Fava is an excellent grab and go lunch spot in the Gourmet Ghetto. Run by two Chez Panisse alums,…read moreit somehow manages to feel thoughtful but also, unfussy. Order at the counter, grab a seat at orange cafe seating outside. Their puffy flatbread is made in-house daily with whole wheat flour and finished on a plancha. The pita is airy, chewy, crisped at the edges, and has a toasty flavor. It's the base of an excellent falafel sandwich with flash-pickled purple cabbage, yogurt, hot sauce, and a top layer of fresh mint, parsley, and dill. (They also have lamb and chicken versions of this sandwich.) The line moves fast, the staff is warm and genuinely friendly and engaging. The mango lassi was delicious. One of the better casual lunches I've had recently, at around $22.

Had to try out this popular lunch spot in Berkeley before leaving the area for good. I ordered the…read morebraised lamb wrap, and my boyfriend got the chicken plate. Of course, I also had to order a tahini chocolate cookie, which ended up being the star of the show. The braised lamb itself was tender and juicy, but to be honest there were way too many herbs on top (dill, parsley, mint). I enjoyed the wrap and purple cabbage. The chicken plate was just okay...the chicken was a little dry and the rest of the ingredients didn't feel the most cohesive. Tahini chocolate cookie was thin but massive in surface area. Great nutty flavor, enhanced by the dark chocolate. It was the perfect in between of slightly crispy exterior and soft, dense interior. Would come back just for this cookie.

I am not vegan, went here with a vegan friend. Seriously could've fooled me. The food was really…read moregood! all of it. I've gone back several times and tried different variations but the pesto "chicken" sandwich is one of my faves. There must be some sorcery going on in that kitchen because I have never been to another vegan spot that pulls it off like they do The lines out front back my point up. Don't let them deter you Its very much worth the wait.

This place gets really busy during lunch hours and is on a cute street in downtown Berkeley so…read moreparking is tough just for those planning to drive here. This is a great grab and go option location because to order you go up to the cashier at front and stand in line to place order and can seat yourself. There is both indoor and outdoor seating which is nice but again gets crowded fast. Everything is vegan which is good for anyone with dietary restrictions and the food did not take more than 20 minutes to come out. The location is feels homey and cafe like. Food wise I would say everything was good but nothing to be absolutely blown away by. Definitely would come back here to grab a quick bite if in mood for American style vegan food or in a rush to get something, but nothing that I would say is a must try or unique for myself at least.

Cali Alley is one of my go-to spots... I'm constantly trying to convince people to meet me there…read morefor lunch, or telling them to just DoorDash it because it's that good. It's also one of those places that makes you want to stay. The food is consistently fresh, flavorful, and generous. Every time I come here, I tell myself I'll pace myself... and every time I fail because it's just that good. The burgers are loaded and perfectly balanced, the fries are always crisp (never soggy, which is rare), and everything tastes high-quality and made to order. You have to try the chicken and waffles. The waffle batter tastes homemade and the butter takes it to another level... it's one of those dishes you keep thinking about after. I'll even DoorDash it all the way to Jingletown. The patio setup is really well done... there's a mix of larger tables for groups and higher bar-style seating for smaller hangs. The wooden furniture and cushioned benches make it comfortable, and they've got heaters for colder days and umbrellas when it's sunny, so you can usually pick your ideal spot. You order at the window and then just hang out while you wait... it's a relaxed flow and the food comes out pretty quickly. The staff are always kind and welcoming, and the whole place has a relaxed, homey vibe with really good music. Highly recommend... just come hungry.

Cali Alley is one of those places I have looked at thousands of times when trying to figure out…read morewhat to order on Door Dash or Uber Eats. The food always looked really good, but for whatever reason I always ended up ordering from somewhere else. Well, I finally did it. I finally ordered from Cali Alley, and all I have to say is, why did I wait so darn long? Door Dash was having a 2-for-1 deal on the Cali Alley Burger, so I ordered one of those (and got another for free) , as well as on the small mac and cheese, so I ended up with two of those as well. I got fries as he side for the burgers and saved the second burger and mac and cheese for the next day. I also bought a small side of veggie fried rice for lunch later in the week. OK, let's start with the fries ... wow. Super crispy. Don't know what they do to them, but I think I almost ate all the fries that came with one of the burgers before I even touched the burger. The fries seemed to have a coating like some fries do to make them extra crispy on the outside. Whatever it was, it made them so good, I couldn't stop eating them. I was almost too full for the burger. But who are we kidding? If there is one thing I am good at, it is eating more than I should. The burger, which is described on Door Dash as "char grilled, fresh ground brisket and short rib burger, served on a toasted brioche fun with crisp lettuce, tomato onion marmalade and garlic aioli" was thick and incredibly flavorful. I couldn't stop eating that, either. It was that good. I ordered it medium, and it was pretty pink, but it was sooooooo flavorful, and all the toppings worked well together. I didn't get any cheese on it because I wanted to try to burger by itself and not mask it with cheese. I might try adding cheese next time, but honestly the burger is so good, I almost wouldn't want to cover up its flavor with cheese. Oh, I almost forgot. When you order on Door Dash, you can opt to have them include a small side of their chocolate-chipotle bbq sauce, and I highly recommend that you get it. It's a really interesting flavor and is good for dipping the fries in. I didn't try putting it on the burger, but that might be good, too. The mac and cheese was OK. It's important to note that I enjoyed the flavor but it is more of an eggy consistency than a saucy mac and cheese if that makes sense. It has a nice kick of black pepper, which I liked, though. The vegetarian fried rice was also fine but could have used a little salt. All that to say, don't be like me and procrastinate, get the Cali Alley Burger and fries ASAP.

I hadn't had quiche in so long and I saw Gregoire had it on their menu so I decided to try it out…read more It did not disappoint! The quiche was delicious and filling, the salad dressing was also very tasty, and the potato puffs tasted a lot like the potato patties I grew up with in my childhood, which was a good surprise. For dessert we tried the blueberry mousse, which was a perfect light sweet treat after a big meal. Service was fast and the staff went above and beyond to provide a positive experience. Will definitely come back!

This joint could work on any corner in any city in the world!…read moreTop notch service, excellent marketing, merchandising, and staff. Mostly a walk-in window, but there is a table outside with maybe a total of 4 to 6 seat seats. They got's it all! Very delicious sandwiches. I had the cauliflower and my buddy had the chicken- off the hook- Bomb Diggity! And the potato puffs are from heaven!! Insane in the membrane. The staff is on point and remarkable . Just left there again today. Great experience as always and delicious food.

WOW. KO Stop completely exceeded our expectations. We came for the Korean fried chicken and left…read moreplanning our next visit. The chicken was ridiculously crispy, juicy, and packed with flavor. You could tell everything was fried in clean oil because it tasted so fresh and light. It was also our first time trying tteokbokki and we're officially hooked! My favorite dish was the curry with the fried shrimp, and the lychee mocktail was the perfect pairing. Even the sides were incredible, and don't even get me started on the cheese pulls. What really made this place special was the people. It's a small team that genuinely cares about what they're serving, and you can feel that from the moment you walk in. The customer service was warm, welcoming, and made the entire experience even better. If you're anywhere near Berkeley, do yourself a favor and stop by. This is exactly the kind of local business I love supporting. 100/10 and we'll absolutely be back!

This is a great option for Korean fried chicken right by campus, especially for students looking…read morefor something tasty at a reasonable price. You order on a screen, and the chicken takes about 10 minutes to prepare. The servers were also incredibly hospitable and friendly, which made the experience even better. The chicken is definitely best eaten right away in the restaurant if you want to enjoy that crispy skin. They also offer different flavors of soju and Terra beer. I do wish they had a few more beer options, like Sapporo, Asahi, or Blue Moon, since chicken and beer go so well together. Overall, it's a great spot if you're already on campus, though probably not somewhere I'd go out of my way to travel to.

Freshroll is a fresh and convenient restaurant I love stopping by for a quick lunch! I absolutely…read morelove getting their freshrolls with a different variety of proteins and their nam nam saice. Their nam nam sauce is so delicious, I've tried recreating it at home because it's so good. The pricing is also amazing! One freshroll is only $5.85 and packed with very fresh ingredients. I haven't tried any of their other items because I love their freshrolls, but I would love to try other items next time. Service is always fast and helpful, while the restaurant is small but has a few tables and seats you can sit at to enjoy your food. Fantastic spot I'd recommend anyone in the area to check out!

earned a star for: 1. great food, always consistent…read more2. quick service 3. reasonable prices

One of the best buckets of chicken I've ever had I can't say enough good things about it and they…read morewill pull the meat from the bone so it's still flavorful, and you can just chow down without worrying about bones. Don't sleep on this place if you're into fried chicken

Their chicken had no seasoning very bland just hard fried batter. I didn't get all the positive…read morereviews. Maybe I went on a bad day.

Unbelievable sandwiches. I have never had a sandwich like the one I…read moreHad here ! Exceptional and delicious!

An acceptable place to get a sandwich. There's other stuff to buy here including drinks. Off the…read morepath of a lot of people, but you could go here anyway. The restaurant is darkly lit with limited space.