Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant is a wine retail and tasting restaurant in Gourmet Ghetto, Berkeley.
Kermit Lynch has imported French and Italian wines since 1972. Burgundy, Rhone, Provence and Italian growers he has worked with for decades. San Pablo Avenue.
Editorially verified June 24, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Why locals love it: Off the Shattuck Avenue main strip; many visitors never venture to San Pablo Avenue for wine.
Address: 1605 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley, CA 94702
East Bay chef produce source since 1958. Chez Panisse has shopped here since the 1970s. California seasonal varieties at prices below specialty market prices.
Why locals love it: Hopkins Street is not on the tourist circuit; most visitors go to Berkeley Bowl and miss this market where Berkeley chefs actually shop.
East Bay chef produce source since 1958. Chez Panisse has shopped here since the 1970s. California seasonal varieties at prices below specialty market prices.
Why locals love it: Hopkins Street is not on the tourist circuit; most visitors go to Berkeley Bowl and miss this market where Berkeley chefs actually shop.
Acme Bread supplies Chez Panisse and Bay Area restaurants. The San Pablo Avenue retail window sells levain and walnut bread until sold out by early afternoon.
Why locals love it: Most visitors buy Acme bread at cafes and never visit the production bakery on San Pablo Avenue where all of it is baked.
Single-origin Chinese tea shop on Solano Avenue. Teas from Taiwan, Fujian and Yunnan. Tasting format lets you compare same cultivar from different farms.
Why locals love it: Tea shops don't appear on typical Berkeley food lists; Solano Avenue is underrepresented in food media.
Thai Buddhist temple open on Sunday mornings for a community food market. Pad see ew, curry, mango sticky rice and sugar cane juice bought with $1 tokens.
Why locals love it: No signage from the street; visitors who find it call it their best Berkeley food memory.
Japanese izakaya behind an unmarked B entrance off Telegraph. Seasonal small plates and yakitori with daily specials. No website or social media. $15 minimum.
Why locals love it: Unit B behind a Telegraph address; the entrance is easy to miss; no website, no social presence.
