Vault Cafe

I was very satisfied with my breakfast, the coffee strong the way it should be and the waiter was…read moreawesome very attentive with fast service.

The service is always friendly, attentive and helpful. There are several dishes on the menu that…read morewe always go to, the waffle fries, the time life cookbook, demon lover, and the luncheon salad with shrimp, and chopped Cobb salad.. One of our "go to" spots!

Indoor seating

Chicken and Waffle

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Steak Frites

Nina's Cafe

4.3(165 reviews)

•$

Super homey hidden cafe. Nina is the sweetest and so hospitable…read more Good food and drinks. A bit pricier than I expected but happy to support a local small business. Great spot to do work too.

Such a cute little cafe!! Stumbled upon this place as I was on a walk, and I was warmly welcomed. I…read morewas unfamiliar with a lot of the pastries but Nina didn't hesitate to help me pick the right one, so delicious! I stayed for a while and after I finished she came up to me and took my plate and even offered the Wi-Fi. It was a pleasant experience and I even took some to go. :)

Breakfast Burrito

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Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley

4.3(1.2k reviews)

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 !

Very cute little bakery in a quaint area surrounded by other small shops and plenty of outdoor…read moreseating! The bakery itself seems to mainly be a takeout spot, with minimal indoor seating which felt pretty inconvenient given the limited space for customers, however it did seem to serve more of a purpose as a waiting area anyways. The structure of the bakery leaves a bit to be desired as well, as we found the glass display cases as the only form of menu, so being in the front of the line while still deciding what to order caused some unnecessary anxiety. Regardless of those nitpicks, the baked goods themselves were pretty good! Service was instant, and all of the treats looked delicious--it was hard to choose what we wanted! Our favorites were the Thai Tea and Ube Coconut Mochi Donuts. Both had really strong flavors--the Ube in particular was very clear in comparison to most other Ube desserts in my experience. The textures of the mochi donuts were really well done too, with soft exteriors and chewy, glutinous interiors. The same can be said about the Mochi Muffins, though with crunchier parts around the edges. We found the contrast of textures to actually work really well! However, the flavors of the Muffins were lacking a bit--the Red Velvet didn't stand out much, with the frosting tasting a bit too sweet, and while the Five Spice had a really interesting flavor, it was also a bit too sweet, drowning out the more unique citrusy flavor. Overall, however, all four of the goods we had were enjoyable eats, and would definitely return some time to try out other flavors!

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

Pandan Mochi Donut

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Mochi donuts

Tarocco

4.5(93 reviews)

1.3 mi•West Berkeley

5 stars $27.26 for a…read more2 "salad" lunch plus Spanish omelette. Grilled purple cabbage was warm, beautifully charred and seasoned. Potato and radish salad was light, flavorful and really focused on bringing out the ingredients flavors Spanish patata was a hell of a potato omelette creation. Is it a little expensive? Sure. But is every $ on the plate? Yes.

Delicious! Every time! The ambiance is chill. The staff are very friendly. The food is healthy…read more It's a great lunch spot.

Indoor seating

Cardamom Rose Latte

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Inside. So cute

Tanzie's

4.5(304 reviews)

1.0 mi•West Berkeley

Awesome!!!!! Such a…read morecute spot. Decoration was so charming and what made this place even better were their customer service and food! It was a busy lunch time with long line but they handle it very well. Line moved quick and food came out fast too. Precise but concise menu with great presentation. My friends and I tried both of their special and didn't feel regret at all. Will definitely come back

What went well: the lava egg and pork jowl are amazingggg. The chicken special was cooked extremely…read moretenderly. The other dishes we got were good as well but those were the standouts. The interior is cozy and cute and Tanzie herself is working and greeting everyone! What could have been improved: I do wish the special came with rice since it's saucy and most of the entrees come with rice (they were clear about this so I wasn't surprised). A friend doesn't love peanuts and the fried rice has peanuts mixed in already. We had to ask the servers a few times for boxes and bags. They gave the same box for all the foods so our saucy dishes soaked through the box.

Real floral arrangements

Moo Yang: Grilled Pork Jowl w/ local honey, crispy garlic, lava egg, brown rice ($22)

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Strawberry makrut matcha

Cafe Buenos Aires

4.6(17 reviews)

1.3 mi•West Berkeley

This location has the best tasting empanadas in my opinion! They're consistently bomb. I've never…read morebitten into one and had to spit it out like other locations... They have good coffee, good service, and recently added refreshers. I am obsessed with them! Soooo good. Def a hidden gem.

WOW! Drove through this place on our way back to Texas from Sausalito and we absolutely loved the…read morefood! My teenagers devoured the empanadas and were fighting over the chimichurri (not that they give you a small portion, it was just that delicious) BTW don't worry about getting too much, get the third or fourth empanada per person because despite the empanadas being a very good size, they are absolutely delicious and you will be left wanting more. The mushroom and Nopales empanadas were absolutely divine, the carne picada was to die for. My kids said the Chorizo was super yum as well, and the peach one was chefs kiss!!! The smoothies were so yummy and refreshing, we got the Mango Banana, Strawberries & banana and the Açaí one which was perfect. The service was super friendly, and I will make sure to stop by again next time we are in town.

Indoor coffee bar

Beef Empinada

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Freshly warmed pumpkin empanada

Café Etoile

4.5(257 reviews)

1.6 mi•Downtown Berkeley

Wanted to try this place since I heard it was also Korean-inspired. The place was so crowded even…read morethough it was quite spacious but got lucky with a table on at a busy brunch time. The coffee & kimchi fried rice were to-taste but the chicken & croffle was absolutely a game changer (first time trying) - amazingly tender/juicy chicken and crispy croffle with a hint of sugar. Will definitely come back to try out more on a less busy day!

A cute concept and aesthetic space, but the food didn't quite come together for me…read more Stopped by Cafe Etoile after a doctor's appointment because I was in the mood for brunch. Their menu showed items like waffles and croissant French toast, which sounded really promising. I decided to try the croissant French toast and really wanted to like it. The croissant itself had potential, but the egg mixture was very heavy and lacked some of the warm flavors you typically expect in French toast, like cinnamon or vanilla. Even with the berries and syrup, it still leaned very egg-forward. I also ordered a side of bacon for some extra protein, and that was actually cooked really well. For drinks, I tried the strawberry latte with the vanilla bean soft top. I initially expected more of a coffee-forward drink, but it was much sweeter and reminded me more of an elevated strawberry milk. The space itself is cute and gives more of a social, aesthetic hangout vibe than a traditional brunch spot. Parking can also be a bit tricky. There's free parking in the Trader Joe's garage nearby, but it's unclear whether parking there while dining at the café is allowed. Overall, I liked the concept and atmosphere more than the actual food during this visit.

Fried kimchi rice with Korean beef Cream and Berries Croffle

Kimchi Fried Rice | Ig: @eat_with_jeleneeee

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Dining area

Cafe M

4.0(2.1k reviews)

2.1 mi•West Berkeley

Absolutely delicious. Checked Yelp for some of their most popular things which ended up to be the…read moreChicken Pesto Crepe and the Coconut French Toast and they definitely did not disappoint. I could totally see why those were some of the most commonly ordered fishes at Cafe M because they were both so good! The Chicken Pesto Crepe was absolutely delicious and what made them even better were their homemade potatoes, perfectly seasoned and also their texture was great. Once we got tired of eating salty, we switched to the Coconut French Toast and it was also very tasty; the coconut flakes were such a great addition to something so standard. I would come back again and get these two things again because that's how good they were. Overall, 4.6 stars for me and I definitely will be back!

I wanted to update my review after some time has passed. This place is good, but I would caution…read moreagainst using the delivery option, as my experience with it was somewhat unpredictable and unpleasant. Since my original review, I returned for a team-building event and had a much better experience. (Dine in) The food was great, the service was attentive, and everything went smoothly. While I haven't returned to this location since then, I do appreciate that it is a family-owned business. They also operate Doyle Cafe, which has become my go-to spot. It offers a similar atmosphere and menu, but in my experience it isn't as crowded or long wait times when dining in. The food is consistently good, the service is excellent, and I've had positive experiences each time I've visited. Overall, I'd recommend dining in if you can, and I wish both family-owned businesses continued success.

Inside

Homemade Corned Beef Hash

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Chicken Pesto Crepe

Standard Fare

4.2(296 reviews)

Food is incredible, my group got a bunch of different things at dinner so we could try each others…read morefood. We all liked everything we had. Love the ambiance of the outdoor seating too. Servers were really nice and friendly.

Cold, military-style, and deeply disappointing farewell from Standard Fare…read more.. My wife and I have been going to Standard Fare for over a year. The food was always good, but the service was never particularly warm--polite, efficient, and impersonal, like a well-drilled operation. Today we took a twenty-minute ride with our six-week-old baby for one last visit before they close for good. We arrived before their advertised closing time, yet were coldly denied service. There was no one waiting behind us, but we were met with an inflexible, robotic "sorry, we're closed." No one was overtly rude, but the interaction felt rigid and mechanical, as if following procedure mattered more than acknowledging the people standing in front of them. It would not have taken much effort to accept one last order from a loyal couple with a newborn--especially since nobody else was waiting behind us. In the end, Standard Fare is closing exactly as it operated: precise, rigid, and lacking warmth. Hopefully the next business in this location will treat its customers with a bit more empathy.

Pickled carrots and fennel

Pulling out of the farmers market

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Eco-friendly, guilt-free take out containers!

Cali Alley

4.6(224 reviews)

1.1 mi•West Berkeley

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.