Genuine Goodness

So this was one of those lunches that was not meant to be but happened and was the best one of the…read moreweek. I had heard about Petra from a guy who drives a whole 25 miles (not any miles , 680's 25 miles) to eat at Petra. A tiny place tucked in Orinda in the shadow of the Orinda Theatre. A couple of tables outside. A couple of tables inside. A fridge for cool drinks to right. A high counter where you order from and an impressive menu of deliciousness. I selected the Athenian wrap with tri tip and grilled zucchini with a side of zaziki (spelling unknown) with more delicious flat bread. Impossible to handle , delicious in the mouth. Thank goodness for the plastic fork. The 7" was plenty big enough but you can have this in 9". The meat was flavorsome. I'll be back as the menu reads like a vacation in Corfu.

I cannot say enough about this place! I always order the salmon plate. The rice and omg the grilled…read morevegetables. Never did I think I'd be writing a review on vegetables but they are amazing!!! Service is always with a smile and usually very quick. The space itself is small, but that doesn't knock anything off the review, because everything is fantastic every time! The tzatziki, Avgolemono soup, it's all fantastic!

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The Hideout Kitchen

4.2(2.8k reviews)

3.7 mi

I've been here numerous times for breakfast but not lunch…read more Today we ate here for lunch and wow it was fantastic! We sat on the patio that was very relaxing. We ordered a curry chicken wrap that was so flavorful! Pure deliciousness!!!! It consisted of curry chicken with red and green peppers, apricots, raisins and quinoa. Omg!!! The spice yogurt to accompany it was fantastic! It came with a side of crispy sweet potatoe fries! So addictive! Service was excellent! Definitely one of my favorite places to eat when I visit my daughter!

Great area for a weekend brunch type vibe. The street is cute and looks like it has a lot going on…read more Lots of metered parking lots nearby so parking wasn't that bad. A friend of mine drove a few blocks down the road and found free street parking too. The place itself has multiple seating options. It has an outside patio, casual indoor and even bar seating and what looks like a nicer dining area for occasions and birthdays with very nice chandeliers and tables. We sat in the nice room for my friends bday. We were a group of 13 and our total was about $500 for brunch items, mímosas. They gave a bread pudding for the bday girl on the house. I felt like the prices are a bit high but that's a personal opinion. I got the frittata which tasted alright and it was $24. Service was decent but nothing too good or too bad that stood out from it either. If they have a happy hour, I'll come back again because the ambiance is very nice. I was told that my dish comes with a free side salad but i was later charged for a sad looking garden lettuce salad for $8. I still don't know what happened there. Maybe a miscommunication.

Bar Lounge Seating

Octopus appetizer

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Pulled pork silog

Mezzo

4.2(1.1k reviews)

4.0 mi•Telegraph Ave

Our friends took us here for a light lunch since we were planning to have a heavy dinner later…read more Ended up going with the honey wheat turkey sandwich and added red onions and pepper jack cheese. The sandwich was AMAZING, loved how they packed it with fresh ingredients and one sandwich was more than enough for my husband and I to split. There's also a place next door that allows you to bring your food over so you can enjoy a cold beer with your meal. Wishing we had a place like this in San Diego, will definitely be back.

I ordered a Pastrami Sandwich with Provolone Cheese & Jalapeno Cheese Bread…read more Honestly this is a very affordable lunch spot for a quick sandwich grab. Great value for its price. For just a little under $14 through online making it very convenient. Highly recommend spending your lunch money here if you're on a budget. Pastrami sandwich 4/5 It's a nice clean sandwich, nothing too heavy, and I love the pineapple. Pineapple was just ripe and sweet. I think that's a pretty unique complimentary side they're doing. No sandwich spot ever gave me a pineapple! haha The sandwiches are also very big so you can definitely save the other half for lunch or share it with a friend. I do wish that the bread was toasted and that there was some kind of tasty sauce to go with it. They also charge an extra .75 cents for takeout packaging. But nonetheless I enjoyed it. Ambience 4/5 Inside is cool and lively. A nice dining area to quickly grub with a friend. Staff were friendly but I didn't really have much of an interaction since I ordered online. Quick tip, order online ahead of time before heading there since the lines can get very long especially during lunch hours.

Entrance

Veggie delight salad

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Combination (Half Sandwich and Cup of Soup)

The Fourth Bore Tap Room & Grill

3.6(471 reviews)

The Fourth Bore is located in Orinda, a small town just to the East of the Caldecott Tunnel, and…read morenamed after the newest bore of the tunnel. We have visited a number of times over the years. We sometimes make it a stop along the route between our home, and Walnut Creek, where we spend a fair amount of time, because, frankly, Walnut Creek's dining and entertainment scene beats the heck out of pretty much any other city in the East Bay - and is safer. So, The Fourth Bore is a worthy destination for good food and drinks. We've gotten the mushroom pizza every time we've been in, it's very good. The Fourth Bore is also a tap room, so great selection of beers, and unlike many beer places, this one also sports a full bar, with great cocktails. They have a nice patio with a fire pit, perfect for colder nights. The other night we asked for the fire to be put on for visuals, but it proved to emit way too much heat for an August night. In the winter, however, it's perfect. Grab a seat, settle in with some yummy pizza and a cocktail or beer of choice, and enjoy!

Review #450!!! First things first... Order the mushroom…read morepIzza. It's great. As for the name for the tourist.... refers to the 4th Caldecot tunnel which was completed in 2013. We have been here and a few times before seating inside and out. This evening it was out next to the fire pit which we had them turn on for us then realizing how hot the fire was and the outside temp, had them turn it off. Andrea a beer and berry lemon drops and I had had some champs. I tasted her drinks and they were excellent. When I'm driving I'm a bit of a tea totaler so stuck with a glass of champs. We've had the aforementioned pizza before and I for one would pull off the 24 just for that. Parking can be difficult since it is right downtown, as much of a downtown Orinda has. The place is not right on the street. It's tucked away in a plaza. Great beer selection and full bar. Besides pizza the menu is full of burgers, wings, mac and cheese and just about anything else you would want. Next times I'm going to try a few more selections like burgers, Philly cheese steak and others.

Dining room: Wood ceiling, string lights, sports memorabilia

Burrata with flatbread and fried artichoke hearts

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Nibble time

Local Kitchens

4.4(250 reviews)

4.1 mi

Last night I was heading out late to go see the new movie Odyssey. I didn't want to get the…read moretraditional movie bites so I ventured out to get pizza. I tried their Denver style pizza. It was worth every bite. Definitely stop in. The Lafayette location is open later than most local pizzerias. They have cute outdoor seating as well as a small free parking lot. What I thought was a nice touch is the free fully stocked water station. I think in the summer heat this comes in handy. Must try-Loved it!

The business reached out today and helped resolve the issue. That gets them a few extra stars…read more Ordered online and they gave me a chicken sandwich without any chicken and they forgot the fries. Now trying to call their customer line and it's impossible to get someone on the line.

Interior

Tam Sang. Khao Soi. IG: @_emwong_

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Square pie guys szechuan wings

SOCIAL BIRD

4.5(711 reviews)

3.6 mi

Ended our college move in weekend with our traditional goodbye lunch at Social Bird and it was…read moreamazing as always!! Enjoyed the beautiful Lafayette weather on the outside patio and had absolutely exceptional service throughout the meal . My daughter and I enjoyed the steamed mussels which were absolutely prefect with a delicious broth just asking to be mopped up by the crispy grilled bread on the side ! Also enjoyed the cheese selection and rounded it out with some of their incredible dessert selections: Lemon Meringue and Butterscotch pudding!! Another amazing meal at Social Bird and I plan to return soon

TLDR: Solid food with a few standout dishes (steak frites, hangar steak), but pricey, loud, and a…read morecouple of misses on the mussels and short rib. Good for a lively night out, not for a quiet conversation. Would I return? Not sure. Food: Good for what it is, but definitely on the pricier side. The steak frites were the highlight. Fries were abundant and heavily truffled, and the hangar steak was a delight. The mussels, on the other hand, were average and served not very hot, with a pretty plain sauce. The two pieces of bread that came with it weren't nearly enough to handle the whole dish. The short rib was tender but slightly dry, though the polenta and carrots underneath were a nice touch. Drinks: The tea thyme was a bit too fragrant, almost perfume-like. Tasted fine, but next time I'd probably go boozier instead. The lemonade was plain, but that's to be expected. Ambiance: Quite noisy, with a few TVs going and the bar packed. Understandable for a Friday, but we had to raise our voices to hold a conversation, even at a 5:30 reservation. Things really picked up around 6-6:15pm. Service: Our server did her job and gave solid suggestions when asked, though I don't recall her introducing herself. She kept us stocked with extra plates and silverware and took good care of us overall.

Medium rare grilled salmon with amazingly fresh tasting salad has become my go to lunch at social bird

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Pulled pork tostadas. Flavorful and delish.

Baan Thai Restaurant

3.8(218 reviews)

Not only does Baan Thai have The Best Thai food in The Bay Area, but it also has the Best help…read more Everything is fresh and delicious consistently. And everyone who works there is very nice. Specifically, Nikki is amazing. She always remembers our favorite dishes, and makes great suggestions, making us feel very much "At Home, or Baan".

First time! Large portions, veggie options, definitely would go back. Great take out place also.read more

Inside, with very nice flowers

Panang Beef

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Tom yum (hot sour soup w/ prawns)

La Piazza

3.8(189 reviews)

Great spot right off the freeway in Orinda. Quaint and small restaurant. The food is good, service…read moreis friendly. Classic pizza/italian American style restaurant. Will definitely come back again! I will mention though, I went with my mom who uses a wheelchair and it was difficult to get her chair inside because the entrance wasn't originally designed for accessibility. I hope they can figure out a safer way for wheelchair users to enter their establishment.

Our first visit under the new ownership and our main impression is that with some small…read moreimprovements in the ambience, this place could be SO much better! With overly bright lighting, the sterile atmosphere looks more like a house flip from HGTV than a classy, Italian joint. The fake flowers harmed more than they helped. The food was definitely solid and the staff very attentive. While we appreciated the bread and olives, the quality was on par with airplane cuisine. Calamari was hot, crispy, and non-rubbery but the marinara oddly watery. The spicy marinara on the seafood pasta was delicious and the carbonara was rich and generous in portion. On the whole, we enjoyed our meal and will definitely give it another try. We do want this restaurant to succeed!

Enjoy your choice of any of our wood-fired pizzas or signature pastas at a special mid-week price.

Bruschetta

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We have Cocktails

Shelby's

3.6(224 reviews)

Very friendly and very much helpful limited menu we both ordered hamburger n fries it's quick and…read moretasty Clean and lots parking nearby gems to the neighborhood

Lunch today. Vegetarian black bean chilli…read moreAnd a chopped salad. Both were fresh - pretty good Chilli needed more flavor and salad was small. Nice guys who I think are the owners.

Pulled pork quesadilla with small side salad

Dessert

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Chopped salad special

Atithi Restaurant

4.0(55 reviews)

When this place was called Anya's, the service and speed was much better. After waiting for 40…read moreminutes I learned that they never got my order. Apparently their ticketing system is down and they aren't answering their phone. They are understaffed and only have two people managing the whole restaurant and can't handle The GrubHub orders, walk-ins, and reservations along with the online orders. After an hour waiting for my pick up order, I learned that they don't even have the food that I ordered. And, even though I ordered it online, because I ordered directly through the restaurant there is no way for me to cancel my order and get my money back. So I had to pick something else on the menu. My confirmation said my food would be ready at 7:20 and my substitute food will be ready at 8:30. I highly recommend that you don't order anything from here unless you have at least two hours, you're not attached to getting what you actually ordered, and you're willing to come in and find out that they never got your order.

So they are closed for not paying rent to their landlord. May as well close this restaurant. Came…read moredown here for a mobile order which went through but the restaurant didn't have the courtesy to deactivate their mobile orders.

Dining Room

Guava Lemonade

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Beef Samosa

Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

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9 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Jo S.

0

1

0

8 years ago

Stayed in Orinda for a week at the beginning of August. Visited Genuine Goodness a few times while we were there. The food was fab especially he 'Fig and Pig' sandwich, and the salads. The smoothies were tasty and made by the very friendly Marty. All the staff were helpful and smiley. We also had homemade croissants and macaroons which I recommend too. It's definitely worth a trip to Genuine Goodness. Jo - London read more

Aaliyah C.

0

9

6

4 years ago

Delicious, seasonal, and fresh Delicious, seasonal, and fresh Every day, the food is different. A few salads, a handmade soup, and a bento (combination) box are always available. Every Monday, the menu for the next week is shared on Instagram @genuine goodness. read more

Mike J.

4

9

0

8 years ago

The Waffles here are THE BEST! The owner has a sweet and pleasant british voice, and this is definitely one of my new favorite lunch spots in Orinda. Really glad I ran into this place, as it is so great in so many ways. read more

Anita H.

0

1

0

8 years ago

Nice place in our town,my friends always recommend us come to test their egg salad sandwich.It is really fresh and delicious.Definitely share this with my family and take them here again. read more

Ariel M.

734

9

0

3 years ago

Called to ask if there were any CBD/health products, which sometimes cafes do carry... The lady was extremely rude, sassy, and hung up on me... read more

Lisa M.

0

1

0

2 years ago

Fantastic food, great ambiance, and excellent service! Everything was fresh and flavorful. Can't wait to come back!

Vera S.

0

4

0

3 years ago

This business was closed and doesn't appear to have been opened recently. Maybe closed for the holidays?

Bobby B.

3

75

10

4 years ago

it's okay, not amazing, not horrible. not sure why I would go here exactly compared to other places.

Carly S.

1

89

0

5 years ago

The food here is really really good! I love the ice cream from here

Genuine Goodness - soup - Updated September 2026

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Petra Cafe

3.8

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So this was one of those lunches that was not meant to be but happened and was the best one of the…read moreweek. I had heard about Petra from a guy who drives a whole 25 miles (not any miles , 680's 25 miles) to eat at Petra. A tiny place tucked in Orinda in the shadow of the Orinda Theatre. A couple of tables outside. A couple of tables inside. A fridge for cool drinks to right. A high counter where you order from and an impressive menu of deliciousness. I selected the Athenian wrap with tri tip and grilled zucchini with a side of zaziki (spelling unknown) with more delicious flat bread. Impossible to handle , delicious in the mouth. Thank goodness for the plastic fork. The 7" was plenty big enough but you can have this in 9". The meat was flavorsome. I'll be back as the menu reads like a vacation in Corfu.

I cannot say enough about this place! I always order the salmon plate. The rice and omg the grilled…read morevegetables. Never did I think I'd be writing a review on vegetables but they are amazing!!! Service is always with a smile and usually very quick. The space itself is small, but that doesn't knock anything off the review, because everything is fantastic every time! The tzatziki, Avgolemono soup, it's all fantastic!

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Update to prior review. "Andres" great job, and a reminder that all the employees there provide…read moreexcellent customer service. A very satisfied customer! Respectfully, William K.

Here's a simple, natural 5-star review:…read more Great food, friendly service, and a clean restaurant. Everything was fresh and delicious. I'll definitely be back!

Siam Orchid

4.0

(267 reviews)

I actually came here on Sunday, when it was closed. I came back on Monday to check the restaurant…read moreout! Siam Orchid is a quiet, nicely decorated restaurant with a nice and friendly wait staff, its located directly across from the Orinda Library. I asked for a partial order of egg rolls while waiting for my lunch special, which I ordered with a Thai iced coffee. The egg rolls were delivered very quickly with the iced coffee. The main dish came out after a few minutes of waiting. It's a nice place to meet up with your friends for lunch or dinner. I do recommend that you try this restaurant out, if you're around Orinda!

I was in the Neighborhood and this place was recommended y Sophia and Bunny from Saint Anthony's…read moreThrift Store!!! So I rolled to Siam Orchid . I was able to find Parking right in front!!! I rolled in to Siam Orchid and Was Greeted and Seated !!! My Server Presented me with a Menu and a Glass of Lemon Iced Water!!!! I perused the Menu and Ordered a. Chicken Pad Thai !!! It took the Kitchen 15 Minutes to cook my Order For Me !!! My Server brought my Chicken Pad Thai out to my Table when it was ready!!! It was Delicious and a Visually Appealing!!! The Decor and Atmosphere of Siam Orchid is Old World and Classy!!! For all These Reasons!! This Is A Baller On A Budget Approved Establishment!! I Keep My Pimp Hand Strong !!! Number #34 On Yelps 50 Most Prolific Yelp Elite List for 2025!!!

Cafe Teatro

4.2

(116 reviews)

This is our meeting spot for our club every Tuesday for years! We hangout there for over an hour…read more The place has lots of outdoor seating with umbrellas. During inclement weather we move to the breezeway near the garage. Joe, the owner, runs a very efficient and friendly shop. Many of us order a breakfast sandwich with our coffees and some of us get a pastry. His young helpers are always pleasant, even when the place is overrun by nannies,strollers and babies! The increasing cost of coffee is obviously impacting Joe but he is holding on to his price list. Great place for coffee, breakfast and lunch! We appreciate Joe and highly recommend Cafe Teatro.

I ordered on line a club sandwich and in the notes asked it to be toasted . When I went to pick it…read moreup I asked the manager Mia , if it was toasted and she said no . I showed her the notes in my order and she said she didn't see it . Didn't offer to remake it or anything no sorry nothing. I came home and opened the second sandwich and had requested Dutch crunch but it was on a soft roll . I called back and Mia answered and I asked about the Dutch crunch and she said they didn't have it but didn't inform me when I went to pick it up so when I started questioning her she said I was not listening to her and hung up on me . I am an Orindian and never experienced such kind of service extremely rude and disrespectful. I would never go back there . This kind of behavior by a manager is not expected.

Amarin Thai Cuisine

4.0

(305 reviews)

Happened upon this place via OpenTable and made a reservation. It's a very cute building and…read moreinterior the staff was very attentive and friendly. We ordered the fresh spring rolls which were very tasty. We had 2 orders of pad Thai one crab and 1 shrimp. We were a little underwhelmed with the flavor on both. The short rib noodles were good. I added a decent amount of spices to bring some more heat to it and also had an order of the pineapple fried rice which was okay. The best parts of the meal were the Pom mimosas and the desserts! I would go again and try other items and see if maybe we just ordered was the wrong items.

We went here Sunday late afternoon. It was not crowded at that time and we got seated quickly…read more Service and staff were welcoming! There was no AC so they have put standing fans, which was ok for us because place was not crowded. We had, Veg potstickers: They are crispy and oily. They come with sweet peanut sauce. Crispy Tofu: perfectly fried tofu with sweet sauce. I paired it with hot sauce. Drunken noodles : I generally like drunken noodles for their Smokey flavour. These are cooked well but lacked some flavour. Yellow curry : Curry has good amount of chicken pieces. Curry is as bit runny for my taste. Taste was mild. Overall meal was fine but nothing stood out for me!

Tutu's Food & Drink

3.7

(429 reviews)

3.75/5 I've been…read morehere so many times, but has been a while since I've had breakfast. I stopped here are after walking the reservoir and got quickly seated! Sat outside which was lovely and service was okay! Sitting outside can be a gamble. But we ordered and didn't wait long for food. Ordered an iced chai and it had a lot of spice and not too sweet. The jam for the toast was great and my eggs were delish! Always happy to have gluten free toast. Waited a bit for our bill but we were enjoying it outside. Being gluten free is hard here for other meals but breakfast I usually find something easy.

Lovely spot with great service and tasty food. Waiter was very professional (Kyle) and on top of…read moreeverything, appreciated. Went late afternoon on a weeknight, sat inside. Had yummy berry smoothie, sweet potato fries, and a hot chocolate. My friend had iced tea. Would love to go back to get a full meal as it was all great. Parking lot is nice but meters are suspicious, people get ticketed unfairly often which worried me. I used coins and did not get a ticket but an older gentlemanI met there got a ticket and he was furious because he paid. I might park elsewhere next time. Anyway, Tutu's was excellent!

Lettuce Restaurant & Catering

4.1

(1.1k reviews)

Me gusta mucho! Fantastic lasagña + salads! Great flavors,…read morenice space with outdoor seating, some metered parking. Friendly staff too!

My friend and I popped in for lunch on Tuesday. I haven't been here in a while- but this was one of…read moremy go to places before Covid. We both knew we wanted the 1/2 and 1/2 combo where you get to choose 2 items between, soup, salad, sandwich, pasta. Love this option so you can get a bit of your favorites Everyone was super friendly- asking if we wanted suggestions or recommendations My friend had pasta and a salad I had a vegan sandwich and a salad- I was all set to order the farmers salad- but at the last minute I switched to the seasonal salad with asparagus. I figured we would be back soon and the farmers is on their regular menu Restaurant is cozy and welcoming. It was such a pretty spring day, so we selected outside dining. There are meters in the lot in front of lettuce, so metered street parking, and a parking structure across the street. First hour free

La Piazza

3.8

(189 reviews)

Great spot right off the freeway in Orinda. Quaint and small restaurant. The food is good, service…read moreis friendly. Classic pizza/italian American style restaurant. Will definitely come back again! I will mention though, I went with my mom who uses a wheelchair and it was difficult to get her chair inside because the entrance wasn't originally designed for accessibility. I hope they can figure out a safer way for wheelchair users to enter their establishment.

Our first visit under the new ownership and our main impression is that with some small…read moreimprovements in the ambience, this place could be SO much better! With overly bright lighting, the sterile atmosphere looks more like a house flip from HGTV than a classy, Italian joint. The fake flowers harmed more than they helped. The food was definitely solid and the staff very attentive. While we appreciated the bread and olives, the quality was on par with airplane cuisine. Calamari was hot, crispy, and non-rubbery but the marinara oddly watery. The spicy marinara on the seafood pasta was delicious and the carbonara was rich and generous in portion. On the whole, we enjoyed our meal and will definitely give it another try. We do want this restaurant to succeed!

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