Fournee Bakery ★ 4.6
French bakery on College Ave. Croissants from Strauss butter. Seasonal tarts, quiche and pain au chocolat. The line forms before the doors open on weekends.
40 mid-range places in Berkeley, editor-picked. the comfortable everyday-good restaurants in Berkeley, with real cooking and no surprise on the bill. All Berkeley food.
Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant ★ 4.6
Kermit Lynch has imported French and Italian wines since 1972. San Pablo Avenue shop for Burgundy, Rhone, Provence and Italian small producers.
Rose Pizzeria ★ 4.5
Nationally acclaimed. A 22-seat room: vegan dough, nine rotating thin-crust varieties, rose garden patio. Natural wine. Book on Resy; fills fast.
Bar Panisse ★ 4.5
From the Chez Panisse team, opened December 2025 in the former Cesar space. Walk-in only, open daily. Aperitivo cocktails and seasonal small plates.
Bar Panisse ★ 4.5
Bar Panisse serves until 10pm daily. Walk-in only. Aperitivo cocktails, natural wines and Mediterranean plates. Bar fills from 9pm with post-dinner drinkers.
Great China ★ 4.4
Michelin Bib Gourmand 2025. UC Berkeley institution: Peking duck, Double Skin noodle salad, hand-made dumplings and an award-winning wine list.
Third Culture Bakery (Eighth Street) ★ 4.4
Original mochi muffin bakery from Sam Butarbutar and Wenter Shyu. Ube, matcha and black sesame flavors rotate weekly. National food press covered.
Third Culture Bakery ★ 4.4
Original mochi muffin bakery from Sam Butarbutar and Wenter Shyu. Ube, matcha and black sesame flavors rotate weekly. Matcha lattes and ube drinks available.
Artis Coffee Roasters ★ 4.4
Production roastery and cafe in West Berkeley. Science-led roasting. Ethiopian, Colombian and Guatemalan single-origins from beans roasted on-site this week.
Book Society ★ 4.4
Natural wine bar on College Avenue with rotating small plates. Low-intervention California and European wines. Board games and a library corner on-site.
Funky Elephant ★ 4.3
Michelin Guide Thai in an unmarked West Berkeley industrial building. House-made curry pastes, non-tourist menu. Corn fritter and massaman lamb essential.
Bar Panisse ★ 4.3
Opened December 2025 by the Chez Panisse team. Walk-in only, no reservations, open daily. Seasonal small plates and natural wine in the former Cesar space.
Tupper and Reed ★ 4.3
The most refined cocktail bar in Berkeley. Classic and original drinks with obscure spirits and house modifiers. Live jazz Thursday through Saturday nights.
Tupper and Reed ★ 4.3
Speakeasy bar named after a former Shattuck music store. Classic and original cocktails, curated California wine list. Live jazz Thursday through Saturday.
La Note ★ 4.2
Provencal breakfast and lunch since 1997. Lemon gingerbread pancakes, house-made preserves and lavender iced tea. Terracotta patio. Berkeley best brunch.
Tane Vegan Izakaya ★ 4.2
Berkeley 100 percent plant-based Japanese izakaya. Vegan nigiri, mushroom karaage and seasonal small plates. California organic produce. Sister to Shizen SF.
Kiraku ★ 4.2
Hidden izakaya behind a Telegraph address (unit B at the back). Seasonal small plates, yakitori, nightly specials. No website. Minimum $15 per person.
Masse's Pastries ★ 4.2
Gourmet Ghetto patisserie since 1986. Opera cake, Paris-Brest, caneles, macarons and a seasonal tart case. Croissants made with cultured butter.
La Note ★ 4.2
A Provencal cafe on Shattuck with a courtyard. Pain perdu, house-made jams, lavender lemonade and eggs with herbes de Provence. Cash-friendly.
Artis Coffee Roasters Cafe ★ 4.2
Production roastery cafe in West Berkeley. Espresso, pour-over and batch brew from beans roasted on-site this week. Long communal tables and reliable wifi.
Sightglass Coffee (Berkeley) ★ 4.2
Sightglass Coffee East Bay debut opened May 2026. Farm relationships in Ethiopia, Colombia and Kenya. Adds a food case not available at SF locations.
Verve Coffee Roasters (Berkeley) ★ 4.2
Verve Coffee Roasters from Santa Cruz on Shattuck. Direct-trade coffees from Ethiopia, Colombia and Kenya. Espresso, cold brew and seasonal specials menu.
La Note ★ 4.2
Berkeley's most in-demand weekend brunch. Provencal courtyard with pain perdu, lavender lemonade and eggs with herbes de Provence. Waits run 30-45 minutes.
Saul's Restaurant and Delicatessen ★ 4.1
Gourmet Ghetto deli since 1986. House-made pastrami, Acme rye bread, smoked fish and matzoh ball soup. California answer to New York Jewish deli. Open daily.
Gregoire ★ 4.1
Michelin Guide French takeout since 2002. Seasonal potato puffs, duck confit sandwich and potato gnocchi. Counter service, outdoor seats, no indoor dining.
The Butcher's Son ★ 4.1
California's original vegan butcher shop. Plant-based Reuben, BLAT and Chicken Parm all made in house. National food press-covered deli innovation.
Sightglass Coffee Berkeley ★ 4.1
Sightglass Coffee East Bay debut opened May 2026. Farm relationships in Ethiopia, Colombia and Kenya. Adds a food case not available at SF locations.
Urban Legend Cellars ★ 4.1
West Berkeley urban winery sourcing from Napa, Sonoma and Sierra Foothills. The tasting room pours 6-7 wines by flight or glass with seasonal snacks on site.
Roses Bar and Lounge ★ 4.1
South Berkeley cocktail bar and community space. DJ nights, live music and community events. Classic cocktails with modern interpretations on South Telegraph.
Solano Cellars ★ 4.1
Wine shop and tasting bar on Solano. California small-production and European wines. Staff pours by the glass Wednesday through Sunday. Free corkage in-store.
Urban Legend Cellars ★ 4.1
Berkeley urban winery using California grapes from Napa, Sonoma and Sierra Foothills. Zinfandel, Syrah and skin-contact whites. Flights and glasses available.
Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen ★ 4.1
Cajun weekend brunch: shrimp and grits, biscuits and red-eye gravy, New Orleans French toast and eggs Creole. House-spiced Bloody Marys. Live music Sundays.
Saul's Restaurant and Deli ★ 4.1
Berkeley Jewish deli for weekend brunch. Lox and bagels, matzo brei, pastrami eggs and Dr. Brown's soda. Open from 09:00. Booths fill by 10:30 on Saturdays.
Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen ★ 4.0
New Orleans-style kitchen downtown: gumbo, etouffee, fried catfish. Weekend brunch includes Boudin Benedict and live music. Reliably loud, reliably fun.
Zachary's Chicago Pizza ★ 4.0
Berkeley institution for deep-dish stuffed pizza since 1983. Cheese first, toppings second, sauce on top: upside-down build. Order stuffed; expect a wait.
Jupiter ★ 4.0
1890s livery stable turned downtown brewpub with a fire-pit beer garden and live music most evenings. House ales, wood-fired pizza until 11pm on weekends.
Cha-Ya ★ 4.0
100 percent vegan Japanese in the Gourmet Ghetto: sushi, tempura, rice dishes. Cash or Venmo only. One of Berkeley's longest-running vegan restaurants.
Song Tea ★ 4.0
Chinese specialty tea shop on Solano Avenue with single-origin teas from small farms in Taiwan, Fujian and Yunnan. Side-by-side tasting. Gong fu service.
Jupiter ★ 4.0
An 1890s livery stable turned downtown brewpub with a heated outdoor beer garden and live music. House-brewed ales, lagers and IPAs. Wood-fired pizza kitchen.
Jupiter Brewing ★ 4.0
Brewing since 1996 in a converted 1890s stable. Outdoor fire-pit beer garden and live music make Jupiter the East Bay's most social brewery destination.
Book food experiences in Berkeley
Guided tour · 9 hours
Full-Day Wine Tour to Napa & Sonoma 3 Tastings Included
Stop at the Golden Gate Bridge. Taste local wines and food on this guided group tour to Sonoma and Napa Valleys from San Francisco. Visit 3 unique wineries. Have lunch...
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Guided tour · 3 hours
Berkeley: Guided Wine Tasting with Local Sommelière
Embark on a wine tasting journey in Berkeley. Explore the nuances of locally made wines while gaining insights into regenerative farming, vintage variation, and tradit...
from$175 Check dates
Guided tour · 2h 30m
Berkeley Food & Counter Culture Tour
Explore Berkeley's North Shattuck neighborhood (formerly the Gourmet Ghetto) and UC Berkeley on a guided walking tour. Enjoy food stops, see the Campanile, and visit t...
from$79 Check dates