I stumbled upon Nuha's while taking some side streets to get to University Ave. I was trying to get…read moreto a gig on time but I was hungry and needed something to satisfy me. The reason it caught my eye was the line of students overflowed out into the streets likely waiting on coffee orders. There's quite a few coffee spots in this area but this one seemed really popular. I decided to peek in to see what the hype was about. This place is a hole in the wall -NOT AESTHETICALLY- like it is so small in there you can't stand around inside.... you have to wait outside to get your order. I'm not a coffee fan so I didn't check that menu. But I noticed there were some grab and go items and a cooler with lots of refrigerated drinks. I saw some pre-made sandwiches to go and ended up grabbing the avocado, pesto with feta sandwich. Yum! It ran about $6- it comes on a really soft round baguette. The avocado was fresh and creamy- the feta was the right amount of funky against the pesto flavor. I tore that sandwich down! Ten out of ten- I would take BART back to Berkeley just for this sammie. Next time, I'll see what the tea selection is looking like. On my way back from the gig heading to BART- it was now lunchtime and the line outside was doubled so their drinks must be hella good!

I was talking on the phone about wanting a sandwich and the employee, who happened to be the son of…read morethe owner, said they have the best sandwiches so I naturally had to try! he quickly wrapped up this turkey pesto sando on a croissant bc they were out of all their bread after the lunch rush. it was a great sandwich! I was only a little sad that I got charged the price of a regular sandwich despite them not having the bread

Yum! The Belgium waffle was amazing! Ordered the make your own with Nutella and strawberries…read more Texture of the waffle is a bit like croffles, and has just the right amount of chewiness. Service was okay, your order at a tablet and then you have to wait outside until they call you. Sadly there is no seating, so ambiance was okay. Feedback to the owners: open the cafe space or try to provide seating.

Came on a Saturday night and the one kiosk they have was out of service + there was a 30 minute…read morewait for my waffle. I got the gempire state of mind (nutella, ice cream, strawberries, and banananas) and it was a good standard waffle, but nothing I couldn't make at home. There's no seating inside or outside so you kinda just have to wait outside or roam around nearby until you get a text.

Great food , amazing coffee , Great place , great service and great ambiance .. loved this place…read moreand I recommend

Perfect brunch place for a group, many menu options and seats! My party got a caramel macchiato,…read morehot chocolate, green tea and a chai latte, all turned out great. Everyone loved what they got, croissant sandwich, egg/avocado toast, bagel sandwich (pictured). So nice to see they have gluten-free toast available! Service was quick especially for the amount we ordered. Everyone was nice, especially the worker that hand scooped our Booza icecream at the end. Didn't even get a picture because we were too excited to try it!

Looking for another spot to grab coffee in the El Cerrito/Kensington area? Did you know Benchmark…read morehas a grab & go secondary spot essentially across the street from their restaurant and next to Semifreddi's Bakery in the Colusa Circle, Kensington? Now ya do! On a recent Farmers Market morning I noticed they had a blueberry matcha and I couldn't stop thinking about it. I've been on the hunt for fun summer flavors, and blueberry is a new one for me. I finally had a moment to stop back in and noticed the "Summerween" menu. How fun and unique! Service was great, and I ended up trying both the blueberry matcha and the butter brew latte. Both so different, but honestly so delicious. Thoughtful detail for each, and snaps to the cold foam(s)! Benchmark Portavia also has to-go brekky sandwiches and pizza of the day slices, meatballs, salads, dressings, sweet treats, and frozen cookie dough, full pizzas, and more. They are also a small market with a few shelves of jarred and packaged goods. This spot is perfect for grabbing something to-go for just you, creating the ambiance for a yummy cozy night in/date night, or grabbing a gift for someone for a housewarming. To note, those cookie dough balls are divine!

The sandwiches are all tough bread and no filling. Similar to a French sandwich, but for the price…read moreyou should get a lot more.

Great food, great service and atmosphere! I had the lemon ricotta pancake special, and partner had…read morethe s'mores crepes. He gobbled up his right away; I could only finish a third of mine, which he happily ate up. We're going back tomorrow!

fantastic. they serve more than just crepes. all around good food. had the chili verde which was…read morefantastic. had a few savory crepes which were all delicious. and the sweets were good too. overall great experience. will come again when we're in berkeley.

My hair salon is near here. I've walked by it many times, even paused to look at the menu several…read moretimes. Such great offerings but when I'm getting my hair done, I'm in a rush to go back home/work. I finally made the time to visit Etoile! My sister was in town and getting her hair done. She needed a ride to the salon so off we went! We had an almond milk latte and a regular latte. We ordered it for here, so we asked to have them served in mugs. The lattes were delicious! There a good mix of students studying here. And some people working. It was a pretty quiet group when we were there. My sister and I sat at the counter and chatted very quietly. Nicely decorated inside. I love independently owned cafes like these! We also got a breakfast sandwich, but they are made to order and it took awhile, so we had it packed it up to go because she didn't want to be late to her hair appointment. Sandwich was great! Service was great! I'd love to go back and order from their lunch menu!

This is a cute little cafe spot right by Trader Joe's. You order and pay at the front, and they…read morecall your order out when it's ready. The workers and the owner were all very kind and welcoming. I got there a little after they opened in the morning. As for the food, I ordered the kimchi fried rice along with the chicken and croffle. The fried chicken tasted a bit interesting. I'm not sure if the frying temperature was off or if it had something to do with the condition of the oil, but the texture of the breading wasn't quite right. I used to work at a fried chicken shop in Korea, so it was a texture I recognized--the coating was fully cooked and wasn't necessarily soggy, but there was no real crunch. Instead of being crispy, the breading was soft and kind of gave way when you bit into it. Unfortunately, I couldn't continue eating it. I'd give the chicken a 2/5. As for the kimchi fried rice, I liked the addition of cilantro and beets, which gave it a refreshing touch. My only issue was that the kimchi itself was way too sour for kimchi fried rice. I don't mind fermented or sour kimchi, but in this case, the sourness overpowered the rest of the dish. Overall, the cafe itself is cute and the people working there were genuinely very kind. I just wish the food had been a little better, especially the fried chicken. Will be back next time to try out the coffee!! It is a cafe after all.

Soooo tasty. I love authentic Mexican food and the portions are great. Everyone is friendly and the…read moreservice was pretty quick. There isn't a lot of seating but I got my meal to go.

I like visiting the town of berkeley..I'm older now...eventually ...nice here..sunny...nice…read moretown...walkable...Bart...u pay for transportation and library card..taxes...it's nice and drink soda and snacks...fun place near the college...for me an asian girl..I'm older though

THE BEST BROWNIE EVER IS FOUND HERE. The brownie was moist, rich melt in your mouth. It was…read moreeverything I could ask for in a baked good. Additionally, it is located basically on campus...er... campus adjacent!!

So refreshing to have an all vegan bakery-like shop!…read more I created my own cinnamon roll and boy was I in a food coma! All their concoctions are great, and you can get creative to make your own or their already-made selections. My husband and I the college-vibe ambiance, very hip and friendly. Highly recommend. So happy we have this in the Bay Area!