Guidebook for Berkeley
Drinks & Nightlife
Great beer, awesome music, free popcorn, great staff/owners, intimate and cozy environment. This is my favorite place within walking distance to grab a beer with a small group of friends.
50 locals recommend
Hoi Polloi Brewing Taproom and Beat Lounge
1763 Alcatraz AveGreat beer, awesome music, free popcorn, great staff/owners, intimate and cozy environment. This is my favorite place within walking distance to grab a beer with a small group of friends.
Fieldwork Brewing Company
1160 Sixth StMy new favorite brewery in the East Bay! Foosball and cornhole, tons of seating, usually a taco truck outside.
27 locals recommend
Ghost Town Brewing
1960 Adeline StMy new favorite brewery in the East Bay! Foosball and cornhole, tons of seating, usually a taco truck outside.
Temescal Brewing
4115 Telegraph AveA cool, mostly outdoor brewery. Rotating food trucks.
Sightseeing
If you have a car or are willing to hike for a few hours, this is best general area to get amazing sunset views and get a glimpse of the entire Bay Area. I have a secret spot that I can tell you about that avoids the more crowded lookout points and links up with the nearby trail system.
27 locals recommend
Grizzly Peak
If you have a car or are willing to hike for a few hours, this is best general area to get amazing sunset views and get a glimpse of the entire Bay Area. I have a secret spot that I can tell you about that avoids the more crowded lookout points and links up with the nearby trail system.
Essentials
One of the most well known grocery stores in California. People actually drive hours from out of town to come here! Famous for the produce section- remarkably huge selection, very inexpensive, exotic fruits and veggies you can't find anywhere else, an extensive organic section, bulk items etc. They are also very good to employees most of whom have worked there for the entire 5+ years I've lived in the area. Just two blocks away.
419 locals recommend
Berkeley Bowl
2020 Oregon StOne of the most well known grocery stores in California. People actually drive hours from out of town to come here! Famous for the produce section- remarkably huge selection, very inexpensive, exotic fruits and veggies you can't find anywhere else, an extensive organic section, bulk items etc. They are also very good to employees most of whom have worked there for the entire 5+ years I've lived in the area. Just two blocks away.
All produce is organic, great selection of prepared foods, also if you are a beer enthusiast they have Pliny the Elder bottles by request at the cheese counter.
553 locals recommend
Whole Foods Market
230 Bay PlAll produce is organic, great selection of prepared foods, also if you are a beer enthusiast they have Pliny the Elder bottles by request at the cheese counter.
Getting Around
There is actually a station even closer to the house, one block away at the corner of Fulton St and Ashby Ave. It's a self service bike rental station, available 24 hours, very cool way to see Berkeley!
Ford GoBike Station
There is actually a station even closer to the house, one block away at the corner of Fulton St and Ashby Ave. It's a self service bike rental station, available 24 hours, very cool way to see Berkeley!
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
3001 Shattuck AveOne block from my house
Food Scene
Favorite breakfast/brunch spot. My favorite is the Red Flannel Hash! Get here early, like all the breakfast spots in Berkeley it gets very crowded on weekends.
47 locals recommend
Rick & Ann's Restaurant
2922 Domingo AveFavorite breakfast/brunch spot. My favorite is the Red Flannel Hash! Get here early, like all the breakfast spots in Berkeley it gets very crowded on weekends.
Favorite fast food, it's an old school style place. Very cheap and quick, and open very late. Basically the closest thing to In-and-Out you'll get in Berkeley!
10 locals recommend
Smokehouse
3115 Telegraph AveFavorite fast food, it's an old school style place. Very cheap and quick, and open very late. Basically the closest thing to In-and-Out you'll get in Berkeley!
Favorite Thai food nearby. Never crowded and excellent service and food.
9 locals recommend
Saysetha Thai
6230 Telegraph AveFavorite Thai food nearby. Never crowded and excellent service and food.
Favorite Burmese food. Very crowded, so early evening is best or at least be prepared for a wait. No reservations. Also good for lunch specials!
458 locals recommend
Burma Superstar
309 Clement StFavorite Burmese food. Very crowded, so early evening is best or at least be prepared for a wait. No reservations. Also good for lunch specials!
Favorite Vietnamese. Clean and relaxed, lots of windows/light. Casual spot, never too crowded.
15 locals recommend
Monster Pho 2
3900 Adeline StFavorite Vietnamese. Clean and relaxed, lots of windows/light. Casual spot, never too crowded.
Favorite Italian. Absolute best pasta! Slightly more upscale, but not as fancy as it might seem. Great ambiance.
41 locals recommend
Belotti Ristorante E Bottega
5403 College AveFavorite Italian. Absolute best pasta! Slightly more upscale, but not as fancy as it might seem. Great ambiance.
Favorite Korean. I like the soups, kimchi, and bibimbap dishes the most, but they have BBQ too (its cooked in the kitchen though, not at the table). Affordable and casual.
19 locals recommend
Pyeong Chang Tofu House Oakland
4701 Telegraph AveFavorite Korean. I like the soups, kimchi, and bibimbap dishes the most, but they have BBQ too (its cooked in the kitchen though, not at the table). Affordable and casual.
Favorite Pizza. It's a carry-out place and you have to call in early, at 5 p.m. or so, to get a pizza that night. Only one block away!
19 locals recommend
Emilia's Pizzeria
2995 Shattuck AveFavorite Pizza. It's a carry-out place and you have to call in early, at 5 p.m. or so, to get a pizza that night. Only one block away!
Best overall restaurant experience in Berkeley. I like going most during the afternoon on a really nice day and sitting in the back patio area, it's an absolutely stunning outdoor space with a towering redwood tree, flowering vines and the perfect combination of shade/sun. Order the wings (worth it for the sauce which you should save for dipping pizza crust in), whatever pizza is on special, and the Quasar Double IPA if you like hoppy beers. Amazing beer selection.
113 locals recommend
Jupiter
2181 Shattuck AveBest overall restaurant experience in Berkeley. I like going most during the afternoon on a really nice day and sitting in the back patio area, it's an absolutely stunning outdoor space with a towering redwood tree, flowering vines and the perfect combination of shade/sun. Order the wings (worth it for the sauce which you should save for dipping pizza crust in), whatever pizza is on special, and the Quasar Double IPA if you like hoppy beers. Amazing beer selection.
Best farmers market in Berkeley, Tuesdays 3-7 pm
43 locals recommend
South Berkeley (Tuesday) Farmers' Market
63rd StreetBest farmers market in Berkeley, Tuesdays 3-7 pm
Arts & Culture
Oakland Museum of California
1000 Oak St
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
151 3rd StYerba Buena Center for the Arts
701 Mission St
Minnesota Street Project
1275 Minnesota StParks & Nature
Tilden Regional Park
2501 Grizzly Peak BlvdFavorites are the Selby trail and Seaview Trails.
Stream Trail, Starflower Trail (very steep but breathtaking!), French Trail.
373 locals recommend
Redwood Regional Park
7867 Redwood RoadStream Trail, Starflower Trail (very steep but breathtaking!), French Trail.
Beautiful single track trails, not too crowded with people/dogs.
30 locals recommend
Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve
7087 Skyline BlvdBeautiful single track trails, not too crowded with people/dogs.
Marin Headlands
SCA trail and Black Sands Beach