Local Guide Book for Budget Travelers Who Like Cats
Food scene
This old school, black-owned diner is a quick stroll from my house.
52 locals recommend
Lois the Pie Queen
851 60th StThis old school, black-owned diner is a quick stroll from my house.
Tamaleria Azteca
5751 Market StOpen weekdays only, they serve very good takeout tamales from a walkup window.
Doyle Street Cafe
5515 Doyle StServes breakfast, brunch and lunch daily.
Townhouse Bar & Grill
5862 Doyle StA nice (spiffy) dinner place with a patio.
Part of a chain with several locations in San Francisco, this cafe serves lite food, coffee, tea, etc.
19 locals recommend
Paradise Park Café
6334 San Pablo AvePart of a chain with several locations in San Francisco, this cafe serves lite food, coffee, tea, etc.
Serves very good burgers, fries, and wings in a large outdoor eating area or for takeout. Closed Sun & Mon.
25 locals recommend
Sideshow Kitchen
942 Stanford AveServes very good burgers, fries, and wings in a large outdoor eating area or for takeout. Closed Sun & Mon.
Excellent baked goods -- both sweet and savory -- as well as coffee and tea drinks. Located on the way to the Ashby BART station.
115 locals recommend
Sweet Adeline Bakeshop
3350 Adeline StExcellent baked goods -- both sweet and savory -- as well as coffee and tea drinks. Located on the way to the Ashby BART station.
A simple counter-service restaurant that offers a small menu of tasty dishes.
58 locals recommend
Easy Creole
1761 Alcatraz AveA simple counter-service restaurant that offers a small menu of tasty dishes.
Yummy and pretty cupcake shop that is close to the Paradise Park Cafe.
22 locals recommend
James & the Giant Cupcake
6326 San Pablo AveYummy and pretty cupcake shop that is close to the Paradise Park Cafe.
A chain of worker owned cooperatives that serves artisan bread and pizzas.
72 locals recommend
Arizmendi Bakery & Pizzeria
4301 San Pablo AveA chain of worker owned cooperatives that serves artisan bread and pizzas.
Has good Yelp reviews. Let me know what you think if you go.
9 locals recommend
Lemat Ethiopian Restaurant
3212 Adeline StHas good Yelp reviews. Let me know what you think if you go.
I am from New York and have lived in the Bay Area since 1999. I still haven't found pizza in the magical way they make it back home. The pizza here is better than most and it is close by. They also deliver via GrubHub and Door Dash.
Amici's East Coast Pizzeria at CloudKitchens - North Oakland / Berkeley
5333 Adeline StreetI am from New York and have lived in the Bay Area since 1999. I still haven't found pizza in the magical way they make it back home. The pizza here is better than most and it is close by. They also deliver via GrubHub and Door Dash.
This Pakastani Halal market is also a restaurant that is highly recommended by my brother.
Al-Maida Hot Food and Market
5650 Market StreetThis Pakastani Halal market is also a restaurant that is highly recommended by my brother.
This ramen restaurant is in Chinatown and one of Joe and Raven's favorite places.
14 locals recommend
Sobo Ramen
988 Franklin StThis ramen restaurant is in Chinatown and one of Joe and Raven's favorite places.
Cassave
5412 San Pablo AveA small taqueria just a few blocks away.
This is a very popular ramen place in Temescal, a trendy neighborhood about 1.5 miles from my house.
41 locals recommend
Marufuku Ramen
4828 Telegraph AvenueThis is a very popular ramen place in Temescal, a trendy neighborhood about 1.5 miles from my house.
A very popular gourmet pizza place in Rockridge, and upscale neighborhood with a lot of shops that is about 2 miles from my house.
247 locals recommend
Zachary's Chicago Pizza
5801 College AveA very popular gourmet pizza place in Rockridge, and upscale neighborhood with a lot of shops that is about 2 miles from my house.
Ethiopian restaurant that is a very short walk from my house (across from Gazzali's Market).
53 locals recommend
Café Colucci
5849 Telegraph AveEthiopian restaurant that is a very short walk from my house (across from Gazzali's Market).
Drinks
Wolfhound Bar
5516 San Pablo AveFriendly, low-key neighborhood bar for drinks, not food.
The Starry Plough Pub
3101 Shattuck AveLocal Irish pub with live music.
Groceries
A convenience grocery store with a small selection of basic items, just a 5 minute walk away.
Gazzali's Supermarket
5908 San Pablo AvenueA convenience grocery store with a small selection of basic items, just a 5 minute walk away.
Gourmet supermarket w/huge produce section, cheese counter, prepared meals, and more. A long-ish walk or short bike or bus ride away. Take the the Emeryville Greenbelt for scenery.
371 locals recommend
Berkeley Bowl West
920 Heinz AveGourmet supermarket w/huge produce section, cheese counter, prepared meals, and more. A long-ish walk or short bike or bus ride away. Take the the Emeryville Greenbelt for scenery.
This Berkeley Bowl is about the same distance away as Berkeley Bowl West but the walk to get there is not as pretty. If you are in the area anyway, it offers all the same quality and variety.
419 locals recommend
Berkeley Bowl
2020 Oregon StThis Berkeley Bowl is about the same distance away as Berkeley Bowl West but the walk to get there is not as pretty. If you are in the area anyway, it offers all the same quality and variety.
Well-known chain of supermarkets with diverse products and better than average prices.
582 locals recommend
Trader Joe's
3250 Lakeshore AveWell-known chain of supermarkets with diverse products and better than average prices.
A large farmers market every Saturday with high quality, somewhat pricey produce, cheese, and meat, plus food trucks.
197 locals recommend
Grand Lake Farmers Market
746 Grand AveA large farmers market every Saturday with high quality, somewhat pricey produce, cheese, and meat, plus food trucks.
Small farmers' market on Tuesdays from 2-6pm. It is on the way to/from the Ashby BART station.
43 locals recommend
South Berkeley (Tuesday) Farmers' Market
63rd StreetSmall farmers' market on Tuesdays from 2-6pm. It is on the way to/from the Ashby BART station.
Friendly shop offering a large selection of Middle Eastern groceries and prepared food for take out.
9 locals recommend
Middle East Market
2054 San Pablo AveFriendly shop offering a large selection of Middle Eastern groceries and prepared food for take out.
Theater, Music, Art & Film
High quality theater in a very small venue, across the street from the Ashby BART station.
32 locals recommend
Shotgun Players
1901 Ashby AveHigh quality theater in a very small venue, across the street from the Ashby BART station.
A venue for roots music (folk, blues, bluegrass, jazz, world) in Berkeley, just a short bus or Lyft ride away.
87 locals recommend
Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse
2020 Addison StA venue for roots music (folk, blues, bluegrass, jazz, world) in Berkeley, just a short bus or Lyft ride away.
California-focused art ranging from state history and heritage to ultra modern. The museum has a nice cafe, beautiful garden terraces, and a food truck scene (Off the Grid) every Friday.
547 locals recommend
Oakland Museum of California
1000 Oak StCalifornia-focused art ranging from state history and heritage to ultra modern. The museum has a nice cafe, beautiful garden terraces, and a food truck scene (Off the Grid) every Friday.
Berkeley Repertory Theatre
2025 Addison StTerrific venue for live theater.
They show interesting art film, documentaries and older film.
171 locals recommend
Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive
2155 Center StThey show interesting art film, documentaries and older film.
Grand Lake Theater
3200 Grand AveAn historic venue for new and old film.
Thousands of people turn out for Oakland First Fridays, Oakland's nonprofit signature monthly celebration of arts, culture, food and community. It happens on the first Friday of the month from 5pm-9pm on Telegraph Avenue between West Grand to 27th Street.
64 locals recommend
First Fridays
2633 Telegraph AveThousands of people turn out for Oakland First Fridays, Oakland's nonprofit signature monthly celebration of arts, culture, food and community. It happens on the first Friday of the month from 5pm-9pm on Telegraph Avenue between West Grand to 27th Street.
Outdoors
A great place for a bit of nature in the city, with some trails meandering under Redwood trees.
214 locals recommend
Joaquin Miller Park
3300 Joaquin Miller RdA great place for a bit of nature in the city, with some trails meandering under Redwood trees.
This park is walkable from my house although it means crossing under a highway. You will be rewarded with views across the Bay to San Francisco.
18 locals recommend
Emeryville Marina & Park
3310 Powell StThis park is walkable from my house although it means crossing under a highway. You will be rewarded with views across the Bay to San Francisco.
Emeryville Greenway Park
A really nice bike and walker-friendly path.
A very pretty rose garden maintained by volunteers. Explore more Berkeley scenery on the amazing staircase walks nearby.
140 locals recommend
Berkeley Rose Garden
1200 Euclid AveA very pretty rose garden maintained by volunteers. Explore more Berkeley scenery on the amazing staircase walks nearby.
A lovely rose garden with wild turkeys and a friendly grey cat.
66 locals recommend
Morcom Rose Garden
700 Jean StA lovely rose garden with wild turkeys and a friendly grey cat.
Traveler advice
Getting around
Getting to BART
BART covers San Francisco and the East Bay. The fare depends on the distance you travel so you swipe in and out of the turnstile. There are machines for tickets or you can buy a Clipper Card that can be used on BART and most buses in the East Bay and San Francisco (excluding some cable cars).
The BART station nearest to my house is Ashby which is a 1 mile walk.
Or you can walk just 2 blocks to San Pablo Avenue and take the 72 or 72R AC Transit bus to Thomas L. Berkeley Way/20th Street. Walk 1/2 a block to 19th Street BART station. (Bus takes exact fare dollars/coins or Clipper.)
Getting around
AC Transit (Bus)
The East Bay has a very good bus system -- AC Transit
Fares are $2.50 cash, $2.25 Clipper, or $6 for Transbay express. Check the AC Transit website for trip planning, schedules and specific fare info. (Airbnb doesn't allow websites.)
Some handy bus lines near my house are:
72, 72R -- To downtown Oakland, Chinatown & Jack London Square (West Berkeley in the other direction)
F -- Express bus into San Francisco (becomes a local to Berkeley in the other direction)
88--To Berkeley (Or Lake Merritt in the other direction)
12--To Piedmont Ave
Getting around
Clipper Card
Clipper is the Bay Area’s all-in-one reloadable transit card and the preferred way to pay AC Transit fares. Using this contactless payment option, riders can enjoy discounts on single ride fares and Day passes, as well as get exclusive access to prepaid 31-day passes. I believe you can now also use Clipper on your phone.
Check the Clipper website for details. (Airbnb doesn't allow me to give hyperlinks.)
Getting around
Citymapper
The Citymapper App is very helpful to find best routes for public transit, walking, and biking.
Getting around
Parking a Car
There is plenty of free street parking in my neighborhood. You can usually park on Los Angeles Street right near the house. Always check parking signs as there are some days when parking is not allowed due to street cleaning. Always lock your car and don't leave anything of value in it to avoid car break-ins.