Berkeley

[kiliki]

I am taking a research trip to Berkeley on Sunday and am looking for great Mexican food. It would be nice if it was within walking distance of the University but I will have a car and am willing to drive.

If anyone wants to recommend any other good, inexpensive, casual restaurants in the area please do, although I know that is a very general question.

[lorea]

Definitely Mario's. There's a pretty loyal following there. It's only a few blocks from campus - on Telegraph. I think the cross street is Dwight or Channing.

[foodie3]

try a slice of a wonderful pizza at "cheeseboard pizza" on shuttuck - next to andronico's market.

[chasmartel]

Picante on Sixth near Gilman (you'll need a car, but not much). Very good casual Mexican. Children everywhere.

[uncledavey]

The Cheeseboard as completely yummy as it is, is not open on Sundays.

[JayTee]

Cancun Taqueria is right next to the campus on the University Avenue side (West) at Allston and Shattuck. Very yummy, and love their salsa bar.

A little farther out in Rockridge (need car), is where the wife and I like to go: Cactus Taqueria on College Ave. Its more gringo, but they have a really good fish taco plate.

[megc]

Cancun Taqueria is right next to the campus on the University Avenue side (West) at Allston and Shattuck.  Very yummy, and love their salsa bar.

Cancun was one of my very favorite places to eat when I lived in Berkeley. Their avocado salsa is terrific, as is their horchata. I also liked La Cascada, on Center Street, but not as much, but it is tasty, too. I used to eat at the Cactus Taqueria on Solano, which was also very good but not sure how it compares to the one on College - quality can be different between branches; I know I always preferred the pizza at Zachary's on Solano to College. What is that Mexican restaurant in West Berkeley on 9th just beyond the Westside Bakery Cafe? I liked that place! It was fun and they made tasty enchiladas.

If you want a GINORMOUS salad, go to Intermezzo on Telegraph. Cheap prices and more food than I could ever eat. The wine margaritas were a little odd, though.

This is all making me very homesick. I love Berkeley and its fabulolus food.

[JayTee]

Megc,

I've been to both Cactus on Solano and Cactus on College. Cactus on College is newer and is on a very gourmet block (across the street from Oliveto). Maybe its just the environment, but we like eating at the Cactus on College more.

Ahhh. . .Intermezzo. Whenever I got sick of eating Fat Slice and other greasy food, this is the place where I thought I could go to "clean" my system.

Although my favorite whenever I go back to Berkeley, is to go to IB Hoagies and get their Chili Cheese Fries. mmmmmmmmm.

[megc]

I've been to both Cactus on Solano and Cactus on College.  Cactus on College is newer and is on a very gourmet block (across the street from Oliveto).  Maybe its just the environment, but we like eating at the Cactus on College more. 

Ahhh. . .Intermezzo.  Whenever I got sick of eating Fat Slice and other greasy food, this is the place where I thought I could go to "clean" my system.

Although my favorite whenever I go back to Berkeley, is to go to IB Hoagies and get their Chili Cheese Fries.  mmmmmmmmm. 

Ah, Fat Slice! I had forgotten about that place, but it's true that I ate there semi-regularly when I worked at UC Berkeley (I worked on Bancroft, so I spent quite a bit of time in the Southside neighborhood). I never went to Blondie's, in part because of the rumor of roaches (just a rumor). Other cheap eats I enjoyed were the $1.65 lattes at the cafe at the corner of Bancroft and Telegraph; Le Petit Cheval's "3 dishes for $5" lunch of tasty Vietnamese food; the less-than-$2 frozen yoghurt at Yoghurt Park (they give you what seems like a lot; the $4.00 plate of enchiladas, rice, and beans at "The Deck" on Durant; and of course some of the food carts in Sproul Plaza. I especially liked the burritos at "Cielo Veggie," where they would make me a burrito filled with brown rice, black beans, guacamole, and cheese for about $3. Nice people who ran it, too.

Cafe Milano on Bancroft makes a good sandwich and salad plate for about $5, I think. There is good bubble tea up the same street, too, very close to Le Petit Cheval! Yummmm!

I love sitting downstairs at Oliveto in the afternoon and having tapas-type plates and wine. Market Hall in general is a wonderful place. Grace Baking makes lovely little chocolate mint brownies (they look more like little cookies). Is that crepe place nearby (Crepevine?) still around?

Never went to IB Hoagies, sad to say.

Ah, memories. Thanks for letting me go through them.

[jschyun]

I never really ate Mexican food in Berkeley, so can't help you with that. But I go to Berkeley all the time. The following are my usual, inexpensive, casual haunts:

Raleigh's is a popular restaurant that has good onion rings and something called the "B2C2" which I think is a bacon, barbecue sauce?, chicken breast, cheese that is popular. Oh and Guinness on tap. Backyard patio, on Telegraph just a couple blocks from campus.

Right next door, Intermezzo is good if you like huge salads and brown bread. I find their salad dressings a bit thin, but you can't argue with the quantity. The have sandwiches too, but I've only had the vegetarian ones which are okay, but not my favorite.

I love the gelato at Gelateria Naia. My favorite in the Bay Area. Used to be part of the Vancouver Mondo Gelato chain, but they broke off and are on their own now. On Shattuck just a block from the BART station.

A little past the BART station, on University and I think Martin Luther King is Au Coquelet Cafe where you'll be surrounded by students because of the low prices, and the decent grub. I love to go for a decent, yet inexpensive slice of blueberry tart with a mug of hot tea.

I used to eat at Fat Slice too. I never went to Blondie's either, but others swore by Blondie's. Those places all have a great pizza and coke deal. Just see whatever's coming out of the oven and get that.

Also, you might like Top Dog, a hot dog hut that is a Berkeley institution. Go to the one on Durant street, admire the walls, and order a dog. Actually, I haven't been there for a while, so I hope it hasn't gone downhill.

You might have to drive to get to Cheeseboard, but it might be worth it. A cheese coop that sells not only zillions of different cheeses, they also sell fresh breads and I think some side dishes to go. Inexpensive and interesting. Up the street is Peet's coffee, and a juice collective that I always pass by but have been meaning to try.

Edited June 25, 2004 by jschyun (log)

[kitwilliams]

And yet another non-Mexican joint that I recently discovered is Gregoire's. It's mostly take-away with a couple of tables outside and three stools inside, overlooking the grill and everything else in this tiny but well organized little joint. And the food is awesome. Meat and potatoes. The hangar steak was terrific, but the pork wrapped in bacon with prunes was awesome. Potato puffs are addictive and the scalloped potatoes are ultimate comfort food. Wonderful ingredients and prices reflect that but well worth it. Just around the corner from Chez Panisse (I think it's on Cedar (?) just above Shattuck.

Anyone else tried it?

[ExtraMSG]

I can't believe no one has recommended taking that car and doing a quick trip to Oakland. Vaya a Oakland! Really, the taquerias in Oakland are excellent. See here:

http://www.extramsg.com/modules.php?name=N...ticle&sid=8#mxo

A search for Fruitvale and Oakland on here or Chowhound should give you some results.

Otherwise, look at Berkeley for Indian, if you like that. Also, I really second Cheeseboard. I've had a lot of pizza and Cheeseboard is my favorite. A little foofy to some, maybe, but excellent quality. Worth a wait in line.

See this pic:

http://www.extramsg.com/modules.php?set_al...=view_photo.php

[megc]

I love the gelato at Gelateria Naia. My favorite in the Bay Area.  Used to be part of the Vancouver Mondo Gelato chain, but they broke off and are on their own now.  On Shattuck just a block from the BART station. 

jschyun, where exactly is the gelato place? I don't remember it from my days in Berkeley, so it must have sprung up in the past few years. What is it next to?

I also liked going to the Top Dog on Durant; the walls are priceless! They also served a vegetarian hot dog, which was nice. Options for everyone.

My old co-workers and I frequented Raleighs for lunch. The back patio is a great place for lunch on a sunny day.

And I love Cheeseboard pizza too. And the Cheeseboard itself. What I wouldn't give for a sourdough cheese roll right now! Thank you ExtraMSG for the link to those photos! Mmmm....

[jschyun]

jschyun, where exactly is the gelato place? I don't remember it from my days in Berkeley, so it must have sprung up in the past few years. What is it next to?

Yeah, it's pretty new. I want to say it's a couple stores away from the Wells Fargo in, uh, downtown (does berkeley have a downtown really?), next to the Berkeley (downtown) station. Oh yeah, they also serve, uh, soy gelato, but though I'm lactose intolerant, I haven't tried it so can't tell you how it is.

Gelateria Naia

2106 Shattuck Ave

Berkeley, CA 94704

Phone: (510) 883-1568

[lorea]

I'll put my vote in for Cheeseboard as well....really good if you like thin crust pizzas - their crust is amazing!

For great authentic Thai food, check out Siam Cuisine on University, halfway down to the freeway. If you ask for Thai-hot spiciness, they WILL give it to you!

My favorite place for coffee is still Caffe Strada on Bancroft - the Strada Mocha Bianca is really good.

[ExtraMSG]

You can see pics of Naia here:

http://www.extramsg.com/modules.php?set_al...=view_photo.php

Just click the next button to see more. Really, you might want to check out my most recent report from California that covers a couple days in the east bay as well. Plus, the east bay pics I have in general (just click on the thumbnails for bigger pics):

Report: http://www.extramsg.com/modules.php?name=N...e=article&sid=8

Pics: http://www.extramsg.com/modules.php?set_al...=view_album.php

And if you haven't been to the Berkeley Bowl, certainly go, just for the impressiveness.

[megc]

Again, great pictures ExtraMSG!!! But you make me so terribly homesick with them. What I wouldn't do right now for an afternoon in the gourmet ghetto. Such a great neighborhood in that town.

I think the new space that Berkeley Bowl is in, is better than the old bowling alley, although some of that funky charm is gone - but it was always so cold in there before. I used to shop a lot at Monterey Market as an alternative.

I also like the coffee at Strada, lorea! It's hard to find a decent cup of coffee out here!

Next time I'm in town I am definitely trying Naia! I'm trying to figure out what was in that space before...

[kiliki]

Thanks for all the tips! So far I have eaten at Cheeseboard Pizza (where I had been before, but forgot all about), Cancun, Gelateria Naia and a Vietnamese place I remembered liking on my last visit here, Le Regal. I have a meeting in Oakland tomorrow and will try one of the Mexican places there if I have time. I also checked out the farmer's market and Berkeley Bowl.

What I am REALLY excited about was the fact I made it up to Tomales Bay and had bbq oysters at the Marshall store.

[jogoode]

Hi California Folks,

Are there any food carts in Berkeley? I'm doing some research and trying to find good carts, particularly those popular with students. Are there any on or off campus?

Megc mentioned Cielo Veggie, which I had heard is a food cart.

[megc]

Hi California Folks,

Are there any food carts in Berkeley? I'm doing some research and trying to find good carts, particularly those popular with students. Are there any on or off campus?

Megc mentioned Cielo Veggie, which I had heard is a food cart.

←

Check out the carts in Sproul Plaza, on Bancroft at Telegraph on the campus side. Cielo Veggie has (maybe had? not sure anymore) a cart, and there is sushi, chinese food (I had friends who loved the roast pork buns), and maybe something else -- ooh, falafel etc! On the corner of Center and Shattuck there is a cart-type place that sells falafel, and maybe pretzels. You might also run into one of the mexican ice cream carts that travel around the city.

Now living in Astoria, I realize that street food is not really as important out there, compared to the way it is here in NY. I can think of 3 street carts right now in my neighborhood, that are frequented by residents on a daily basis. I just don't remember street food being a regular part of life out there.