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    Berkeley Bowl West

    4.1 (1.6k reviews)
    ModerateCafes, Bakeries, Grocery
    Open 9:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Berkeley Bowl West Photos

    BERKELEY BOWL WEST ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Classy
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Berkeley Bowl West

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    Entrance
    Brian V.

    Really popular grocer that has been serving the greater Berkeley community for decades. This location was opened in 2009. They're known for their organic produce or just their produce variety and selection in general. I know for a fact that they are one of few places that get stone fruit from a central CA farm that I am very fond of. I've heard of this place through several of my family members who went to UC Berkeley and been wanting to go. Finally got that chance recently. The folks here are friendly and I would say the vibe is similar the popular grocer chain that started in Austin, but with a more organic community vibe. I came through looking for some fruits and stumbled across their craft beer section, which I have to say, had a pretty impressive selection including some rare, esoteric beers that some of my craft beer buddies would geek out on. I then went to the cafe across the way to get a beverage. That cafe is great too! (I think they're affiliated). Didn't have much time to explore or shop, but me and my fam got some stuff before we left. A true gem and am envious of what the denizens of Berkeley or students have here.

    Blue eggs?! Don't mind if I do!
    Zinia G.

    Wow! This place is huge and has so much variety. When I went to this location a few weeks ago, I was absolutely blown away. All kinds of meat, fish, produce, snacks, and it's pretty affordable. When I went back with my husband yesterday, I did see some moldy vegetables, but ehh, it happens. They have sushi-grade fish and all the fixins and accoutrement-- I'm talking ginger, wasabi, sushi rice, seaweed, imitation crab, kewpie mayo, ALL OF IT! Be prepared for a lot of maneuvering your cart! It takes a minute to find parking and the spots are tight. When you first enter the store, it's a little challenging to find a way to get into the store. Don't skip the outdoor area! The meat department is organized and while it feels like the wait will be very long, you just pick a number and it goes by pretty quickly. The checkers/ cashiers have been less than friendly both times, but they worked quickly. The first time they had samples of drinks. This time, I had to ask someone in the cheese department for a sample. I'd love to see some more samples at a massive location like this! Overall-- the options are too good not to go here, both when you need a big haul or if you're looking for speciality items.

    Goodies for the home!
    Jacqueline F.

    See my last review. This is generally a good store and all the details is in that one. However, they do have issues with taking returns and that is a problematic for me. And it makes me not want to try new things. But they have all the fruits and veg at a good price and the sales are pretty good too. Things are more expensive now, but they are not impossible. At some point, they will have sales on all the gluten-free flowers and stuff and that's when I can stack up on all of my baking goods and get ready for the holiday season. I do like coming here. I do respect their prices. And the people are generally nicer than they've been in a while. I will continue shopping here. The store is generally clean and I've never had a complaint about anything like that. Sometimes their products are a bit hard to find, but it's not a big deal.

    Mango, Strawberry/Red Bean & Strawberry/Chocolate mochi - handmade treats!  VERY GOOD!!
    Hillari A.

    Been shopping here for decades now, but thought I'd post something recent. These past weeks a new Tokyo Central has opened and I thought would give BBW a run for its money, but no. I went this am to BBW and they again had fresh strawberry mochi! JC did not - too funny! I'll stick to my BBW for my weekly items and even some of my fav "Japanese" items as well! Keep doing you, BBW, I'm here for it!

    Abi H.

    I come to Berkeley Bowl West once a week and always have a stellar experience. Yesterday, I was even more impressed by their teamwork and ability to work through high stress situations! It was crazy busy, as usual, and it was a Saturday, so the checkout lines were super long and all of the cashiers were going as fast as they could. All of the card readers went down while we were in line for checkout, we were next in line and were pretty bummed to either have to pay with cash or write our card down. It only took about 30 seconds before the leadership team came out and helped to direct everyone on next steps. None of the team members appeared to be phased by this situation which, to me, is a sign of great training and support! They pulled out their backup card readers where they had to manually input our totals and were ready to keep rolling. Thankfully the main card readers were back online before it was our turn and checkout resumed as normal for everyone. I'm always so impressed with how the Berkeley Bowl West team gets through their busy days in general, but this was the cherry on top. You all are the best! Also, if you've never been to Berkeley Bowl West make sure you set aside AT LEAST one hour, if not more, to explore the entire store. They always have bright and bountiful in season + local produce. And typically, each produce item has multiple suppliers so you can usually find one within your price point. I'm a pretty particular shopper and will seek out deals, so my weekly produce hauls at Berkeley Bowl West usually cost me about $25-$30. That's just on produce alone and for high quality local produce, you really can't beat that! They do also have a bargain produce section all the way in the back corner by the meat/seafood. This section has bags of produce for about $2/each and even whole cartons of berries for $1. Because it's the bargain section, you will definitely have to peel through the bags when you get home because they are older items. But you can, and I have, totally get your entire week's produce just in the bargain section for under $10. You do have to beware of narrow aisles just because of how crowded it gets, but the team does an amazing job at keeping aisles clear of hazards/trash as well as maintain a gorgeous farmer's market style aesthetic for the produce.

    Black Pearl Cherries
    Lloyd C.

    When my wife lived in the East Bay, she frequently shopped here at Berkeley Bowl West. I've shopped here a handful of times. I love the sushi grade seafood and produce here! I mean there is so much variety and such a huge selection, it makes your head spin. In a good way of course. She stopped in to see what kind of fresh fruit she could find. She ended up only buying some bananas and cherries.

    Figs and tomatoes galore!
    Howard B.

    Hands down this is the best grocery store that I've been in. Is it crowded with challenging parking? It sure is! Just breathe deep, be patient and kind and this grocery store will deliver a treat that will dazzle your taste buds.

    Ohh
    Stefan T.

    I suppose I'm as enthusiastic as some people are of Costco - which I can't understand. At Costco they always gave less: shorter shopping hours. Don't even bother to put your groceries in a bag. Fewer items and selection. Impossible to buy smaller quantities - which is odd for a person coming from Germany where you can even open any package of almost anything and just buy one - one soda can, open a 6 pack of bottles - just buy one... At Berkelely Bowl you get more: more customer service, more produce items, more shopping bags. And I like it. Whole Foods and trader Joes is probably still my normal spots but if I lived closer to here I'd leave those two in the dust. Especially around the holidays I'm looking for something a little better than normal. Something maybe where price is the last concern. Sure you will pay a little more but its worth it if it plays a part in your once a year holiday meal.

    Big avos for $1.59 each.

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    2 years ago

    One of just a handful of places to shop in Berkeley! They've got everything! Separate areas for organic produce, meat, bakery, take out ...

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    2 years ago

    I love this place, I found my stevia plant and okra plant I have been looking for these plants for awhile. Bought bulk lentils n chickpea.

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    Page 5 of 41

    Berkeley Bowl West Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Berkeley Bowl West

    Do they still accept ebt?

    Yes, but not for hot food. The Cafe doesn't accept EBT, gift cards.

    Is the deli organic?

    Not really. They may have some organic things, but in general it isn't.

    Do you take EBT?

    Hi Melody! Yes, we do - at the point of sale, you can use your EBT card as you would any payment card. Thanks!

    Has anyone noticed a time of day (or day of the week) when the store is not so filled with Instacart shoppers?

    Is there a time of day or week that is not too crowded?

    I was there on 3/27 at 11:45am and it was a 40 min wait. On 3/18 at 11:15, it was a 10 min. wait. They are keeping the store at about one-half customer capacity. I would think it's a little more crowded during the weekends.

    Is there a difference between Berkeley Bowl & Berkeley Bowl West when it comes to flowers, the amount and the different types? Thanks…

    Can't speak specifically to flowers but the Heinz store is a much larger store than the Shattuck store and I have definitely found larger quantities and greater variety at the Heinz store. One small issue for me: I need specifically Chinese cuts of… Read more

    Are dogs allowed in Berkeley bowl?

    No.

    What is your address thanks?

    920 Heinz Ave Ste 200, Berkeley CA

    Does Berkeley Bowl have bulk cooking oils?

    I don't think so

    Thai ice tea?

    They do have thai iced tea in cans/bottles. It's in the same aisle as their non-dairy cheese options and the refrigerated tofu.

    Does anyone know what kind of mushrooms they carry here besides the generic button or portabello ones?

    In the organic section they usually have those, cremini, shiitakes and a couple other kinds. In the non-organic section many other kinds as in season such as black trumpet, porcini, chanterelles, morels, etc. in this area Monterey Market usually has… Read more

    What are the yummiest and or the best hard to find items here?

    Definitely check out their produce section. Chances are you'll find fruits and vegetables you've never seen or heard of before.

    View All 15 Questions

    Review Highlights - Berkeley Bowl West

    ORGANIC PRODUCE: Like the original Berkeley Bowl, all of the organic produce is in its own section.

    Mentioned in 45 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Strawberry lychee roasted matcha latte

    Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley

    4.3(1.2k reviews)
    0.2 miWest Berkeley
    $$

    the mochi donuts are soooo good! i'm still thinking about them a couple days later. i wish i got…read moremore to have for the rest of the week! although i didn't try every flavor, the guava one really takes it out of the park! love it! the texture is just so soft even when refrigerated. it's very different from the mochi donuts that everyone is used to but it's so much better. the banana bread pudding was also so amazing! we got it heated up and it was just so divine. it was not overly sweet which dissolved my worries. definitely will come back to try the other mochi donut flavors! the strawberry lychee matcha was also really good! never been to a place that offers a mix like that. the yuzu sparkler and the passionfruit sparkler were also very refreshing !

    always a fan of the bright pink walls, it's like a bright star among the drab, dark colored brick…read morebuildings around; I usually get one of their mochi donuts, it's more dense than MoDo which is actually my go-to for mochi donuts. this spot is a close second. however, I'm here to talk about the new savory mochi muffin they brought out about a month ago. it was their ham and cheese mochi muffin and I must say, it was not as good as I expected compared to their other mochi donuts. I think it might've been a bit undercooked... I don't think I would try another one unfortunately. I think I would also stick with the sweet bakery items moving forward. I also ordered a lychee strawberry matcha milk tea (with the oat milk option) and I was pretty happy with that purchase. Overall, I wouldn't dock them more than a star for the underwhelming pastry because most of the others are excellent. It might just be that savory isn't their thing...

    Photos
    Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Strawberry Lychee Matcha Latte, matcha einspanner (06/2025)

    Strawberry Lychee Matcha Latte, matcha einspanner (06/2025)

    Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Pandan Mochi Donut

    Pandan Mochi Donut

    Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Mochi donuts

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    Mochi donuts

    Starter Bakery - Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are back!  Taste a flavor of the holidays. Lean into winter with deeply fudgy cookies topped with crushed canes

    Starter Bakery

    4.4(154 reviews)
    2.1 miRockridge, North Oakland
    $$

    Cute bakery in Rockridge serving delicious pastries! Came here on a Friday at around 8am and the…read moreplace was decently busy, but we got to order right away. We decided to order 6 different pastries. We first tried their Seasonal Strawberry Almond Frangipane, Seasonal Strawberry Kouign Amann, Cardamon Pistachio Kouign Amann, Chocolate Pistachio Kouign Amann, Chocolate Babka, and Twice Baked Mocha Pecan Croissant. I liked all of their Kouign Amanns a lot, especially the strawberry one which added a nice fruit element! Their kouign amanns have very crispy layers and very flaky. I'd honestly recommend all 6 of the pastries we tried, especially since the prices for this place are lower (~$6) than some other high quality bakeries around the Oakland and SF area. The decor inside the bakery is really cute and there are quite a few small tables you can sit at to enjoy the baked goods. Service was nice and fast. Overall: solid pastry spot I'd recommend anyone to check out!

    Some of the best croissants I've had. I also love their financier…read more Cozy ambiance with tables to sit. Friendly and attentive staff.

    Photos
    Starter Bakery - Mille bisous for mille feuille with pear! Now available at College Ave.

    Mille bisous for mille feuille with pear! Now available at College Ave.

    Starter Bakery - Our Stollen holiday bread makes winter mornings festive. Shown here in our regular size--preorder by 12/19 at 12pm PT for pick-up on 12/24.

    Our Stollen holiday bread makes winter mornings festive. Shown here in our regular size--preorder by 12/19 at 12pm PT for pick-up on 12/24.

    Starter Bakery - Earl Grey, coming in hot -- in our Plum & Earl Grey Kouign Amann, available this week for Oakland Style.

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    Earl Grey, coming in hot -- in our Plum & Earl Grey Kouign Amann, available this week for Oakland Style.

    Acme Bread Company - Inside the bakery

    Acme Bread Company

    4.6(810 reviews)
    1.5 miWest Berkeley
    $$

    Visit date: 4/19/2026…read more We came about an hour before closing on a Sunday, so unfortunately many of the items I wanted to try based on other people's recommendations were already sold out. We ended up getting three things: * The cheese twist was soooo good! The cheese was flavorful and the pastry itself was perfectly done. * The apple pastry was interesting. Unlike many places where the pastry is either bland or overly sweet, Acme's pastry had a slight saltiness to it, which I actually think is genius. I almost always prefer a hint of savory flavor to balance out the sweetness from the filling or topping. My only issue with this one was that the apple topping was not sweet at all and leaned more tart, so paired with the salty pastry, it was not quite the flavor combination I was hoping for. * The mini raspberry pastry had the same issue for me. The raspberry topping was just a bit too tart and sour for my taste. Even though not everything was a hit for me, I would definitely come back and give this bakery another chance, especially since we arrived so late and missed out on many of their most popular items.

    nothing hits better than fresh bread and getting it right from the source! acme works 24 hours to…read moredeliver fresh bread everyday and i just got to give them props for the dedication and hard work. the bread and pastries here are just so good. the hell wet levain is amazing! i love all the sesame seeds on the loaf and with butter = chef's kiss. their pizzas are amazing too and i plan to come back to try their other ones. i finally got to try their cheddar biscuits and it was amazing! not heavy at all and full of flavor. i sometimes get quite overwhelmed with the options since i want to try everything! love acme!

    Photos
    Acme Bread Company - Olive oil cake with apricots

    Olive oil cake with apricots

    Acme Bread Company - Cherry puff

    Cherry puff

    Acme Bread Company - Inside of Peach Pocket ($5.64) - puff pastry with Frog Hollow Peaches. The pastry is bad but the peaches are good, not overly sweet.

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    Inside of Peach Pocket ($5.64) - puff pastry with Frog Hollow Peaches. The pastry is bad but the peaches are good, not overly sweet.

    Bake Sum - Inside of Chocolate Chunk with Maldon Salt Cookie ($3.50) - very good!

    Bake Sum

    4.5(393 reviews)
    3.7 miGrand Lake, Lower Hills
    $$

    Small, cute shop in Oakland. Not really a great place to sit and eat -- there are two tiny tables…read moreoutside that are usually taken, none inside, and no other benches or tables nearby -- but an excellent place to buy pastries to take home. The good: Their cookies have the perfect texture and the cocobae is superb. The milk buns are pillowy and filled with delicious cream plus crunchy craquelin. Their swirly sweet laminated bun that changes flavor every month is a delight and the bottom is deliciously caramelized. The merengue tarts are perfection. Pound cakes have great flavor altho the texture is not traditional and doesn't hit me right. Can't miss with a mochi bite tho. The bad: The savory treats have been underwhelming (tried 4 different ones iirc). Drinks include matcha from Asha tea house (very nice choice) but are very overpriced (like $7 for matcha? what?) so I skip them. Sweet treats still so excellent and unique that this spot gets 5 stars.

    I got the latte and added pandan cream on top. It was good. Flavor of pandan could have been…read morestronger but good. The chocolate banana croissant was SO GOOD. I wish it had a tad more banana but it was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!!!! Staff are super nice! Long line but it goes by fast. Only like two small tables outside so not really a place to sit and chat - more like grab and go. The cashier told me they recently opened another cafe in Alameda, one with a parking lot. Thank goodness! Because parking was terrible!!

    Photos
    Bake Sum - Inside of Mocha Cake ($3.75) - it's quite sweet and soft, but not really chocolatey.

    Inside of Mocha Cake ($3.75) - it's quite sweet and soft, but not really chocolatey.

    Bake Sum - Inside of Hojicha Double Chocolate Cookie ($4) - great, strong hojicha flavor. I still prefer the black sesame snickerdoodle though.

    Inside of Hojicha Double Chocolate Cookie ($4) - great, strong hojicha flavor. I still prefer the black sesame snickerdoodle though.

    Bake Sum - Almond Cake ($4) and Hojicha Double Chocolate Cookie ($4)

    See all

    Almond Cake ($4) and Hojicha Double Chocolate Cookie ($4)

    Berkeley Bowl West - cafes - Updated May 2026

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