Hal was born and raised in Berkeley. Brett has been here 30 years. So between the two of us, we know pretty well what's going on around the East Bay and where to find the scene and services you're looking for. Especially if you're new to the area, we can help you find the people and places that will make you feel right at home.
Shopping, Dining and Everything You Need
Some of our favorite commercial areas are:
- Solano Ave. ~ North Berkeley & Albany. Our favorite restaurants include Zachary's for pizza, Ajanta for sophisticated Indian food, Thai Basil, Fonda for tapas and lively adult gatherings, and, of course, Peet's for coffee. You'll find a movie theater at both ends of Solano and all kinds of small businesses in between. The annual Solano Stroll is fun for the whole family.
- Berkeley's "Gourmet Ghetto" offers favorites like The Cheese Board for pizza and all kinds of cheese, Cha'am for Thai, Taste of the Himalayas for Indian and ever-popular Saul's Deli. The neighborhood also features several galleries and women's clothing stores as well as Andronico's and Long's drugstore.
- Downtown Berkeley brings together the University and the town of Berkeley. You'll find the Berkeley BART station, theaters like Berkeley Rep, music venues like Beckett's pub, 3 movie theaters and all kinds of restaurants. The farmer's market on Saturday mornings is not to be missed.
- College Ave. ~ Berkeley's Elmwood and Oakland's Rockridge neighborhoods. Rockridge is a mecca for fine dining at places like A Cote, Citron and Garibaldi's. It also offers family favorites like Cactus Taqueria and newcomer Currylicious. You'll find a variety of unique shops in both Elmwood and Rockridge. The Sunday farmer's market is a hub of the neighborhood, as is Market Hall next to the BART station. Rockridge has a very active neighborhood association and a beautiful library.
- Piedmont Ave. ~ Oakland/Piedmont. This shopping district offers a low-key, small-town feel. Among the small businesses, you'll find top restaurants like Baywolf and Dopo.
- Lakeshore/Grand Ave. ~ Oakland. Anchored by Lake Merritt (which is perfect for an evening stroll or afternoon jog), the Lakeshore/Grand Ave. neighborhood has a popular movie theater and a variety of shops and restaurants.
- Park Boulevard in Glenview ~ Oakland. This up-and-coming neighborhood is attracting new restaurants and shops to serve the surrounding hillside community.
- Telegraph Ave. ~ Oakland's Temescal neighborhood. A hip locale in North Oakland, Temescal offers a range of affordable restaurants such as Asmara for Ethiopian, Dona Tomas for Mexican and Marc 49 for wine. You'll also find resources like the East Bay Center for Creative Reuse.
- Fourth Street ~ West Berkeley. Fourth Street is a favorite place to stroll on a sunny afternoon. Try Crate and Barrel, The Gardener and the Stained Glass Garden. A favorite for food is Bette's Oceanview Diner — grab a seat at the counter — or go upscale at Café Rouge.
- Montclair ~ Oakland hills. Montclair is family-friendly, with Flipper's Gourmet Burgers and a Sunday morning farmer's market, plus a wide range of small businesses and two grocery stores.
Architecturally speaking, the East Bay offers a fascinating array of home types. Craftsmen bungalows, Queen Anne and Mediterranean are some of the most popular.
Academically speaking, the East Bay boasts excellent public, private and parochial schools — and of course UC Berkeley. Learn more about local public schools in:
Berkeley
Oakland
Piedmont
Albany
Artistically speaking, here's a small sampling of some area favorites:
Berkeley Rep
Jazz School and Café
Freight and Salvage
Dance Jam
Yoshi's
Black Rep
Blake's
Ashkenaz
Zellerbach Hall at UC Berkeley
Farmers' Markets
The East Bay hosts several organic farmers' markets throughout the week, all featuring produce from nearby farms, sustainable fisheries and local artisan foods. Here are their locations and times:
Berkeley
- South Berkeley, Tuesday 2-7pm, Derby Street between Milvia and Martin Luther King Jr. Way
- North Berkeley, Thursday 3-7pm, Shattuck Street near Rose
- Downtown, Sat 10am-3pm, Center Street between Milvia and Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Oakland
- Temescal, Sunday 9am-1pm, 5300 Claremont Avenue (DMV parking lot)
- Jack London Square, Sunday 9am-2pm
- Montclair, Sunday, 9am-1pm, LaSalle and Moraga Avenue
- Grand Lake, Saturday 9am-2pm, Splashpad Park, Grand Avenue exit off 580
- Old Oakland (downtown), Friday 8am-2pm, 9th Street between Broadway and Clay