We Get Hyphy in the Bay...Eating in Oakland and Berkeley

So the Bay Area is and always will be home. What I miss most about the Bay is being able to go out with my foodie family all the time. But I figured I'd share with you all the best places (in my opinion) to grab a bite to eat or do your grocery shopping. This entry includes my Oakland and Berkeley favorites.

Rick and Ann's

2922 Domingo Ave
Berkeley, CA

This is a very homey place to grab brunch or dinner. The tables are communal, so you'll get to know your neighbors and see what they're getting to eat. The walls are always full of fun artwork from customers or local kids. Their pot pie is amazing, as are the burgers.

Zachary's Pizza

5801 College Ave.
Oakland CA

This is the location I grew up on, though there is another location on Solano and they just recently opened up one in San Ramon (so my mom can pick it up on the way home...yes...). Their deep dish Chicago-style pizza is my absolute favorite pizza anwhere. I miss it all the time and have often considered getting one half-baked and driving it down with me when I come back after vacations. My personal favorite is the stuffed chicken and basil, but the thin-crust cheese is also incredible and a standard dinner at my house.

Cactus Taqueria

5642 College Ave.

Oakland, CA

Amazing Mexican food. Nuff said. Tres Leches Cake? To die for.

Barney's Gourmet Hamburgers

5819 College Ave.

Oakland, CA

This place has burgers that are to die for. Everything on the menu is incredible. There are a few other locations throughout the bay (and even one down in Brentwood).

Fenton's Creamery

4226 Piedmont Ave.

Oakland, CA

This makes for a great dessert outing. Their sundaes are gigantic and delicious and more that sufficient for multiple people. It was featured in the movie "Up" to...made me miss home.

Yoshi's

510 Embarcadero West

Oakland, CA

I've never actually been here, despite growing up in the Lamorinda music culture. It is a jazz club/restaurant and features all sorts of big names in the Jazz community. My drum teacher, band teachers, sister, mom, dad, and on and on have all been. Norah Jones performed there when she was unknown. The jazz music is brilliant and going for a performance is still on my "To Do" list.

Market Hall

5655 College Ave.

Oakland, CA

This market is lovely. There are many, many different stores within the market. They have fresh pasta, coffee, a bakery, and a gigantic produce section. One of my favorite purchases on a regular day: curry chicken salad. On special days (like around Valentine's Day): chocolate raspberry raviolis. You never know what you'll find there, but it is all delicious.

Cafe Gratitude

1730 Shattuck Ave.

Berkeley, CA

Raw Vegan. Amazing. Their milkshakes are TO DIE FOR. What's great about this place is because it's raw vegan, after you leave you feel incredible because you're getting all the nutrients (including the ones that would have been cooked off) out of your food. Their pad thai is definitely something to try.

Bette's Diner

1807 4th St.

Berkeley, CA

Great brunch in a cute little shopping area. There can be a little bit of a wait on the weekend.

Cheeseboard Pizza

1512 Shattuck Ave.

Berkeley, CA

Cheeseboard has a different kind of pizza every day, and that is the only pizza they carry that day. The line tends to be down the block but it's a fun outing to make with friends.

Bittersweet Cafe

5427 College Ave.

Oakland, CA

Bittersweet is a fun place to stop for dessert or coffee. They carry all sorts of chocolate treats, chocolate bars, and drinks. It is a little hole in the wall so seating is very limited but get something to go and wander College Ave.

Sketch

1809 4th St.

Berkeley, CA

I came across this place with my sister once, and it stopped us dead in our tracks. This is some fantastic gourmet ice cream. Sketch has flavors including Saffron and Earl Grey, with toppings like salted caramel and cocoa nibs. It's a little pricey (a small can set you back $5) but it is so worth it.

Naia

2106 Shattuck Ave.

Berkeley, CA

Naia has great gelato (inlcluding flavors like Rose and Lavender). I frequent the one in Walnut Creek more, but the Berkeley ones came first.

Cafe Fanny

1603 San Pablo Ave.

Berkeley, CA

So I've actually never eaten here, but Cafe Fanny Granola is a standard in my house. Alice Waters is the brains behind this legendary Berkeley restaurant, which gives it a stamp of note.

Crepevine

5600 College Ave.

Oakland, CA

When my friends and I want crepes, this is the go-to place. It's so worth the drive from the other side of the tunnel. They have all sorts of savory and sweet crepes as well as a coffee menu, salads, and all sorts of baked goodies.

Acme

1601 San Pablo Ave.

Berkeley, CA

Acme bread is TO DIE FOR. Like, literally. It is absolutely incredible. Acme is the the Bay Area as La Brea is to the Los Angeles area. My favorite way to eat this bread is as a burger bun (as one of my other Bay Area favorites, Chow Restaurant, serves it).

Berkeley Bowl

2020 Oregon St.

Berkeley, CA

Berkeley Bowl is unlike any other grocery store in the world. They carry EVERYTHING if it's healthy, organic, delicious, and comes in a an array of varieties. My sister was there with my mom once, and my mom told her to go get some eggplant for moussaka. A few minutes later, my mom got a call from my sister asking what kind of eggplant? There were at least eight different types. And that is just the beginning. Most of the apples come in a variety of sizes, too. Have you ever seen a 1 pound apple? I have. At Berkeley Bowl.

Gourmet Ghetto

The Gourmet Ghetto isn't so much a restaurants as it is a neighborhood full of delicious food. It covers the area north of Delaware Street, south of Live Oak Park, East of Henry Street, and West of Walnut. The majority of these restaurants are along Shattuck, but there are a few on the cross streets like Vine.

FatApple's

1346 Martin Luther King Jr. Way

Berkeley, CA

This place takes me back to my childhood. I think I actually had my 16th birthday dinner with my family there. They serve burgers and all sorts of comfort food. They make their buns fresh, and have milk shakes and malts to cause a heart attack...in the best way possible.

Khana Peena

5316 College Ave.

Oakland, CA

Located on a very sharp corner, Khana Peena has a great patio for warmer evenings. This is probably my favorite Indian restaurant in the Oakland/Berkeley area.

Cha-Ya Japanese

1686 Shattuck Ave.

Berkeley, CA

This is vegetarian Japanese. It's delicious. I've been there once and got a great rice dish with tarot root among other things.

New York Favorites

Here's a list of some restaurants I fell in love with during my month in New York this spring:

BREAKFAST

Alice's Tea Cup

156 E. 54th

102 W. 73rd

220 E. 81st

Three different locations, this small chain features adorable, hole-in-the-wall tea houses. You can get a pot of tea and scones for two for just $10 in the morning. I prefer to stop in for tea and a scone to go, followed by a walk through Central Park.

Sarabeth's

423 Amsterdam Ave. #1

Though there are many other locations, including Central Park South, I am partial to this one because it was the location of my first Sarabeth's experience. This place has the most incredible brunch. There can be a wait for a table, but it is beyond worth it!

LUNCH

Lombardi's

32 Spring St.

Open since 1905, Lombardi's is America's first pizzeria. Though I haven't yet been there, some good friends ate there on my recommendation and loved it. I'm waiting to go back this fall to hopefully get to try it!

Cafe Tasia

38 E. 8th

Located between Union and Washington Squares, this Thai restaurant is a great bargain on Sunday afternoons. They have a prix-fix menu where you pick how many dishes you want, then pick whatever you want to eat. 3 courses can be under $10.

S'Mac

345 E. 12th

This restaurant sells one thing and one thing only: macaroni and cheese. You can make your own or pick from their menu of suggested combos. My favorite is the Cajun.

Peanut Butter & Co.

240 Sullivan St.

Just off of Washington Square, this restaurant (owned by the owners of S'Mac) features the American standard with a slew of twists.

Friend of a Farmer

77 Irving Pl.

This homey restaurant east of Union Square is a great place for a weekend meal. Their cornbread and apple butter are incredible. Ask for a table upstairs by the fireplace!

DINNER

John's Pizza

278 Bleeker St.

This is supposed to be one of the best pizza joints in NYC, though I have yet to experience it. My best friend, an NYU student, has agreed with this statement many times.

Blockheads Burritos

322 W. 50th

This restaurant, just off of Times Square, has great margaritas for just $3. I have yet to experience this, but everyone from my program raved about it!

Vinyl

754 9th Ave.

This location, of four, is a trendy spot that features an Asian/American fusion menu. They have everything from pad thai to pot pie. Their pomegranate margaritas are incredible: big and strong. Splitting one might be a better option.

Republic

37 Union Square West

Once again, my love of Thai food speaks. This came to me as a recommendation from my mom last September and I have now eaten there twice. It is fantastic. Not the cheapest of restaurants, but delicious and so worth it.

Grimalidi's Pizzeria

19 Old Fulton St.

Brooklyn

Once again, I have yet to try it but this is supposed to be the absolute best pizza you can get in the New York Metropolitan Area (come to think of it, I've yet to have good pizza in New York...maybe it's because I like mine deep dish, Chicago style...but anywho).

Dovetail

103 W. 77th

This is my absolute favorite restaurant in all of New York. They have great cocktails and amazing California food (...I'm from California...what can I say, I'm partial). This is definitely a place for a nicer evening out, but a restaurant I hope to make one of my regular spots every time I visit Manhattan.

SWEET SNACKS

Rice to Riches

37 Spring Street

If you like rice pudding, you'll love this rice pudding parlor. It's not the cheapest of treats (an order of rice pudding can put you back almost $10...and that's on the smaller side of things) but so much fun. I'm not a huge rice pudding person, and I love this place. Just be careful not to order too much. This stuff is rich and you won't get through very much before wanting to put it down.

Milk & Cookies

270 Bleeker St.

This place is great: ice cream sandwiches made while you wait. They have a huge assortment of cookies with four or so ice cream flavors to pick from. A great treat if you're down in the area.

Magnolia Bakery

401 Bleeker St.

This is the original location of the bakery (and the one featured on Sex and the City) but they've sprouted up around town. Magnolia is known for their rich, smooth cupcakes. If you come to the Bleeker location, be prepared to wait in line. The NYU kids are regulars at this spot.

Max Brenner

841 Broadway between 13th and 14th

This place is awesome...if you love chocolate. And you better if you're going to come here. They have an extravagant menu of alcoholic and non-alcoholic chocolate drinks, fondues, cakes, cookies, and so on. They have regular food too (I got a burger with fries...sprinkled in cocoa powder) but their desserts are what they're known for.

Levain Bakery

167 W. 74th

This place is famous for their giant, half-pound cookies. These masterpieces are dense, delicious, and still warm out of the oven every time you buy them. If you're not too keen on the sugar overload, they have scones, bread, mini-pizzas, and coffee as well.

Crumbs Bakery

321 1/2 Amsterdam Ave.

There are a ton of these around the city, but this is the original. They have a huge array of cupcakes including Elvis (peanut butter and banana) and Cosmopolitan (in honor of the Sex and the City film release). They are awesome.

BARS

Divine Bar West

236 W. 54th

This is just north of Times Square, so it's a little pricey, but their white chocolate berad pudding is to die for and they have some fun mixed drinks. Beware, though, this is a wine bar, not a bar, so unless it's on the menu or really classic, they probably aren't equipped to make it.

Vintage

753 9th Ave.

In the heart of Hell's Kitchen, this bar has the biggest martini menu you'll probably ever see. Selections include oatmeal cookie and birthday cake martinis.

The Snug

751 9th Ave.

Right next door to Vintage, this joint has great happy hours and hot bartenders.

Cosmic Cantina

105 3rd Ave.

This place is a load of fun. Black lights, neon paint, and all organic products. In front, you can get your typical cantina food, but if you head into the back, the bar has some great, freshly made organic cocktails. Be nice to the bartender, Dan, and he'll be nice back (actually, he'll be nice regardless). And if you go, tell him I say "Hi!"

Birdland

315 w. 44th

Just off of Times Square, this jazz cabaret is know for hosting famous New York performers and writers. Check out who is performing while you're in town and plan on stopping in once during your stay!

So that's my lowdown. I'm sure I'll be able to add to this list every time I head out there, and even more when I eventually make the big move!

Alas...I need to head to bed. I have an Econ midterm in the morning. Hopefully it won't be too bad. My math brain has grasped supply and demand, trade, and elasticity pretty well so far...