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Favorite Places to Eat
East Bay Area
| Kirala $20-30 |
If you're craving sushi in the East Bay, this place is popular, cramped, and crowded - but worth its 1-hour wait. | 2100 Ward Street @ Shattuck, BERKELEY 510-549-3486 |
| Zachary's Chicago Pizza <$10 |
This casual place has won every award there is for "best pizza." Waiting for a table takes an hour so call in an order to go. | 5801 College Ave, OAKLAND (1 block north of Rockridge Bart Station) 510-655-6385; 1853 Solano Ave, BERKELEY 510-525-5950 |
| Kilohana Grill <$10 |
Do you have a craving for Hawaiian, but don't have time to fly out there? Enjoy some authentic Kailua Pork and Chicken Katsu! | 4115 San Pablo Avenue, Emeryville, CA 94608 Phone: 510-654-1144 |
| Barney's Gourmet <$10 |
Think "gourmet" burgers - avocado, feta cheese, mushrooms... and they're monstrous. Yummy curly fries! Great vegetarian selection too! | 5819 College Ave (Chabot Rd.), OAKLAND 510-601-0444; 4138 24th St, SF 415-282-7770 |
| Cafe Intermezzo <$10 |
Their honey-nut bread can sell alone without the stacks of meat and vegetables that they pile on - all for under $6. The line will be out the door - but don't worry, the service is fast. | 2442 Telegraph Ave, BERKELEY |
| Koryo $10-20 |
Koryo is my favorite place for Korean barbecue. Plenty of little appetizer dishes and their BBQ is delicious! The noodles next door are also very good. | 4390 Telegraph Ave Ste J, OAKLAND (510) 652-6007 |
| Asmara $15-25 |
The plates are piled high with chunks of tender, marinated lamb, sweetened beef, carrots, and lettuce - all of which you sop up with soft flat bread called injera. | 5020 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland 510-548-5100 |
| La Calaca Loca $5-10 |
Mexican food - northern CA style! Environmentally friendly for an additional price. The chickens are free range. The beef is from local providers. The veggies are fresh. Get the beer-battered Baja Pescado Taco Especial. | 5199 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland, CA 94620 (510) 601-8226 |
| Teacakes $2-10 |
You might gawk at a $3 cupcake but you'll find yourself irresistably returning for more. | 5615 Bay St. Emeryville, CA (888) 558-0188 |
| Pamir Afghan Cuisine $8-10 |
It's in a huge food court, but it's one of Teddy's favorite places to eat on the east bay. Get the lamb shank or the saffron chicken. | 5959 Shellmound St (at 64th St) Emeryville, CA 94608 (510) 601-1152 |
| O Chame $15-30 |
This beautiful Japanese-influenced restaurant is in the midst of a lovely, yuppie neighborhood - 4th Street, Berkeley. The sashimi is pricey but very fresh, and I love their oyster udon. | 1830 4th Street, Berkeley, CA, 510-841-8783 |
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Pearl Oyster Bar & Restaurant $30-50 | No reservations... but the raw oyster sampler (12 for $24) has the most flavorful oysters from Bodega Bay, Japan and even Chile. The restaurant sits in a quaint Rockridge district, but the atmosphere feels like a classy Manhattan bar. | 5634 College Avenue (at Ocean View Avenue), Oakland (Rockridge) 510-654-5426 |
| Aki Sushi & Grill $10-15 |
Yummy sushi rolls! They have sushi prices but the service is charming. | 3953 Piedmont Ave. (at Monte Vista), Oakland (510)653-1284 |
| Skate's on the Bay $20-30 |
Imagine dining at the edge of the Berkeley Marina overlooking the San Francisco Bay with a sunset view of the Golden Gate Bridge. This is where people go to celebrate anniversaries, impress their first dates, and bring their prom dates. Their freshly baked focaccia bread is yummy. | 100 Seawall Drive, BERKELEY 510-549-1900 |
| OLIVETO $15-30 |
Delicious authentic Italian food in a very romantic setting. Downstairs is about 1/2 the price and 1/2 the size, but still delicious! | 5655 College Ave. (at Shafter), Oakland (510) 547-5356 |
| Sahn Maru $10-20 |
A suprisingly comfortable, mountain lodge setting tucked behind a typical Telegraph Street facade with delicious bibimbap, soups and bulgogi. | 4315 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94701,(510) 653-3366 |
| La Pinata $10-20 |
After having lived in San Diego for 4 years, this place comes the closest to the Mexican food I missed in San Diego. Their fish is fresh and their portions are huge. | 2699 Merced St., San Leandro, 510-352-8901 |
| Fenton's $5-15 |
Not mentioning Fenton's old-fashioned creamery would be a crime. Their ice cream is sweet, rich, and creamy, and their sundaes are 8 inches tall. | 4226 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland |
| Hinn Tha Bistro $10-15 |
I admit, the location is funky. It's connected to the We Are Hair salon... but I swear, I stumbled upon this place while taking a break from my boards, and I fell in love with their mango shrimp garlic noodles. | 1345 Park St., Alameda, 510-865-8338 |
| Caffe Strada <$10 |
My all-time favorite cafe in Berkeley with its romantic outdoor seating and delicious white hot chocolate. | 2300 College Avenue (Bancroft Way & College Avenues), BERKELEY 510-843-5282 |
| Arizmendi Bakery <$10 |
Best place for fresh bread and pastries. | 3265 Lakeshore Ave (between Lake Park Ave & Trestle Glen Rd), Oakland, CA 94610 (510) 268-8849 |
| Yung Kee <$10 |
This is one of those places in Oakland Chinatown where the barbecued ducks, chickens, and pigs are hanging from steel hooks by the window. Teddy loves their steamed chicken with the garlic oil dip. | 888 Webster Street (corner of Webster and 9th avenue), OAKLAND 510-839-2010 |
| Cam Huong <$10 |
Another great hole-in-the-wall, with Vietnamese sandwiches for $2-3 each! Yummy shrimp rolls, Vietnamese noodles, and meatballs... don't be too shy! | 920 Webster (between 8th and 9th), OAKLAND 510-444-8800 |
| Bake Sale Betty $5-10 |
An adorable hidden treasure that doesn't even have a sign outside but has people pouring out the door in line. Fried chicken sandwich, fresh cookies, coffecake - whatever, they're all fantastic! | 5098 Telegraph Ave, (between 49th St & 51st St)Oakland, CA 94609 (510) 985-1213 |
| Daimo $10-15 |
If you have polite company, this place is always crowded because the prices are reasonable, the food is decent, and decorations are very traditional. Pick up a Boba milk tea in the Ranch 99 plaza. | Pacific East Shopping Mall, 3288A Pierce St., Richmond, 510-527-3888 (Central Avenue exit off 880) |
| Salang Pass Restaurant $10-15 |
Fremont is home to "Little Kabul" and delicious Afghan food. This restaurant is warm with decent service and moderate prices. The Quabili Pallow which is an aromatic saffron-flavored rice loaded with lamb, carrots, raisins and almonds. | 37462 Fremont Blvd, Fremont, CA 94536 510-795-9200 |
| Peking Eastern House $10-15 |
The concept of "Muslim Chinese" is foreign to me, but irregardless of the ethnic roots, the pancake noodles and the lamb are delicious. Unfotunately, the service is typical Chinese - unforgiving. | 40990 Grimmer Blvd., Fremont 510-651-1722 |
| Sweet Affair Bakery $5-$10 |
This old-fashioned bakery is comfortable, inexpensive, and heavenly. Yummy cookies and even yummier cakes! Their turkey sandwiches come on fresh sunflower seed bread with avocado, alfalfa sprouts, cranberry sauce and a free cookie if you call your order ahead. | 1815 Ygnacio Valley Rd Ste F, Walnut Creek 925-944-1910 |
| West Lake Restaurant $2-$10 |
Hole-in-the-wall with Chinese "Happy Hour" 11am-5pm where all dishes are TWO DOLLARS. Order the chicken wings and the fried tofu. | 320 East Jackson Street, Hayward 510-881-0211 |
| Silk Road $10-15 |
We love it when this place caters our events. Yummy yummy Mediterranean wraps. | 1440 North Main Street, Walnut Creek 925-932-9090 |
| Stella Nonna <$15 |
This is a catering service that services delicious sandwiches. I wish they had a store I could drop into when I crave them. | Catering only, Berkeley |
| In & Out <$5 |
Even though this is a family-owned chain, when In & Out finally spread their fresh hamburger business up to Northern CA, loyal Southern Californers at Cal were making the 20-min drive to Richmond at all hours. They also have "secret" options. | Multiple locations |
| Krispy Kreme <$5 |
If you have never tasted a warm Krispy Kreme donut, you are commanded to stop reading, get in your car, and drive yourself to the nearest Krispy Kreme. | Multiple locations |
| Rock's <$10 |
This is actually up in Lake Tahoe, but their rack of ribs and tri-tip practically fall off the bones. | (530) 581-1401, 475 West Lake Blvd, Cobblestone Center, Tahoe City, CA 96145 |
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