Café Parisien is one of my absolute favorite coffee shops in Berkeley. Every visit feels like a…read moretiny trip to France. The cappuccino is fantastic, rich, smooth, and perfectly made every time. Their pastries are some of the best I've had in the East Bay, and the spinach quiche is always a winner. My boyfriend orders the White Mocha every single visit, which says everything you need to know about how consistently good it is. The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming, with French music playing in the background and the owners chatting with customers in French. It's the kind of place where you can settle in with a coffee, study for a few hours, catch up with a friend, or simply enjoy a slower pace for a little while. I also appreciate that they offer free Wi-Fi, plenty of outlets, outdoor seating, and a great selection of bagels, sandwiches, baguettes, and pastries. It's especially perfect for UC Berkeley students looking for a comfortable study spot. What truly sets Café Parisien apart is the people. The staff are incredibly kind, welcoming, and somehow always seem to remember their regular customers. You can feel that this is a family-run business that genuinely cares about its community. This is one of those rare places I'd love to keep as my own little secret, but it's far too good not to share. If you're looking for great coffee, delicious food, and a little taste of France in Berkeley, Café Parisien is a must-visit.

I just have to share, Café Parisien in Berkeley completely won me over. As soon as I stepped…read moreinside, it felt like a little corner of Paris. The pastries are beyond delicious, and the coffee has this perfect, rich flavor. Everyone who works there is so kind, and the whole vibe is warm and authentic. If you're ever in the area, you have to go, it's a true 10 out of 10 for me!

Coffee and service and ambiance of sitting outside were all lovely…read more The biscuit sandwich I'm sorry to say was overrated. The biscuits fell apart, and as a sandwich it was a little dry and missing something, maybe a savory jam would've helped? Next time I'll try something sweet instead - the pastries look great.

This is one of my go to coffee spots. Great oatmilk lattes served in a bowl! Definitely get your…read moremoneys worth. I've tried the savory cheddar & scallion scone along with the biscuit and jam. Both items are very flavorful with a soft flaky texture. I love all of the outdoor seating too. The inside seating is usually crowded and the acoustics make it very loud! It tends to be a bit humid inside as well, so outside is always my preference.

Anja's has delicious German food prepared with Chez Panisse level ingredients at prices for…read moreordinary diners. Extra plus, you can eat in their rose garden. I had the Fisherman's Salad - lots of fresh briny Bay shrimp from Oregon served atop a salad of mixed greens with a lovely light creamy dressing. Had the roll and butter on the side. Roll was just dense enough and reminded me of the great bakeries in Germany. We ate in a gazebo in the rose garden at the back of the restaurant which made it feel like a special lunch even though the price of less than $20 is not much more than what a sandwich in Berkeley costs. Will definitely be back.

This spot is really really cute. I was in the area to get some work done, and I saw that this was…read morenear the coworking space I was at, so I stopped by for lunch. I got the soup, which was full of rosemary, and the egg sandwich open-faced style. The sandwich was honestly a bit awkward to eat because it was open-faced, but I ordered it that way and hindsight is 20/20 lol. What stood out to me about the sandwich, though, was the bread! It was crisp without being so hard that it'd scratch my mouth, and you can never go wrong with butter. Also, I saw a massive spider while I was ordering and it took me everything to not have a full-blown panic attack. The person handling the register took care of the spider even though it looked terrifying and saved me from a public meltdown. To that person, if you're reading this, I'm half exaggerating and half really not. Thank you ;-;

Super super cute spot along with tasty bagels!!! Located on a somewhat busy street, however, there…read moreare plenty of street parking around. We ordered the turkey deluxe & the gold standard. The bagels were delicious and the toppings were so fresh. I thought the coffee was delicious too, I'm def interested in some of their wine options the next time I'm there towards the afternoon. Service was friendly and kind. Can't wait to come back.

Damn, I just missed my bus, and the next one isn't coming for an hour. That's how I came upon this…read morepopular corner spot already bustling late in the morning. It comes from the team who owns the excellent Rose Pizzeria nearby (review: https://yelp.to/EOBUVdaW9G). That was enough of an endorsement for me, so I decided to try a light lunch here. As I was waiting patiently to order, I quickly read online that the Bartavelle was the bagel sandwich to order here since it's a staff favorite. Conveniently they offer a half-sandwich for $7.50, so I ordered a fennel & orange half-bagel with an herb schmear, sheep's milk feta, fig jam, cucumber, radish, herb salad, za'atar, olive oil, and lemon. Although it was crowded, I managed to secure the last empty seat at the front counter. My open-faced bagel was quite a healthy sight to behold (Photo 9). Fresh and crunchy with the fig jam lending welcome sweetness. I ordered a $5.50 Cappuccino, rich and smooth, a nice complement to the bagel (Photo 8). Made the next bus, too. FOOD - 4 stars...fresh, tasty ingredients on a soft bagel AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...very much a convivial social hangout SERVICE - 3.5 stars...everything done fresh with minimal interaction TOTAL - 4 stars...nice dooption for a light lunch RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/MBKMAXggN_

The excellent fresh food and the choice of a relaxing indoor and sunny outdoor patio…read more Looking for a new lunch space on a busy sunny Berkeley Saturday. My usual haunts would be busy I knew. Found UQBAR on Yelp. It was bustling but tables opened up outside after I ordered. I did have to wait for a minute or two until the tables were bussed & wiped clean. I ordered the half soup and half sandwich which cost about $15. A surprisingly reasonable price. The mushroom soup was thick and the best I've had in a while. The lamb sandwich was succulent and melted in my mouth. I also ordered their milkshake which is made with coconut milk and a berry which name I don't remember right now. The shake was a nice chilling treat on a sunny day after a week of overcast days. Of course, I enjoyed sunbathing over my leisurely lunch. The only glitch was somehow my order got misplaced. After a long wait, I brought it to the attention of Benjamin the owner and order taker. It turned out that my order somehow got lost on a bustling morning. But Benjamin made good by offering me a full sandwich. It was the best lamb sandwich I've had in Berkeley for a while. Benjamin is a very nice person and didn't try to disguise or excuse the glitch. As I told him, the lamb sandwich was well worth the wait, especially since I was hungry when I first ordered and much much more hungrier because of the wait! To be fair, even in Berkeley venues I've frequented for a long time, this does happen once in a while when things are busy. But from what I can see the staff of UQBAR are typically OTJ. I'll be back to my new fave Berkeley lunch spot. Oh, it was easy parking on a Saturday.

My favorite neighborhood spot for a quick, casual lunch. Their chicken sandwich is consistently…read morefantastic, and the hummus is honestly otherworldly. Everything feels fresh, unfussy, and thoughtfully made. Part of me wants to gatekeep this spot because it's THAT good, but they deserve the love.

What an amazing breakfast spot!!! Parking was under $5 for an hour.... Say what Bay Area!!!!!…read more The service was fast, friendly and very efficient. The food was to die for. Fresh and healthy to satiate.

We recently celebrated my abuelita's 83rd birthday here, and it was such a wonderful experience…read more The restaurant is beautiful, open, and aesthetically pleasing. The service was friendly and attentive, and our food came out surprisingly fast. Every dish we ordered was not only beautifully presented but also absolutely delicious. It's rare to find a place where the food looks this good and actually tastes just as amazing. We had a great time celebrating with family, and the atmosphere made the occasion feel extra special. This has easily become one of my favorite brunch spots in the East Bay, and I can't wait to come back.

My hair salon is near here. I've walked by it many times, even paused to look at the menu several…read moretimes. Such great offerings but when I'm getting my hair done, I'm in a rush to go back home/work. I finally made the time to visit Etoile! My sister was in town and getting her hair done. She needed a ride to the salon so off we went! We had an almond milk latte and a regular latte. We ordered it for here, so we asked to have them served in mugs. The lattes were delicious! There a good mix of students studying here. And some people working. It was a pretty quiet group when we were there. My sister and I sat at the counter and chatted very quietly. Nicely decorated inside. I love independently owned cafes like these! We also got a breakfast sandwich, but they are made to order and it took awhile, so we had it packed it up to go because she didn't want to be late to her hair appointment. Sandwich was great! Service was great! I'd love to go back and order from their lunch menu!

This is a cute little cafe spot right by Trader Joe's. You order and pay at the front, and they…read morecall your order out when it's ready. The workers and the owner were all very kind and welcoming. I got there a little after they opened in the morning. As for the food, I ordered the kimchi fried rice along with the chicken and croffle. The fried chicken tasted a bit interesting. I'm not sure if the frying temperature was off or if it had something to do with the condition of the oil, but the texture of the breading wasn't quite right. I used to work at a fried chicken shop in Korea, so it was a texture I recognized--the coating was fully cooked and wasn't necessarily soggy, but there was no real crunch. Instead of being crispy, the breading was soft and kind of gave way when you bit into it. Unfortunately, I couldn't continue eating it. I'd give the chicken a 2/5. As for the kimchi fried rice, I liked the addition of cilantro and beets, which gave it a refreshing touch. My only issue was that the kimchi itself was way too sour for kimchi fried rice. I don't mind fermented or sour kimchi, but in this case, the sourness overpowered the rest of the dish. Overall, the cafe itself is cute and the people working there were genuinely very kind. I just wish the food had been a little better, especially the fried chicken. Will be back next time to try out the coffee!! It is a cafe after all.

This place saved me from traffic, ha…read more I was looking for a cafe near my dog' vet to take a meeting, and after fighting a bit of traffic, I found this place. It has its own parking lot (which is great). It's really spacious, with plenty of seating and relatively quiet. I ordered the huevos scramble with a chai. The chai was amazing (probably the best I've had since moving the west coast), and the food was yummy and filling. (They give you a lot of food). Friendly staff, and a nice little garden seating in the back. I will keep this place in my mind for the future.

It was my second time first time was great but this time it was horrible, from taking our order we…read morearrived 2:30pm the restaurant closes at 3:00pm. She was rushing so badly took our order half way and started to make the latte! Even though we asked to get the latte with the pancake she said its better for her to make it right now and she did make it before we get the pancake. My burger came with the fries which was soggy and drenched in oil which looked like it had been sitting there forever! Asked if they can change the fries for me and the second time was even worse than the first time cause you could tell they refried the old fries again tasted burnt completely inedible! Very disappointing cause I actually really like the place and ambiance but the service was really bad this time.