : It ’s generally pile around lunch and dinner , and since there are no reservations , you ’ll want to stave off primetime to circumvent the ancestry . Oh , and ensure to impinge on the ATM beforehand – no immediate payment , no soba salad for you .
Best sandwich spot:Tivoli Caffe
SouthsideTivoli is a campus pet for a reason . step from the niche of Telegraph and Bancroft , students and staff similar crinkle up out the door for classic like the hot meatball sub , eggplant parm , or sauteed vegetable and mozzarella sandwich . They also have solid breakfast offering ( like super - stuffed breakfast burritos and homemade Gallic pledge ) that will do you proper . You also ca n’t go wrong with the recondite - dish pizza pie – but you ’re really here for the sandwiches . Too sticky ? hear the seriously tasty gluten - free pizza pie , pastries , and sandwiches .
Best place for cheap eats:Gypsy’s Trattoria Italiano
SouthsideFast , tatty , and delectable – you ca n’t go wrong at Gypsy ’s . From 10 am to midnight you could get monolithic portion of pasta , personal pizzas , and calzones at this cozy cafeteria - style patch on Durant . If you ’re watch out your nutritionist’s calorie they also offer protein - laden salads and sandwiches . If your waist is n’t the issue , snap up The Godfather , a creamy chicken and pancetta penne pasta beauty that will set you back $ 10 and feed you for two days . On a budget ? You ’ll spare a humongous 50 cent each time you pay cash ( hey , it adds up ) .
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Rivoli Restaurant
Jupiter
Rivoli
Chez Panisse Kitchen|Flickr/anorwood
Vik’s Chaat
Tomate Cafe
Flickr/logicalrealist
Tivoli Caffé
