Wow!!! I am obsessed with this place. What a wonderful store and resource in our community…read more The store itself is wonderful: Not too big with a lovely, curated collection of kitchen supply items, a few cute gifty things (tomato shaped candles, for example), and lots of kitchen needs and resources for fermentation, canning, and all kinds of food preservation. The educational component is amazing, too! The classes, community demos, and more, are all phenomenal! Such great education, access to answers, and more, that have helped me become a more confident and safe fermenter. Truly a gem. Come here for gifts, supplies, and classes!!!

I've been a really big fan of Strong Arm Farm's/The Sonoma Coast Seaweed Company's seaweed since…read moreour visit to Point Reyes, so when I saw that Preserved carried them, we stopped right in. Parking is a bit of a fight, but I loved that they carried an array of fermentation items for things like kefir, bread, and cheese. They had quite a few kitchen supplies and books, and I was able to clean them out of the Kombu seaweed they had. All in all, Preserved's service as incredibly friendly and helpful, plus they have a great selection so we will absolutely be back.

I considered myself a respectable food snob until Market Hall made me realize I was just an…read moreenthusiast with delusions of grandeur. My ego was overwhelmed when I saw: -AN ENTIRE WALL OF JAM - A LIBRARY OF VINEGAR - A UNITED NATIONS OF CHOCOLATE. You could practically conduct a postgraduate seminar in cacao origins in front of that rack. - The Maple syrup display that looks like Vermont has opened an embassy in Oakland. - The vinegar section? Leonardi white balsamic, traditional balsamic, sherry vinegars, specialty wine vinegars. You can also find detailed notes on how to use each. Wisconsin spin on French goat Brie called Shabby Shoe? I'll take two. The only issue? The cake display along with everything in it looks like it's stuck in the 1980s. Cupcakes? Straight from the Betty Crocker box. I'll be back once my ego heals.

This market sells all kinds of things- produce, spices, fresh meat/ seafood, a wine shop, cheese,…read morerefrigerated already made food, and a bakery. Pretty pricey though. Bought some sausages from the butcher and it was $13 for a little package of 4. At the bakery, we bought a slice of chocolate mousse cake, a slice of princess cake, a slice of lemon cheesecake, mini fruit tart, a loaf of sourdough bread, and challah bread- total was a little over $50+. The service was amazing. My husband was inquiring about how an almond cookie tasted like and they took one out of the case and cut it so we could taste it. Everything else we ordered though was delicious. Cheesecake was rich and creamy, the princess cake was moist, the mini fruit tart was fresh, and the chocolate mousse was rich. The challah bread was soft and you can't taste the good quality olive oil that was used. Added bonus is there is a free parking lot in the back. Free parking in Oakland?!? Heck yea!

the deli food is amazing and changes some stuff out monthly, so you can get a ton of different…read morethings. every thing i've gotten there has been super delicious even if it's not a food i like. the butterscotch pudding is my favorite dessert to get with food there, but the crispy cookies are also yummy.

Conveniently located right on College Avenue, across the street from the Rockridge BART station…read more This small and cozy grocery mart has a nice selection of specialty foods snd pantry items that are either made locally/on-site (like fresh pasta and hot deli foods), or imported from Spain, Italy, etc. Prices are at midrange to higher premium because of this. I love their cured meats and cheese sections. Both have a quality selection and solid varieties to choose from. I also like how they will cut fresh pasta for you too. The hot foods in the deli section also looked really good, and there's a bakery with freshly made sweet/savory goodies as well as a changing pizza special every other day. Every section seems to always have a line in their cozy space, so it can sometimes be hard to navigate around to shop. You will need to take a number ticket at each station that you want service from (bakery, hot deli, butcher, etc). The bakery has their own cashier, but the other sections all seem to be paid at 2 registers at the end of the small market hall.

This is a great butcher shop for all of your meat needs, from beef, lamb, chicken, to seafood…read more First, pick up a number and wait for your turn to be served. The butchers behind the counter are nice and quick with their service. I came for a NY steak and the selection did not disappoint. Got a steak for about $23, a fair price point. This place also sells cheese, salami, and olives for your charcuterie needs. Definitely recommend!

Who doesn't want to eat meat?…read more Except for maybe Vegans and Vegeterians. Anyway, my point being there's nothing like fresh organic meat. Came here looking for some rib eye and wound up buying their special sausage, lamb, and some short ribs. There was just so much fresh meat in stock, and of course, you're supporting a local business too, so it's definitely a win-win!

I came by this past Saturday and loved the delicious variety of pastries, baked treats, sweets, and…read morebeverages offered at this adorable cafe, including hot chocolates, flavored coffees and tea, banana blueberry bread, and so many unique chocolate bars. Service was friendly and sufficient, and I appreciated the option to sit inside or among the sidewalk seating. I opted for outdoors which was ideal with shaded tables, beautiful skies, and live music happening in front of the shop next door, as there was a community event happening along College Avenue. I got a chocolate milkshake which was pretty standard. They use vanilla ice cream, then just add the requested flavor. It was tasty nonetheless. I also tried the house bread pudding, made using chocolate croissants. It takes 10 minutes or so to be ready and is so worth the wait, moist and chocolatey, a hint of spice. Quite satisfying, if you ask me. Altogether I was pleased with my experience here.

The caramel latte was DELICIOUS and SO flavorful... which unfortunately isn't great news for my…read morepockets because I already know I'm coming back for more. I definitely want to come back and try some of their other lattes because if the caramel one is any indication, I'm in trouble! I also really appreciate that they have certain days where laptops aren't allowed and set time limits to make sure everyone gets a chance to enjoy the space and chill. I love that concept! I went on a Sunday afternoon and the ambiance was perfect! quiet, cozy, and not too loud. Definitely a cute spot to grab a coffee, relax, and enjoy your drink without feeling rushed.

Ok, Amphora Nueva is a cool little store for those of us that like olive oil and balsamic vinegar…read more Friendly and helpful staff gave us tastings till we found the right products for us. So many flavors of oil and vinegars to choose from. The store has several knick knack items as well. I really considered buying a gift basket to "just have" in case of emergency. I'm sure we'll be back when in the area.

What a great find in the Oakland area! I wanted to bring a little taste of California with me while…read morevisiting family on the East Coast, and I'm so glad I found this gem. They have a wonderful selection of infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars, and the best part is that you can sample them before deciding what to buy. The prices are very reasonable, and the service was friendly, welcoming, and helpful. Such a lovely spot for unique gifts--or a little treat for yourself. I'll definitely be back!

Found this while looking up "Chocolate" on yelp, I got too…read moretired drinking coffee and my wife was 2 week postpartum. She got the vegan Mexican hot chocolate - let's just say, we came back 3 times in one month. As for me, regular Chocolate drink..... damn damn damn damn, I felt like a kid............ I want MORE MORE MORE MORE... And I house whipped cream???? Say less... On top of that, those mini chocolate selections We've had them all except those that came with alcohol. They were delicious and worth every penny... Lastly; the damn tres leches... 20/10 that was so perfect and well balanced....... They are dangerously delicious

I was walking along Elmwood and I stumbled upon this place. The service and quick and friendly…read more When you walk in, you can see people making the chocolate behind the counter. The inside has a variety of chocolate bars and other goods to buy. The chocolate here tastes amazing and if I could, I would've ordered one of each flavor! The highlight was the frozen Mexican hot chocolate. You can choose to have a little spice via the chili flakes in the drink but I decided to have it plain. The whipped cream on top was super rich, and I loved the taste of my drink! I would definitely come back here to try some of the other desserts!

Totally stumbled upon this place by accident, and what a serendipitous find! We saw that they had…read morethe viral Dubai chocolates (this was back in October). For those who don't know what the Dubai chocolates are, they are milk chocolates filled with shredded phyllo dough and pistachio cream. My first impression was whether or not I had walked into an art gallery or a confectionary shop. Uh...turns out both! According to their website, the owner and her partner were originally artists prior to becoming chocolatiers. This place just screams creativity and their chocolates are ethically-sourced and almost too pretty to eat. They even have a backroom gallery to showcase local artists' confectionary-inspired works. We couldn't find the Dubai chocolates, but one of the employees approached us and asked if we needed any assistance. Turns out they were in the back and they had just received a shipment! The Dubai chocolates were nutty, crunchy, flaky, and velvety all in one! Pricey, but worth trying. Also, might I just take a moment to say I absolutely adore the shop's name! It almost looks like "XO Chocolate" as in kisses and hugs, bu also reminded me of the language of the ancient Latin American civilizations and - fun fact - Xocolatl (you see the play on words?) means chocolate (literally means "bitter water") back when they would mix purely cocoa and water as a drink. If I'm not mistaken, this business is Latina-owned, so perhaps that was intention? So clever and, either way, kudos to them!

Came here after a big meal. Wanted to get something sweet and happed upon Xocolate & confections…read more My family and I were amazed. Packed inside this small space was an amazing array of candies. Felt like museum; candy store and art gallery mixed into one. Amazing displays. Great local sweets. Friendly staff. We spent more time than we expected. And to be honest, we probably could have spent more. Delightful place to explore and indulge in your sweet tooth.

"Run up to the Star Grocery and get a half-gallon of milk and a loaf of sourdough" was a common…read moredirective in my house growing up. (And a 25 cent Hershey's chocolate bar for me and my dad would find its way into the bag as well) And probably lots of kids in the Elmwood neighborhood beginning in 1922 would do the same for generations if their parents didn't do their weekly shopping there. The Star Grocery located at the intersection of Claremont Avenue and the Uplands is a Elmwood/Rockridge institution that every neighborhood should have but no longer do. No, Star Grocery is not Safeway, or Whole Foods, or Trader Joe's. No scanners, no self-checkouts, no floral shop, and no Starbucks, but they do have a dispenser of free coffee you pump yourself. What Star Grocery lacks in volume it makes up in quality. Lots of gourmet offerings especially when it comes to wine, beer, cheeses, meats, bulk foods and sundries. It's got an especially large liquor selection (my mom used to tell me it was for the old neighbor ladies who'd shuffle in late afternoon for their evening tipple) and in the rear of the store you'll find Star Meats (separate business, see my review) that's been around as nearly as long as Star Grocery and puts the overrated Verbrugge on College to shame. (Try their giant sandwiches, expensive but worth the price.) The Star Grocery reflects Berkeley's character in many ways. Founded by Greek immigrants Ike and Nick Pappas, the family would deliver groceries to the neighborhood and during the Great Depression extended credit to dozens of families and wrote off presumably thousands of dollars. You can still get credit at the store today, writing down your order on a carbon-paper pad. Standing in line you'll find lots of liberal-leaning editorial cartoons from the New Yorker and the windows are usually plastered with similarly gentry liberal admonitions, but also local artists and neighborhood pictures. You'll find the Cal Band stopping by during Big Game week and many Berkeley High students and Cal students got their first jobs ringing up groceries at the Star. If you want a bright new grocery store, go to the Safeway down the street. Star Grocery's decor hasn't changed much since the 1950s. The linoleum floors could use a little TLC and most of the light fixtures and signage hail from the 1940s it seems. (Not a bad thing). The Star Grocery knows what it's got and now offers a line of blue and gold T-shirts and coffee mugs for its loyal customers (like me). Say hi to Ike's son Nick Pappas too when you go, he's usually behind one of the registers (as he has been forever) a little older and little grayer than I remember. The Star Grocery hasn't changed in nearly 100 years. Hopefully it stays that way.

4.5 stars $18…read moresandwich, "The Classic": fantastic. Well made, tons of meat with great dressing and Vegi fill. Good size too.

Love Umami Mart! My wife is a sake lover, with a knowledgeable staff and huge selection, there's no…read moreway you can go wrong in your sake adventure. We are particularly pleased with the availability of nama sake which has been difficult for us to find at any of the big stores. Umami definitely fills the gap when we are looking for something that's not from the big name breweries.

A cute gem! Came across this spot after having dinner in the area. I loved looking at all the…read moreceramic pieces and trinkets, it reminded me of being in Japan! There's a sake bar at the end of the store, and my friend and I had such a good time trying the sake flight and cocktails. They had a variety of sake, cocktail, and whiskey choices. There's limited seating, but we were able to grab a seat at the bar around 7pm. I'd love to come here again!