Some Good Restaurants in the Berkeley Area

Inexpensive
RestaurantType of foodAddressPhone (510)When to goReservations?Comments
PaniniCafeAllston @ Shattuck (in Trumpetvine Court, behind Jupiter)849-0405Only weekday lunchNoBest sandwiches in Berkeley
Blue NileEthiopian2525 Telegraph near Dwight540-6777Lunch, dinner (closed Mondays)Advisable on weekendsGood food, slow service
Zachary's PizzaChicago-style "stuffed" pizzaTwo locations: College Ave (Rockridge) and 1853 SolanoSolano: 525-5950avoid weekendsCan't make reservations. Crowded weekends and evenings.Awesome deep-dish pizza; long waits
La MediteraneeMiddle Eastern2936 College Ave.540-7773Weekdays before 6:30I don't think they take reservationsTry the lemon-chicken soup
Barney'sAmerican (burgers)Cedar @ Shattuck849-2827Lunch, dinnerNot neededGood curly fries. Everything is super-sized.
NefeliCafe1854 Euclid (near Hearst)841-6374Good for lunch, but also open for dinnerNoGood sandwiches and salads
CactusMexican5642 College Ave. near Rockridge BART658-6180Lunch, dinnerNo reservationsOrder your food at the counter at this crowded, tasty taqueria. There's also a Cactus on Solano, but the Rockridge one has a different, better menu
Smart Alec's"Healthy" fast foodTelegraph @ Durant?Lunch, dinner (?)No reservationsCounter service; no atmosphere; but tasty, fast, and relatively healthful. I like the veggie burger with artichoke topping and the sesame tofu salad. The baked fries aren't as good as deep-fried, of course, but they're not bad.
Moderately priced
RestaurantType of foodAddressPhone (510)When to goReservations?Comments
Cha-amThai1543 Shattuck near Cedar848-9664Lunch, dinnerNeeded on weekendsConsidered the best Thai food in Berkeley
La NoteFrench Provencal2377 Shattuck near Durant843-1535Breakfast/lunch daily; dinner Fri. and Sat. onlyReservations advisable for dinnerHome-style French country cooking
Caffe VeneziaItalian1799 University @ Grant849-4681Lunch, dinnerDefinitely make reservationsFun, yummy, loud
AjantaIndian1888 Solano near The Alameda526-4373Lunch, dinnerNeeded for dinnerBest Indian food in Berkeley
KiralaJapanese2100 Shattuck @ Ward549-3486Weekdays before 6:15No reservations; long waits. Go early on a weekday.Delicious sushi and grilled dishes.
Cha-YaNouvelle Japanese1686 Shattuck Ave. north of Virgina981-1213Lunch, dinner. Closed Mon.Not sure whether they take reservations.Vegan. Weird but tasty dishes featuring combinations like shitake mushrooms, corn, and soybeans in strawberry sauce.
Khana PeenaIndian1899 Solano528-2519lunch (buffet); dinnerNot sureMore traditional than Ajanta. Food not quite as good, but service better.
KirinChinese1767 Solano524-1677Dinner, lunch?Not sureEclectic, creative Chinese food, nicer than average atmosphere
UnicornVietnamese / "Pan-Asian"2533 Telegraph @ Blake841-8098Lunch, dinnerYesA wide selection of gourmet Asian-style dishes, mostly tending towards Vietnamese. Everything we tried was yummy, including the desserts (must be that French influence).
Expensive
RestaurantType of foodAddressPhone (510)When to goReservations?Comments
RivoliCalifornia1539 Solano Ave., Albany526-2542Dinner every nightMake reservation well in advanceExcellent, innovative yuppie food
Chez Panisse CafeCalifornia1517 Shattuck near Vine548-5049Lunch, dinner (closed Sundays)Now taking reservations (call at least a month in advance for weekends)The birthplace of California cuisine; still excellent.
DowntownSeafood2102 Shattuck @ Addison649-3810Dinner Tues-Sun, lunch Tues-Fri, brunch SunAdvisableVery fancy and expensive. Raw oyster bar. Non-seafood dishes available (and good).
Lalime'sFrench1329 Gilman St.527-9838Dinner (and lunch?)Yes (unless you go early)Food is nicely prepared and presented; a bit rich for my tastes, but that's French food.
FondaTapas1501 Solano Ave., Albany559-9006Dinner every nightNeed reservations on weekendsEclectic, delicious small plates and exotic cocktails

For a more complete list, check out The Poskanzer guide to restaurants in the Berkeley area