I love this place, but it has certainly gone downhill since I first started coming here. At first, it was a vibrant little ethnic food filled mini mall of Epicurious delights, but now it's a couple of food places, a couple of empty storefront, and what looks like a little secondhand shop. But the main point of coming here is the garden, which is still lovely. The tiny running brook, the little gurgling waterfalls, the shady little groves of plants and statues, the multitiered seating area, all make it one of my favorite places to go, no matter what kind of food they serve. And the sushi place is still great! read more

Came in and order a couple of the restaurant in the establishment was received with horrible service and honestly with not good food from the chicken RESTURAUNT and the juice store suite tasted like it was made with rotten oranges or something pretty sure it wasn't fresh and to be honest should have stayed away from this place due to the recent bad publicity this place has received due to their stance on baby's being bombed and starved but against my better judgement I still proceeded to support this establishment since they don't own the restaurant would definitely not be back here FREE PALESTINE read more

This is a nice little food court we were able to check out this past weekend on a sunny winter afternoon. The outdoor courtyard was beautiful, alluring fountains and waterfalls, buddha statues, animal sculptures, lovely greenery including bamboo, and three levels of seating. A really nice setup, making good use of the space. The place actually had a good amount of indoor and outdoor seating. We enjoyed some smoothies from Juice Appeal outside during daylight, then moved inside in the evening as the temperature dropped. For dinner, we grabbed some pre-packaged sushi from Itani Sushi as well as some delicious rotisserie chicken and roasted potatoes from Hopscotch Chicken. The staff at each of the businesses we visited provided sufficient service. And the food hall wasn't crowded on a Saturday, quite the opposite actually, which was a plus for us. We were pleased with our experience here. read more

See all

I had the best tongue sandwich ever . Highly recommended from Persian restaurant first one in left DARBAND LOVE THAT SANDWICH read more

note: unknown if they are now open, came here often thruout the years. Epicurious Garden has been a fixture in Berkeley's Gourtmet Ghetto since 2006. it's a combination of a food court, multiple dine-in eateries, a cooking school, and the Mozhai Foundation (fine arts) eats: -guacamole 61: next level taqueria -kirala 2: quality japanese food, not same menu as kirala 1 -lush gelato: artisan gelato -cheesequakes: hybrid cheesecakes -imperial tea court: luxurious dim sum, teas -tigerlily: upscale indian eats -soop: artisan soups notes: limited seating except for the dine in eateries. no parking area...... read more

One of my favorite spots in Berkeley to eat or just walk through! The Epicurious Garden offers a range of cuisines and desserts, including Japanese, Mexican, gelato, and cheesecake bites with every business offering quick to-go snacks and meals. You enter on Shattuck Avenue and can enter the actual garden area once you've walked through the eateries or through an entrance on the side. The outdoor seating area is really quite a treat and the perfect spot to dine casually on a sunny day. Oddly enough, I've never had to fight for space here either. I was really curious about the exact definition of "epicurious" and Merriam-Webster defines it as, "one with sensitive and discriminating tastes especially in food or wine". Makes sense for this garden! read more

the best food is here, and it's really a wonderful place to eat. nice water sound, shade and sun.

I had yelped for nearby dessert places and found Lush. To my delight, I discovered that Lush was located in a food hall-yaasss! I love food halls and even though it's on the small side, it was still fun to peruse the different food stalls which includes Kirala (to-go), Soop, a Mexican stall, and Lush Gelato. Not much seating inside but there is a nice outdoor dining area in the back (wooden bleacher like steps and a few tables scattered). Has a zen garden feel to it. read more

See all

Gourmet take out in the heart of the Gourmet Ghetto. From sushi to soup, Epicurious Garden has a good variety of it all, including: FOOD ON THE GO Kirala 2* - sushi Soop - soup Picoso Taqueria - Mexican food Lush Gelato* - ice cream Alegio Chocolate* - luxury chocolate BEST FOR SIT DOWN Mint Leaf Indian Bistro & Wine Bar - Indian food Imperial Tea Court* - (Authentic) Northern Chinese AND MORE! Kitchen on Fire - cooking school Far East - art & culture There are a few tables at the very front of the building, but Mint Leaf and Imperial Tea Court have the largest sit-down spaces. I highly recommend going to the Imperial Tea court for lunch or dinner, and getting dessert at Lush Gelato. Eat your ice cream in the "secret garden." Cesar Berkeley* is also right next door--a tapas bar that offers wine, coffee, and beer. Street parking available. * = favorite spots Tip: Secret garden through the "moon gate" next to Mint Leaf Indian Bistro. read more

It's a glorified food court ... frequented by Berkeley yuppies, college students and everything in between. Decent assortment of food options - Lush Gelato, Soop, Picoso, etc to cover any spectrum of foods you might crave ... I was just happy to not have to see any "Hot Dog on a Stick" or "Sorrento's Pizza". Epicurious is located in the heart of the gourmet ghetto, so if you don't find something here - eats that have made Berkeley famous are just a hop and skip away. read more

Gee, I can't remember what I disliked more about my first and last visit here -- was it the benches in the hot burning sun? The overpriced food? No, now I remember. It was the old lady who asked me if my baby boy was my "grandson." Fond memories ... read more

It's a fancy food court complete with Zen Garden! Great spot to spend your lunch hour. Especially on days you need some serenity. Try to come during non-peak lunch hour (before or after the lunch rush). read more

What a fun little place! You wouldn't even know it existed from the outside except for the sign. Had no idea that several mini restaurants existed on the inside along with a beautiful little garden area until we walked in. Unfortunately, this place really works only as a takeout unless you have a very small group. The tables in the garden are tiny (for two at most) and there aren't very many of them. Source does have some counter top stools which we ended up perched on. Not so ideal for young children though. The mini restaurants are definitely way above your average food court places though. read more

Cool novelty food court that has a few different choices for you, from Soop, to gelato, to a chocolatier. Soop is a vegan soup restaurant - I would highly recommend getting their Thai Red Chili - delicious and creamy, to the point where you forget it's vegan at all. The to go sushi bar also has really delicious looking options for you to grab and go for lunch. To finish everything off, you can stop by the chocolate shop to sample 100% cacao from Africa (although I would recommend getting the 80% since the 100% is a little too overwhelming if you're used to grocery store chocolate.) read more

I just ate the MOST delicious burrito I've eaten in a long time. I ordered the vegetarian burrito and asked for some rajas (poblano). The cook was happy to add that to my burrito along with the mushrooms, onions, zucchini, rice and beans. That along with the green sauce, yum! Eating a fantastic burrito that is under $10 is kind of a miracle and I hit the jackpot today. I will be spending lots of lunch hours at the Mexican Taqueria in the Epicurious Garden. I wanted to phone and thank them but am having a difficult time finding their phone number. Mallorie (teacher at King Middle School) read more

You wouldn't expect much for the street, but this turns out to be a surprisingly good slightly upscale mini-food-court, with a multilevel tranquil garden in the back where you can eat your haul. The food is only mediocre by Berkeley standards, but for the setting and the convenience, you could do far worse . . . read more

I am writing a review! Wow, this is exciting. Saul is hanging out in his doorway jumper and letting me do stuff I want to do, like be a good Yelper. Epicurious Garden is super. It's a great place for me to take Saul because he loves being outside, and sometimes he'll actually let me eat in Epicurious' lovely garden seating area while he tries to eat plants and enjoys the sound of falling water in the fountain. There is space for strollers and all the baby junk I now need to be carrying around. There are some relatively private areas for breastfeeding, but Saul is way too distracted by all the goings on to pay any attention to my breasts. He prefers to touch flowers and suck on his mesh feeder full of 'nana. I love Soop, not only because it's the best soup I've ever had, but because I can drink it one-handed while lovin' on my baby. I also love quesadillas from Picoso for the same one-handed eating reason. The picoso chicken one is spicy and satisfying, and comes with great salsa, guacamole, and chips. The gelato place in there is great, too. I don't remember the name of it because I have Mom brain. The Blackberry Cabernet flavor almost makes me forget I even have a baby. Take me away, Cabernet! read more

Epicurious Garden, I wrote a love letter to you but its a littlee embarassing, posting it online. Let's keep this private, for now. I'm sorry, I haven't known you long enough for PDA. Maybe after the second visit. -Andy read more

I think it totally fits the spirit of north berkeley. It's striving for high quality while remaining casual and approachable. The space is very nice but it can get crowded. My opinions on the places: Soop: great tasting soups but a little pricey. Kirala^2: stuff here is more expensive than at the actual restaurant. You've got to be kidding! I'm sure they'll make a killing anyway. Socca Oven: great concept with chickpea flatbreads and definitely the best deal in the place but they need to refine their flavors just a bit. Ciao Bella: not really gelato but not really ice cream either. tastes pretty good though. Alegio Chocolates: Looks cool, good chocolates but pretty expensive. Caviar: not gonna bother with that one anytime soon. Taste: awesome food (especially the small dishes) and good wine selection. read more

This reminds me of Emeryville's Public Market in a smaller scale but more gourmet to boost. I came across this space before dining at Cesar next door. Loved the set-up and I wished I worked in the area so that I can visit this place daily. There's a zen-style bamboo teak garden in the patio area where you can take your to-go orders and sit peacefully. read more

Epicurious Garden is extremely cool. It's a little mutualist colony of fancy food counters: Socca (sp? chickpea crust pizzaoid things from southern france), great soup, a Kirala takeout counter (!), Ciao Bella gelato, boutique chocolate, a teahouse and garden, a restaurant and wine-tasting bar, and apparently Olivier (of Cesar fame) teaches cooking classes upstairs! It's amazing this place hasn't collapsed in on itself from the sheer crushing mass of Fancy. It's like, a Fanciness singularity. Yow. read more

Savory "Soop" to warm your soul ($5.50/pint & $10.50/quart), Super-scrumptious Gelato to freeze your brain ($3.75/small cup & $4.99/pint).... And a few other "necessary" luxuries you just can't live without, chocolate thats shown out of a case like diamond jewelery, boxes of caviar (honestly... who needs boxes?). More hearty fare... Socca (provencal chickpea pancakes with peppers, eggplant, lamb, etc... $5.50-$7.75), and good "Taste"s changing menu ($6-$10) for things like fennel-arugula-blood orange salad, Flat bread sandwich, or a Taste box lunch of spiced chicken, cous-cous, and harissa. Yum! I left with a pint of green tea and a pint of amaretto/bannana/Caramel gelato. And a card promising to buy 8 more pints. No prob! read more

Though I have yet to try the cuisine, I am familiar with the planned selections and their respective chefs and all have excellent reputations. Plus, I love the tasteful choice of architecture along Berkeley's shattuck gourmet ghetto. A few poor planning choices could have made the building, crammed in between two buildings of extremely different architectural styles, quite the eye sore. Yea for a modern, but not overdone aesthetics! I can't wait until the opening this Friday, March 17th! Hopefully the weather will hold up so I can take my gourmet take out to the grassy picnic area across the street (also known as the center divide) frequented on the more pleasant days. read more

I went their with four friends last Friday for dinner and I was the only one who just wasn't into the idea. I hate food courts in malls. I felt like I was in the basement of the SF Shopping Center, but everything was high-end and they paid their architect too much. As stated in reviews above, Kirala-2 is more pricey and a sushi roll wrapped in plastic and Styrofoam just isn't worth $12-15 a piece, no matter what it is. The plus is that you don't have to wait an hour for a table on a Thursday or Friday night at Kirala-1. The chickpea pizza joint... the flavors on the scallop one didn't jive with me at all. The little things are quite filling so I guess you do get what you pay for. The back courtyard or 'zen garden' is supposed to feel like a public open space, but its very exclusive, as in you won't find anyone who isn't Berkeley real estate wealthy and wearing garden clogs there. I really don't like the color treatments they used on the concrete work... pinks and greens? Maybe in a few years it will weather better. 3 stars for Ciao Bella. I bypassed all the fun flavors and just got a scoop of vanilla with some espresso dumped on top of it. Oh man, that made my night! The other two gelato shops on Shattuck don't have espresso... the missing link to extreme gelato enjoyment! read more

This building located in Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto area, houses several upscale retailers and a small Zen-style garden. But for me it's a tranquil spot to take a break. There's plenty of seating space to eat your lunch purchased from any of the various food vendors around this area. There's also a neat artistic video (a la Rube Goldberg) playing in an LCD screen above the entry way, on the right side hallway entrance. Retailers inside: -Soop - wide variety of tasty soups. -Kirala 2 - to go menu from the popular Kirala Japanese restaurant. -Picoso - Mexican cuisine: tacos, burritos, tostadas, aguas frescas, etc. -Ciao Bella Gelato - a branch of the popular SF gelateria, specially good on sunny days. -Chocolate Alegio - fancy chocolates. -Imperial tea Garden - tea service and snacks, located in the 2nd floor. -Kitchen on Fire - a fun cooking school located in the top floor. -Mint Leaf - new place, Indian cuisine. Haven't tried it yet. If you find that the shops are pricey or not to your liking, then don't buy anything. It's still a nice place to relax and take a break. read more

Berkeley now has a mini Ferry Building food emporium in place of the late lamented Dale Sanford TV... OK, it's pricey, a bit precious, and like the Ferry Building, there aren't enough places to sit in the shade, but...I sure do like: Imperial Tea Court - though we are aficionados of Celadon Tea Room at Teance on Solano, the teas here (from the original Tea Court in SF) are superb, and they complement the tasty small menu of dumplings and other goodies. Taste - run by the friendly folks from Khanna Peena, this wine bar with a fancy-pants menu to match is a contender against neighboring Cesar with its overpriced small plates. Soop - pretty darn good soup, friendly folks, free tastes. Kirala - high prices for even the basic sushi, long wait for my favorite black cod. And yet... Socca - gotta love that Gregoire, he's done it again with these tasty chickpea pizza-like thingies. But Ciao Bella Gelato is only average, at best. I wish Sketch had moved in here instead... And the caviar place? The pricey chocolate? Just a bit too-too... read more

Like most locals, I eagerly awaited the opening of the Epicurious Garden. It's a fantastic space. The outside courtyard is very peaceful and there it's multi-tiered so you never feel crowded in there. It's like a mini zen park with the peaceful waterway and the trees and plants. It would be worth it to visit just to get 5 minutes of quite time. On the other hand, it's a great place to come with small children as they can roam around while you finish eating. Like most food courts, there's something for everyone. Yes, the Kirala take out is expensive, but you get what you pay for. The rolls are always great, as are the little bento boxes. Soop always has great choices, though I wonder how they will endure through the summer months without more chilled soup choices. Ciao Bella Gelato, always delicious. They have a wonderful hot chocolate, using dark chocolate. It's heavenly. If you can't decide between gelato and hot chocolate, try the Bella Gelato - hot chocolate with a scoop of gelato. I'll be hitting the other food places soon and will update more then. read more

If you've been to the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum in San Jose, you've seen the replica of the Egyptian tomb. While the name "Epicurious Garden" conjures the image of a glorious garden of eden with no hissing snakes, to me, it's more like the Egyptian tomb replica (and I mean the replica, not an actual tomb). The space is narrow, dark--let's say tomb-like--and lit by strategically placed track lighting, shining concentated beams on what you ought to be paying attention to. To make the atmosphere even more museum-like, there is a glass case of caviar tins and a glowing gelato case of the gelateria. Please, don't touch the caviar...YOU can't afford it! I don't really know how the creators of Epicurious Garden envisioned this space. But to me, it feels like museum display--a replica of a gathering place for "epicures." In my head, I can just hear the audio guided tour of the accurate reproduction of Northern California Foodie Temple, circa 2005, A.D. "In 1971, Alice Waters opened Chez Panisse mere few doors down from our museum, setting off what has become known as the 'California Food Revolution.' Without this revolution, one would not know the difference between socca and focaccia, between lapsang souchong and pu erh..." I'm no big fan of the Ferry Building, but at least that place has the bustling atmosphere that's not confined to a tiny space, a white collar Les Halles if you will. The setup of Epicurious Garden just sucks the energy and vibrance out of the food. I can't get excited about it. Once you go out the back door and get to the ourdoor bench area, it's a lot less claustrophobic and stifling, but that area is pretty small considering the hoardes that descend upon the Gourmet Ghetto on a nice, sunny day. If you really want to enjoy the takeout from here in an outdoor setting, take everything down a few blocks to Live Oak Park and have a real picnic. If you come here later in the day, you can get discount sushi from Kirala 2 (usually 25% off). This is the only day-old, discount sushi that doesn't invoke the fear in me. read more

The Gourmet Ghetto is the place to go on a warm weekend morning for brunch/lunch or snacks. I love the back patio with outdoor seating. How posh Berkeley is. But I guess not posh enough as I noticed that the caviar section disappeared. You've come along way from Orange Julius, Sbarro, and Cinnabun. This ain't your little sister's mall food court. Up the cuisine (and the prices) several levels of fancy and you've got this very Berkeley food court, I mean "Epicurious Garden." read more

It is a bit fancy for take out, but we are talking the Gourmet Ghetto here! The Zen garden that is tucked away behind Shattuck is so so nice! I love anyplace that offers outdoor seating. But the greatest thing is probably the variety of things you can eat here. Ciao bella gelato--yummy! Nothing like enjoying gelato on a hot sunny afternoon in the patio. Kirala bento boxes - Yay! 'Nuff said. Sushi is very fresh! Picoso- I've only tried the Fish taco with mango salsa and it is goooood! They give you a good portion of fish also. Imperial tea Garden- Hand cut noodles.. need I say more? read more

A great food court that houses Kirala 2, Alegio Chocolate, and Lush Gelato, in addition to a taqueria and a soup shop. The seating in the back is beautiful and has never been that crowded when I've been at night. I actually didn't realize there was a garden in the back until my fifth time at Kirala 2, since it's a bit hidden. If only more of the eateries had disposable plates and bowls... Eating your Kirala 2 sushi and udon out of plastic containers kind of cheapens the experience. read more

This place (a mini Ferry Building) captures the essence of Berkeley right smack in the middle of Gourmet Ghetto. Here are the list of places: Kerala- they have fresh sushi, sashimi and bento boxes. They also have discounted soba noodles and tempura so it's not as pricey as the Kerala Restaurant. Soop- great soups, the menu changes. you can sample the soups before you purchase it. Ciao Bella- same great gelato place as the Ferry Building. I know there known for their gelato but I actually love their sorbets esp. the mango and coconut sorbet. Chocolate Alegio- I actually bought chocolates here for a gift. They have intricate designs and you have a variety of choices and flavors. The chocolates are heavenly. They sell different combinations like this dark chocolate with a little heat that tasted so wonderful. They also give free samples even if you don't buy anything. I haven't been to Taste or Imperial Tea Court, Don Petroff Caviar and Kitchen on Fire but I will be coming back to check them out. Also, the best part I think is the zen garden where you can buy your meal and have it outside... it is so relaxing and a great escape esp if you are stuck in an office all day. read more

little protected seating area oasis in the back, dark narrow food hall with the stalls through the front door, but kirala items not actually like the restaurant. lush worth coming to, especially after cheeseboard and not having their soft serve. read more

Two thumbs up for helping reduce the crowds at Cesar. One, and only one complaint. In the afternoons, the place is insane with under-parented kids running around. My knees and elbows got a good workout doing kiddie traffic managment. If you feel like you can't take it anymore, head for the wine bar- Taste. It's over 21. Observation- I don't know if I'm dreaming this, but I look around at the money that went into building this place, and I can't help thinking that 99% of what I paid for dinner is covering overhead. read more

I went here for the first time over the weekend. It took me way too long to decide between Soop or Kirala 2. Oy. I ended up getting some delicious butternut squash soup from Soop. They have several different soups and stews that you can sample before deciding on one. Kirala seemed a little overpriced, I believe it was almost 9 bucks for some veggie roll, and I am not talking about some fancy shmancy veggie roll, it was some cucumber roll, avo roll, and some other kind of simple roll. The gelato place was good, my girlfriend got the rose gelato and some kind of coffee one. It was quite good. I want to go back and try out the tea house that is upstairs. They seem to serve food and tea. I want to have a tea party, no, not a tea party. I just want to go there. The garden area is nice, you can take your gourmet goodies and sit down and chow down. I just wish they had tables. read more

Likes: the variety of food you can get there! I like walking by the chocolate and gelato section haha. I've only eaten at Soop but I plan to return to try the others! Dislikes: read more

This place is like an upscale Food Court right across from Cheeseboard. I like going here for Kirala and Lush Gelato and sitting outside in the garden when the weather's nice. I hope to try the other places too! read more

I was altogether unimpressed by Epicurious Garden... It's an interesting idea, but a bit too poshed up and the shops don't really compliment each other well. The concept seems to be stealing the gourmet-take-out-thunder of Gregoire, but without the excellence of product. It's a fun place to look around and nibble, but none of it really warrants repeat visits for me. - stars: The socca at Socca Oven were a bit over topped and the ones we got were burnt; I'd much rather have a plain serving off of one of those BIG hot socca pans that they have at the public markets in Nice. The boxes are cute though. Kirala^2 is just about the same as Kirala, okay but not great. +stars: for Ciao Bella; it's nice to finally have a gelato place in this neighborhood, although the packed pints are the only good deal here Soop is good and tasty, but a bit pricey; would be good with a baguette from Cheese Board. I have yet to try Taste wine bar (looks like a good place to nosh and hang out). read more

Nice place to grab a bite, hang out, and relax. They offer a variety of take-out food options- vegan, soup, sushi, ice cream, chocolate, etc. I've tried most of these places at one point or another. I like grabbing some food and sitting in the outside garden by the Imperial Tea Court. The garden landscape is nice- with a stream, lots of plants, and plenty of seating. It invites you to hang out there. If you want to sit in a shaded as area, go to the benches inside the covered walkway. Come here to relax and enjoy yourself. A quiet little garden tucked inside a Berkeley block. read more

Epicurious Garden offers a wide variety of food eateries: Soop, Lush Gelato, Kirala (to go), Zen Garden, a chocolate store, a mexican restaurant, etc! I LOVE the garden seating/eating area in the back! If you go to the tables at the top of the stairs, you might be able to catch some free wi-fi too :) . I always make a stop if I'm in the general area. If you're at cheeseboard and there's no space to sit inside or at the median, go to the area at the back of Epicurious Garden and you can get some sun there too :) read more