Restaurants for Grown-ups

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  • Delicious East Bay restaurants for adult dining?

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    Dec 27, 2022

    So many great restaurants have closed down in recent years.  We need a new list of restaurants with delicious food and enjoyable ambiance for adult dinners, brunches, and lunches.  What are your favorites in the Oakland/Berkeley/Albany/El Cerrito areas?  Thanks!!

    Dec 27, 2022

    Hi All, 

    Here are some of my favorite restaurants in the Berkeley area: 

    Mount Everest Restaurant, Taste of the Himalayas, The Italian Homemade Company, Gypsy's Trattoria Italiana, and Noodles Fresh. Let me know if you guys need more! 

    Dec 28, 2022

    Soi 4 Bangkok Eatery on College Ave in Oakland. One of our favorites, and a go-to spot when friends and family visit. Consistently great food for dinner. Good ambiance.  Reservations were recommended on weekends pre-pandemic, but not sure how necessary that is now.

    Dec 28, 2022

    We generally go to dinner, not brunch or lunch, but here's our current list of faves: Juanita and Maude in Albany, Wood Tavern in Rockridge, Belotti also in Rockridge, Almond and Oak in the Grand Lake area, Oeste in downtown Oakland, Duende also in downtown Oakland. Have fun!!

    Dec 28, 2022

    My favorite go-to adult-friendly restaurants where I know I'll get delicious food: Revival in downtown Berkeley, Kirala on Shattuck, A Cote and Ramen Shop in Rockridge, Chez Panisse Cafe, La Note on Shattuck. Honorable mentions: Comal and Sauls in Berkeley, Parlour and Calavera in downtown Oakland. 

    Dec 28, 2022

    Where to begin! I personally love cugini on solano  in Berkeley for classic Italian food. Juanita and Maude in Albany on San Pablo is excellent with great cocktails and food. Zaytoon on solano in Albany has my favorite salad on the planet- fatoush salad with chicken Schwarma. The appetizers are all delicious as well. Ramen shop In rockridge has great food and cool ambiance. Pizzaiolo in Oakland has super creative and delicious pizzas. The list goes on! Enjoy!

    Dec 28, 2022

    Burma Superstar, Belotti, the Italian Homemade, Eureka, Chai Thai Noodles

    Jan 3, 2023

    Alborz in Berkeley 

    Almond&oak in Oakland 

    italian handmade pasta in Berkeley 

    mua in Oakland 

    All are my go to places! 

    Jan 26, 2023

  • Need restaurant recs near UC Berkeley

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    Jul 10, 2016

    My daughter will be starting UC Berkeley next month so since I will be going there to visit her quite a bit I would love to learn about your favorite restaurants near the campus.  Anything from casual to nice, breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinners. Thanks

    Linda Perry

    Linda at peachhead dot net

    Jul 10, 2016

    Congrats to your daughter!

    A few of our favorites:
    La Note - Delicious brunch, on the pricey side but so worth it. Great outdoor patio, too.
    Cancun - burritos
    Gather - Farm to Table style lunch and dinner

     

    Jul 13, 2016

    Southside (Telegraph Ave) - mostly cheap but with some surprisingly good quality:  Taco Sinaloa and Gordo Taqueria for Mex.  D'yar for falafel or shwarma.  All of the noodle places are pretty good and reasonable.

    Westside (Downtown) - on the cheap side I like Sliver pizzeria (slices and pies, similar to Cheeseboard), PIQ (Ital deli/bakery), Fresca (Mex), Imm (Thai), Udupi Palace (veg. Indian).  Upscale - Revival, La Note (French), Alborz (Persian), Angeline's (cajun), Bistro Liaison (French on Northwest corner of campus).

    Gourmet Ghetto - these are easy to find online but go north on Shattuck and park near Cedar or Vine.  Gregoire, Chez Panisse, Cheeseboard, Cesar etc.  

    You will almost certainly find something you like.

    Jul 13, 2016

    There are honestly so many great places within walking distance of campus - the food around Cal is nothing short of amazing.  You can find high quality options, at all price points, for about any type of cuisine.  

    Some favorite cheap eats: Top Dog (grilled hot dogs), Gordos (burrito/tacos), Ici (ice cream), Cafe Strada (mostly coffee but it is an institution), Zachary's (would be a longish walk).  

    Sit down/when parents are in town: Gather (good for vegetarians), La Note (French comfort food), Comal (hipster Mexican/Latin), Trattoria Siciliana (Italian).  

    Breakfast/brunch: Rick & Ann's, La Note, Venus.

    Jul 13, 2016

    You're in for a treat--there are so many yummy places to go!  Of course, everyone's taste is different, but here are some of mine:

    1. La Note (French style, very lovely setting!)

    2. Venus Cafe (excellent food)

    3. Jupiter (lovely outside setting if the weather is nice, good food and lots of beer choices)

    4. Henry's (in the Durant Hotel)

    5. Five (in the Shattuck Hotel)

    6. Cancun (burrito joint with a great salsa bar!)

    7. Thai House

    8. Tacos Sinaloa (the real deal)

    9. Musical Offerings (lovely quiet spot opposite campus)

    I'm sure there are more nearby, but these are the first that come to mind.  There are certainly LOTS more all around Berkeley--don't miss The Cheese Board for pizza!

    Have fun and bon appetite!

    A campus staff foodie

    Jul 13, 2016

    I love the recommendations on this site. It's kept up to date and the reviews and comments are fair. http://www-rnc.lbl.gov/Restaurants/  Enjoy!

    Jul 14, 2016

    My colege friends like Bongo Burger north of campus.
    Tralee

    Jul 18, 2016

    Steve Sugarman who teaches food law at UC Berkeley has an amazing restaurant guide.  You can find it online at:

    https://www.law.berkeley.edu/our-faculty/faculty-sites/steve-sugarman/s…

    Jul 18, 2016

    I want to second the recommendation for Lucille Poskanzer's restaurant reviews at http://www-rnc.lbl.gov/Restaurants/ - there is no better website for finding a good place to eat in Berkeley, whether you're new to the area or you're a long-time local. She also reviews restauarnts in Oakland.  Her website has been online forever, and she keeps it up to date, adding new restaurants before you even knew they have opened, and noting restaurants that have recently closed. What I like about her reviews:  she doesn't review EVERY restaurant, just the ones that she likes, or the ones that are notable. She reviews both high-end and low-end restaurants and everything in between. Her reviews are straightforward, unpretentious and fair -- she gives you a short summary of the ambience, general menu offerings, how expensive it is. In just a few sentences she hits the high points - it's noisy, or there's a nice patio, or there a crowds waiting to get in, etc.  Just enough info so you can quickly narrow down a list of possibilities or try out a new place you haven't been to before.  Highly recommended!

    Jul 19, 2016

    My top vote is Angeline's on Shattuck Avenue--delicious cajun with generous portions. If you're not looking for sit-down, but something to grab and go, the new Ike's (also on Shattuck) is also top notch. And then for desert you can get an ice cream cone for $1.25 at John's, which is a pretty good deal. 

    Jul 27, 2016