one of our favourite places to eat whenever we're in berkeley! it used to be called intermezzo back in the day, but rebranded as mezzo, still with the same fresh, quality food! the last two times i came, the line was pretty long, out the door, so it took some time to get to the front of the line. when it's your turn, you just tell them whether you want sandwich, soup or salad or combo. my personal favourite is the combo, where i can have half a sandwich and a small salad or cup of soup. mind you, their "small" salad is probably considered a large at most other establishments! i got the berkeley special sandwich (homemade hummus with lots of fresh veggies) on honey wheat bread and a side salad loaded with greens, cherry tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts, chickpeas and croutons, with a side of green goddess dressing. the sando was SO thick i had a hard time eating it! and the hummus was oozing out with every bite, lol! but it was yummy and the veggies super fresh. honestly, i'm not sure i had room left for the salad after the sando, but i did force myself to eat a chunk of it b/c everything was so fresh and i love green goddess dressing, full of herbs and flavour! we sat in the rear patio area, so that we could soak up some sun (it had been quite chilly in berkeley that morning) and enjoyed our healthy food with fresh air. looking forward to my next visit here, hopefully arriving earlier so that i can avoid the lines! read more

Mezzo - combo: 1/2 berkeley special + tossed green salad - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

The fact that I haven't written a review for Mezzo yet is a a very surprising oversight by me. This quaint salad/sandwich spot in the heart of Berkeley campus offers both huge portions and huge variety for a very reasonable price with very fresh ingredients. During college this was my goto spot for something healthy pretty much once a week! Mezzo's is extremely well known for their massive salads - my go to has always been the Chef's Salad w/ Tuna. This would last me for at least two meals - just ask for their poppyseed dressing on the side! With so many other reviews on their salads and sandwiches, I instead want to talk about little bit about their breakfast options. Their breakfast burritos have always had a great balance of ingredients (you get to choose your fillings!) and come out super hot - a great option. However, I think the star of the show for me though has to be their lox toast. Considering the price, I felt that the toast had a massive amount of lox on it, and it was super flavorful and filling. Definitely will be one of my go to's from now on! read more

Still good, though not as good as I remember from a few years ago. I ordered a chicken salad sandwich on a honey wheat bread and a tossed green salad. A lot of bread, two thick slices, for regularly-sized sandwich insides. The salad was delicious. Enough food for two meals or to share. I will return. Excellent customer service. Wait staff was polite, friendly and I was served by smiling faces. read more

A great place to get a large salad. The ingredients are quality and fresh. Situated by a lot of shops and some record stores. Reasonably priced with no waiters! read more

I love love love Mezzo for the vibe, food, and ample sitting and studying space! They have a wonderful menu of feel-good food that is lighter than a lot of options in the area but still filling and generously portioned. Their breakfast burritos are phenomenal. You order on a little paper slip and check off all of the ingredients that you want, They are made fresh and pretty quickly given how busy they get. They are delightfully filling and come with some delicious salsa. The sandwiches and salads are Mezzo's shining stars. The sandwiches are made on HUGE bread and are so flavorful. The salad dressing is also absolutely delicious on the fresh, crunchy veggies. I also think the little piece of pineapple they give you is such a nice touch. I love coming here and reading or working for a few hours, especially on the back patio. read more

No other place like it in the Bay Area. It's an old school salad and an old school sandwich. No frou-frou. Just a big bowl of greens, with croutons, avocado, beans, tomatoes, a half of a hard-boiled egg, and sprouts, topped with your choice of protein and a slice of bread. That's the chef salad, but you can get cheaper salads with fewer items. The people who work here are fantastic. They are courteous and will accommodate requests to leave certain things out. Sometimes, I see those waxy-skinned tomatoes and it looks like it would be work to get through them. Lots of places to sit. I hardly ever go to the back, but there is an outside dining area as well. I wonder if it's more for the adjoining bar. There is also the convenience of multiple restrooms. The faucets are outside of the restrooms, if you just needed to wash your hands before or after you eat. Be kind: bus your own tables. read more

The best salads ever! I've been coming here for decades. It can get busy but it's still worth it. Cafe ambience. Do it! read more

Mezzo - The BIG salad of my youth!!! - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

A great healthy lunch spot in Berkeley! Their sandwiches are so simple yet so delicious. I like that you can do half and half combos here, so I got a half salad and half turkey sandwich. You can choose the bread too, so I chose ciabatta -- which was so good!! Really crusty, chewy, and amazing flavor. Next time I really want to try the jalapeño cheddar bread. I loved all the sandwich ingredients (especially the sprouts! what a unique very californian addition) and everything felt so fresh and healthy. The salad was very light, and the green goddess greek yogurt dressing is delicious. I do wish the salad had more interesting and varied ingredients though or some protein/fats; it's a very typical salad mix. It's also a huge portion for around $15 total -- the sandwich alone was very filling and satisfying. Would recommend getting your salad dressing mixed in because it was a challenge mixing it in myself. Their outdoor patio is so cute, with lots of seating. Service is quick and efficient as well. read more

Mezzo - half salad half turkey sandwich - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

This is my go to lunch spot when I attend Cal Berkeley football games. They have the best bread. The BLTA is loaded with bacon and avocado. I can't wait to go back! read more

Mezzo - BLTA half sandwich and half salad - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

I love the food here, but the people making the salads regularly forget things, which is pretty frustrating. This time around, my chef salad was lacking croutons, and they forgot to add the meat to both of my friend's salads! If you've gotten your order to-go, you're out of luck. read more

Love Mezzo!!! I've always seen it whenever I went to Raleigh's and finally had the opportunity to try it. I loved that there were a lot of different options for bread, produce, protein, etc. It really gave me the opportunity to build my sandwich exactly the way I liked it. The sandwich was also ginormous so I was able to eat half and save the other half for later. It was a great sandwich and all the ingredients tasted very fresh. I sat in the back patio on a day with sunny weather and had an amazing lunch! The outdoor seating is spacious, clean, and very aesthetically pleasing. Had a great time and would definitely come back! read more

Mezzo - Italian Salami Sandwich - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

What can I say, surprising and refreshing above all awesome awesome! If I was to take anything away from this experience, they should cut the sandwiches equally proportion lol read more

Mezzo - A whole bunch of awesomeness - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

Second time here and the service is very offputting and uncomfortable to order with staff. Their tone was rude when ordering food. I had no customizations and was only telling them the order of my sandwich. It generally felt weirdly aggressive for no reason Hopefully, they can work on creating a more welcoming atmosphere, because right now, the service definitely takes away from the overall experience. read more

Mezzo is a good bang for your buck place with well-balanced, healthy food. The line is always out the door because the service is quick. It's like cafeteria-style ordering. I got the half salad half sandwich combo. The portion is really big, especially the salad. For the sandwich, I got pastrami on wheat with everything in it. The bread was really good and the vegetables taste super fresh. The pastrami tasted a bit like hot dog so I would order a different protein next time. I got Greek goddess dressing with my salad, which tasted yummy and homemade. The fresh pineapple slice include was super sweet and delicious. I had a mint lemonade which was refreshing and not too sweet. Great quick casual spot for a meal. read more

Mezzo - Half sandwich salad Pastrami on wheat. Salad with Greek goddess dressing - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

MEZZO!! LET'S GO!! What a delicious delicious experience here. I came in when it looked a little slow, and I honestly had no clue what to get. I decided to do the BLTA on some kind of whole grain bread with the works, pickled jalapeños added, extra pickles ots, and the chipotle aioli on the side. The shorter man with a mustache who took my order made me the most delicious sandwich ever! It was genuinely everything I could have wanted. There's a perfect balance of bacon and all the vegetables on it. The mayo and dijon add to the smoothness of the avocado, and it all melts together in the best flavor profile ever. The chipotle aioli was also absolutely delicious for dipping the sandwich into. It would've been really amazing inside the sandwich as well, but truthfully it's not a necessity with all the other well balanced aspects of it. The sprouts were a surprising addition that added a little extra texture-wise and I would think nutrient wise, or at least it made me feel healthier. They were also really good. I do have a bone to pick with the pickles. Why would y'all ruin pickles by making them soooo sweet ?? I don't mind a little sweetness in a pickle, but the taste of these pickles were borderline offensive. For comparison, it's as if they made a 20 oz jar of pickles and added a 14 oz portion of sugar. Not a good taste in my opinion. It took away from the experience honestly. The ambiance of the place was kind of okay. Not my favorite because it was so loud next door but the workers keep everything neat and theyre pretty friendly. I did get a mango green tea that tasted nothing like mango or green tea, but it was still a really tasty drink. It all came out to around 18 bucks, which I thought was pretty worth it. All in all, I DEFINITELY will be coming back. read more

The Mediterranean salad here is my go-to. Lots of olives, cucumbers, and feta, with a nice lemony dressing. I added grilled shrimp and it was a perfect match. Everything tasted fresh and the portion was really filling. The space was cute and service was on point. It's a great option when I want something lighter but still satisfying. I always leave feeling good. read more

Mezzo - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

I was in the mood for a salad and the pics here won me over. Located on Telegraph Ave, you'll have to search for metered parking. The line was out the door at 1:30pm on a Wednesday, but it moved pretty fast. Once it's your turn, you relay your order and it gets made as you wait. It's chaotic to watch and kind of a mess, but the end result is good. I ordered the Veggie Delight, which comes with no protein and added Green Goddess dressing on the side. A large slice of wheat bread tops this ginormous salad, which contained egg, avocado, sprouts, kidney and garbanzo beans, and lots of cucumbers and carrots. Croutons were mentioned on the menu, but none were added to my salad. The salad was super fresh and filling and I was glad that I didn't add protein. Also ordered was the Chicken Salad Sandwich on sea salt sourdough. The portions here are huge and along with the salad, this could have been shared. The chicken salad was delicious! There is lots of seating inside and outside. We enjoyed the spacious outdoor patio. Overall, a great place to grab a nicely sized salad or sandwich that can easily be customized at a decent price. read more

See all

Seeing a line out the door of a restaurant is usually a good sign in downtown Berkeley, where there is an abundance of tempting food options. I decided to brave the line because a friend highly recommended Mezzo. Fortunately, the line moved quickly, and I had just barely decided what to get by the time it was my turn to order. I opted for the half Berkeley Surprise sandwich / half bowl of greens combo. What everyone says about the generous portion sizes is true; the half sandwich / salad combo was enough food for at least 1.5 meals. The Berkeley Surprise sandwich was STUFFED with hummus and veggies. While it was delicious, I'd advise grabbing extra napkins, since the hummus ends up everywhere. I'd also recommend ordering your sandwich on the artichoke bread, if it's available. I ordered my bowl of greens with the Green Goddess dressing which was delicious; however, I wish they had been more generous with the dressing due to the sheer volume of lettuce and tomatoes. In terms of ambiance, there is plenty of communal indoor and patio seating, and I was able to easily find a table for my group of six on a Friday evening. read more

Mezzo - Half bowl of greens / half Berkeley Surprise sandwich on artichoke bread - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

Finding a salad spot in the East Bay shouldn't be as hard as it is, but if you're like me and always looking for one...Mezzo in Berkeley never disappoints! Quite honestly, Mezzo has the best value for the huge portions given ~ come with an appetite and make sure to take out your phone when presented with their giant salads & hefty slice of complimentary, homemade honey wheat bread. Everything is so fresh & the service behind the counter is incredible fast and friendly. Personally, I love working with the Mezzo team on adding fun items to my salads. You really can't go wrong with anything from the menu if you're not in the mood for a salad ~ their soups, sandwiches, combination options and although haven't tried this yet, but word is their morning options like the new breakfast burrito pairs super well with their beautiful coffee bar offerings! What our family & friends love about this spot also is the option to sit indoor/outdoor in their backyard garden area, and of course that Mezzo is conveniently located on the iconic Telegraph Ave. for pre or post~meal fun! There is a spot next door called Raleigh's Pub if anyone in your party is looking for something more to sip on! Parking can be spotty, but there is a garage nearby if needed. Enjoy! read more

See all

HUGE portions for the value. I can see why college students love this place. I got the half tuna salad sandwich and tossed green salad. The poppy seed dressing on the salad is something special. The sandwich was also really delicious! My brother got the BLTA and it was marvelous! The avocado is a game-changer in this sandwich - a must-get! Come to Mezzo for a healthy and tasty meal that won't break your wallet. read more

Mezzo - Half tuna salad sandwich and tossed green salad - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

ordered the veggie delight salad, and the portion size was absolutely huge and filled with fresh ingredients.

Great salads! The chef salad with chicken salad is tasty. Line moves pretty fast. Could be neater Sometimes the food area looks sloppy, with pieces of vegetables spilling over the metal compartments, often they just put the food back, which doesn't seem like the cleanest move. The salads are served to go in a box, with a wedge of pineapple on top They also give you a big piece of wheat bread and a pat of butter, tastes homemade! Generous portions, usually fresh and tasty Soups used to be great, but now look and taste watery. I wouldn't order them again. Chicken salad and tuna sandwiches are good. Haven't tried any others, but the look delicious read more

We drove there couple time and they close before 10 pm one day they were close around 9:15 pm another day like 9:30 pm so please if you're hours are flexible please put that on your website so we know because we drive there then find out close it is disappointing read more

Local heritage establishment from my college days. Still the same menu and same food. I still usually get the half sandwich half salad combo. The poppyseed dressing and honey wheat bread is legendary. Service is fast and good so don't let a line discourage you. Their lemonade is really good so I usually get an Arnold Palmer which is half tea half lemonade. Came today with a high school friend who also went to CAL. The food is delicious and my favorites are the BLTA, tuna salad, and turkey. If you are in the area, def check it out. There is a nice outdoor space they share in the back they share with Raleigh's that is nice. read more

See all

I ordered the combo with half sandwich and half salad, breakfast burrito, hot coffee, and mint ice coffee. Everything came out to be $30, so it's super worth. They really pack on the food. I got the salad with green goddess dressing and it was super yummy and fresh. The breakfast burrito was only $8.50 and you get to choose as many fillings as you like! Honestly super filling! The mint coffee was just ok for me. I was expecting it to be more minty. Ordering was a bit confusing tho. There's a line on the right where you order the sandwich and salads. Then you move to the cash register to pay. But you also order the breakfast burrito with the staff at the cash register. read more

See all

Favorite salad place in Berkeley! One salad can feed me for 2-3 meals! It's packed with so many great ingredients. They also have sandwiches and combos if you'd rather do that. read more

Chicken salad sandwich on milk bread was HUGE! So tasty. Came with a good sized salad with fresh sprouts. I would ask for extra dressing next time as it was lightly dressed. Very good healthy meal. Worth the wait in line. read more

Mezzo - Chicken salad sandwich on milk bread with side salad - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

Nice casual place with good food. I get the feeling it might be a good place for breakfast or brunch. I went in the afternoon and ordered a very good sandwich made to order with fresh ingredients. I got one to take home for my brother and he loved it. read more

Salad and sandwiches combo never fails to fill the belly and warm the heart. Enjoy your next meal all in one at this long-time Berkeley staple. read more

You honestly can't find a better deal in Berkeley for the sheer size of the salads they give you. The house-made honey wheat bread they include on the side is always incredibly soft and fresh. read more

Their salads are the bomb. They also do half sandwich /salad options. The portions are humongous. They have veggie options of course. They have been around forever. They rebuilt after the fire. They even let me try a dressing so i wouldnt hate my salad. Love this place. read more

This is a bright, clean and trendy spot. The sandwiches and soups were delicious. I love the mint lemonade. I had the BLTA, half a sandwich, it was so good I wanted more. read more

See all

I've been going to Intermezzo since 1996. This last experience might be my last. It was glorious for many years but they really need to work on consistency. The wait in line for a sandwich is agonizing (20 min at 2pm!) and the workers have the facial expression of folks working in a gulag. The whole trough looks disorderly and borderline sanitary. My half sandwich/salad combo was a miss. Maybe I pine for the old days but this was a major miss for me. Not worth the time, effort, or money. read more

Mezzo - half sandwich/salad combo - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

First of all, this is a cute lunch spot near campus. The patio is large with plenty of seating. And I loved the flowers at each table. I ordered a half sandwich (gigantic!) and half salad (also gigantic!). Don't come here if you want a small portion! Even though the portions are massive, a dressed salad and sloppy sandwich don't save well. The sandwich was overloaded with mayo and the bread was super thick - it was quite challenging to eat! Unfortunately, the salad looked better than it tasted. :/ I had a nice lunch outside with my friends. But next time, I think I'll just grab a coffee here. read more

Mezzo - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

Delicious salads with a nice protein option of tofu, chicken salad, or tuna salad. Super filling and huge. I am just still trying to get used to paying almost $20 for a lunchtime meal, let alone a lunchtime salad. But, to be fair, there is enough food (especially if you include the beans they offer, but I don't like cold beans) to be two small to medium-sized salads. Bread is also delicious. read more

staff here is always so friendly and welcoming, even when they are completely slammed with orders. They do a great job keeping the tables clean and wiping things down between customers. read more

yeay my fave spot close to my apartment. Whenever I'm craving a giant salad or a good bowl of soup, this is the place to go. Their breakfast burritos are also really fire if you can make it there before 11am (or might be 10am). Love their combo where you can choose two of either a half salad, soup, or sandwich. If you're getting salad, definitely get the poppy seed dressing!! Their whole wheat honey toast is also amazing! They give great portion sizes so super cost efficient for college students. Vibes inside are great. Service is decent. Only downside is that there's usually always a line during lunch hours but goes pretty fast! read more

Mezzo - Half Salad + Half Sandwich - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

Ive been coming here for probably 30 years ( minus when closed after a fire). Their salad is my absolute favorite. Easily enough to share with another person. But also great to take 1/2 home as leftovers. I order the chef salad which is their veggie delight with protein. I always choose the hummus as my protein as it's super creamy and flavorful. The salad has lettuce, cabbage, carrots, cucumber, egg, tomatoes, sprouts, avocado, kidney beans and garbanzo beans. (Hoping I'm not missing anything). I like their poppy seed dressing and they don't over dress the salad which is great. The salad comes with a big hunk of their most delicious bread. They also make sandwiches (with their delicious homemade bread) and have a soup of the day. The prices are super reasonable. $15.95 for the chef salad. It is counter service where they make the salad right in front of you. Their outside patio is inviting and spacious. It does get busy when Berkeley is in session as it's right in telegraph street. Very popular with the college students. I wish there was one of these in Palo Alto. I'd go everyday!!! read more

I asked for jalapeños in my salad and they forgot to add it... a big salad and a huge piece of bread for $9 isn't bad! The poppy seed dressing was really good and I'd get it again. I tasted my friend's herb dressing and it was STRONG herbs. While I love herbs it was almost too much for me to want to eat a whole salad with it. I'd definitely come back as it was a healthy fresh salad and bread was super tasty. There is lots of seating with some wall plugs which was nice since I needed to charge my electronics to do some work. Water is self service behind the counter. Came on a Saturday evening and the line got pretty long out the door but seemed to move at an okay pace. read more

Mezzo - Tossed greens - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

Lunch is my favorite meal of the day and absolutely nothing beats a salad/sandwich combo in my books. The line was out the door when I came in with some friends on a Wednesday around noon. It gave us plenty of time to figure out what we wanted to order. The line went quick and the workers were efficient. Some people say the service isn't stellar but can you expect them to be super energetic when making a million salads and sandwiches b2b?? I got the BLTA on cheddar jalapeño sourdough which was so good. Everything was super fresh, refreshing, and the portions were LARGE. The poppyseed dressing is a must get and my dad who went to Cal a million years ago still remembers it from his innermezzo days. Mezzo is THEE lunch spot in Berkeley and hits the spot every time. read more

Mezzo - Line - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all