Local Guide Book for Budget Travelers Who Like Cats

Shella
Local Guide Book for Budget Travelers Who Like Cats

Food scene

This old school, black-owned diner is a quick stroll from my house.
52 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Lois the Pie Queen
851 60th St
52 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
This old school, black-owned diner is a quick stroll from my house.
Open weekdays only, they serve very good takeout tamales from a walkup window.
Tamaleria Azteca
5751 Market St
Open weekdays only, they serve very good takeout tamales from a walkup window.
Serves breakfast, brunch and lunch daily.
43 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Doyle Street Cafe
5515 Doyle St
43 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Serves breakfast, brunch and lunch daily.
A nice (spiffy) dinner place with a patio.
42 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Townhouse Bar & Grill
5862 Doyle St
42 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
A nice (spiffy) dinner place with a patio.
Part of a chain with several locations in San Francisco, this cafe serves lite food, coffee, tea, etc.
19 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Paradise Park Café
6334 San Pablo Ave
19 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Part of a chain with several locations in San Francisco, this cafe serves lite food, coffee, tea, etc.
Serves very good burgers, fries, and wings in a large outdoor eating area or for takeout. Closed Sun & Mon.
25 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Sideshow Kitchen
942 Stanford Ave
25 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Serves very good burgers, fries, and wings in a large outdoor eating area or for takeout. Closed Sun & Mon.
Excellent baked goods -- both sweet and savory -- as well as coffee and tea drinks. Located on the way to the Ashby BART station.
115 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Sweet Adeline Bakeshop
3350 Adeline St
115 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Excellent baked goods -- both sweet and savory -- as well as coffee and tea drinks. Located on the way to the Ashby BART station.
A simple counter-service restaurant that offers a small menu of tasty dishes.
58 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Easy Creole
1761 Alcatraz Ave
58 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
A simple counter-service restaurant that offers a small menu of tasty dishes.
Yummy and pretty cupcake shop that is close to the Paradise Park Cafe.
22 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
James & the Giant Cupcake
6326 San Pablo Ave
22 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Yummy and pretty cupcake shop that is close to the Paradise Park Cafe.
A chain of worker owned cooperatives that serves artisan bread and pizzas.
72 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Arizmendi Bakery & Pizzeria
4301 San Pablo Ave
72 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
A chain of worker owned cooperatives that serves artisan bread and pizzas.
Has good Yelp reviews. Let me know what you think if you go.
9 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Lemat Ethiopian Restaurant
3212 Adeline St
9 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Has good Yelp reviews. Let me know what you think if you go.
I am from New York and have lived in the Bay Area since 1999. I still haven't found pizza in the magical way they make it back home. The pizza here is better than most and it is close by. They also deliver via GrubHub and Door Dash.
Amici's East Coast Pizzeria at CloudKitchens - North Oakland / Berkeley
5333 Adeline Street
I am from New York and have lived in the Bay Area since 1999. I still haven't found pizza in the magical way they make it back home. The pizza here is better than most and it is close by. They also deliver via GrubHub and Door Dash.
This Pakastani Halal market is also a restaurant that is highly recommended by my brother.
Al-Maida Hot Food and Market
5650 Market Street
This Pakastani Halal market is also a restaurant that is highly recommended by my brother.
This ramen restaurant is in Chinatown and one of Joe and Raven's favorite places.
14 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Sobo Ramen
988 Franklin St
14 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
This ramen restaurant is in Chinatown and one of Joe and Raven's favorite places.
A small taqueria just a few blocks away.
16 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Cassave
5412 San Pablo Ave
16 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
A small taqueria just a few blocks away.
This is a very popular ramen place in Temescal, a trendy neighborhood about 1.5 miles from my house.
41 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Marufuku Ramen
4828 Telegraph Avenue
41 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
This is a very popular ramen place in Temescal, a trendy neighborhood about 1.5 miles from my house.
A very popular gourmet pizza place in Rockridge, and upscale neighborhood with a lot of shops that is about 2 miles from my house.
247 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Zachary's Chicago Pizza
5801 College Ave
247 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
A very popular gourmet pizza place in Rockridge, and upscale neighborhood with a lot of shops that is about 2 miles from my house.
Ethiopian restaurant that is a very short walk from my house (across from Gazzali's Market).
53 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Café Colucci
5849 Telegraph Ave
53 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Ethiopian restaurant that is a very short walk from my house (across from Gazzali's Market).

Drinks

Friendly, low-key neighborhood bar for drinks, not food.
35 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Wolfhound Bar
5516 San Pablo Ave
35 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Friendly, low-key neighborhood bar for drinks, not food.
Local Irish pub with live music.
74 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
The Starry Plough Pub
3101 Shattuck Ave
74 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Local Irish pub with live music.

Groceries

A convenience grocery store with a small selection of basic items, just a 5 minute walk away.
Gazzali's Supermarket
5908 San Pablo Avenue
A convenience grocery store with a small selection of basic items, just a 5 minute walk away.
Gourmet supermarket w/huge produce section, cheese counter, prepared meals, and more. A long-ish walk or short bike or bus ride away. Take the the Emeryville Greenbelt for scenery.
371 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Berkeley Bowl West
920 Heinz Ave
371 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Gourmet supermarket w/huge produce section, cheese counter, prepared meals, and more. A long-ish walk or short bike or bus ride away. Take the the Emeryville Greenbelt for scenery.
This Berkeley Bowl is about the same distance away as Berkeley Bowl West but the walk to get there is not as pretty. If you are in the area anyway, it offers all the same quality and variety.
419 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Berkeley Bowl
2020 Oregon St
419 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
This Berkeley Bowl is about the same distance away as Berkeley Bowl West but the walk to get there is not as pretty. If you are in the area anyway, it offers all the same quality and variety.
Well-known chain of supermarkets with diverse products and better than average prices.
582 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Trader Joe's
3250 Lakeshore Ave
582 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Well-known chain of supermarkets with diverse products and better than average prices.
A large farmers market every Saturday with high quality, somewhat pricey produce, cheese, and meat, plus food trucks.
197 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Grand Lake Farmers Market
746 Grand Ave
197 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
A large farmers market every Saturday with high quality, somewhat pricey produce, cheese, and meat, plus food trucks.
Small farmers' market on Tuesdays from 2-6pm. It is on the way to/from the Ashby BART station.
43 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
South Berkeley (Tuesday) Farmers' Market
63rd Street
43 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Small farmers' market on Tuesdays from 2-6pm. It is on the way to/from the Ashby BART station.
Friendly shop offering a large selection of Middle Eastern groceries and prepared food for take out.
9 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Middle East Market
2054 San Pablo Ave
9 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Friendly shop offering a large selection of Middle Eastern groceries and prepared food for take out.

Theater, Music, Art & Film

High quality theater in a very small venue, across the street from the Ashby BART station.
32 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Shotgun Players
1901 Ashby Ave
32 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
High quality theater in a very small venue, across the street from the Ashby BART station.
A venue for roots music (folk, blues, bluegrass, jazz, world) in Berkeley, just a short bus or Lyft ride away.
87 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse
2020 Addison St
87 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
A venue for roots music (folk, blues, bluegrass, jazz, world) in Berkeley, just a short bus or Lyft ride away.
California-focused art ranging from state history and heritage to ultra modern. The museum has a nice cafe, beautiful garden terraces, and a food truck scene (Off the Grid) every Friday.
547 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Oakland Museum of California
1000 Oak St
547 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
California-focused art ranging from state history and heritage to ultra modern. The museum has a nice cafe, beautiful garden terraces, and a food truck scene (Off the Grid) every Friday.
Terrific venue for live theater.
127 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Berkeley Repertory Theatre
2025 Addison St
127 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Terrific venue for live theater.
They show interesting art film, documentaries and older film.
171 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive
2155 Center St
171 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
They show interesting art film, documentaries and older film.
An historic venue for new and old film.
382 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Grand Lake Theater
3200 Grand Ave
382 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
An historic venue for new and old film.
Thousands of people turn out for Oakland First Fridays, Oakland's nonprofit signature monthly celebration of arts, culture, food and community. It happens on the first Friday of the month from 5pm-9pm on Telegraph Avenue between West Grand to 27th Street.
64 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
First Fridays
2633 Telegraph Ave
64 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Thousands of people turn out for Oakland First Fridays, Oakland's nonprofit signature monthly celebration of arts, culture, food and community. It happens on the first Friday of the month from 5pm-9pm on Telegraph Avenue between West Grand to 27th Street.

Outdoors

A great place for a bit of nature in the city, with some trails meandering under Redwood trees.
214 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Joaquin Miller Park
3300 Joaquin Miller Rd
214 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
A great place for a bit of nature in the city, with some trails meandering under Redwood trees.
This park is walkable from my house although it means crossing under a highway. You will be rewarded with views across the Bay to San Francisco.
18 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Emeryville Marina & Park
3310 Powell St
18 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
This park is walkable from my house although it means crossing under a highway. You will be rewarded with views across the Bay to San Francisco.
A really nice bike and walker-friendly path.
Emeryville Greenway Park
A really nice bike and walker-friendly path.
A very pretty rose garden maintained by volunteers. Explore more Berkeley scenery on the amazing staircase walks nearby.
140 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Berkeley Rose Garden
1200 Euclid Ave
140 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
A very pretty rose garden maintained by volunteers. Explore more Berkeley scenery on the amazing staircase walks nearby.
A lovely rose garden with wild turkeys and a friendly grey cat.
66 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Morcom Rose Garden
700 Jean St
66 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
A lovely rose garden with wild turkeys and a friendly grey cat.

Råd om din stad

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Getting to BART

BART covers San Francisco and the East Bay. The fare depends on the distance you travel so you swipe in and out of the turnstile. There are machines for tickets or you can buy a Clipper Card that can be used on BART and most buses in the East Bay and San Francisco (excluding some cable cars). The BART station nearest to my house is Ashby which is a 1 mile walk. Or you can walk just 2 blocks to San Pablo Avenue and take the 72 or 72R AC Transit bus to Thomas L. Berkeley Way/20th Street. Walk 1/2 a block to 19th Street BART station. (Bus takes exact fare dollars/coins or Clipper.)
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AC Transit (Bus)

The East Bay has a very good bus system -- AC Transit Fares are $2.50 cash, $2.25 Clipper, or $6 for Transbay express. Check the AC Transit website for trip planning, schedules and specific fare info. (Airbnb doesn't allow websites.) Some handy bus lines near my house are: 72, 72R -- To downtown Oakland, Chinatown & Jack London Square (West Berkeley in the other direction) F -- Express bus into San Francisco (becomes a local to Berkeley in the other direction) 88--To Berkeley (Or Lake Merritt in the other direction) 12--To Piedmont Ave
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Clipper Card

Clipper is the Bay Area’s all-in-one reloadable transit card and the preferred way to pay AC Transit fares. Using this contactless payment option, riders can enjoy discounts on single ride fares and Day passes, as well as get exclusive access to prepaid 31-day passes. I believe you can now also use Clipper on your phone. Check the Clipper website for details. (Airbnb doesn't allow me to give hyperlinks.)
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Citymapper

The Citymapper App is very helpful to find best routes for public transit, walking, and biking.
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Parking a Car

There is plenty of free street parking in my neighborhood. You can usually park on Los Angeles Street right near the house. Always check parking signs as there are some days when parking is not allowed due to street cleaning. Always lock your car and don't leave anything of value in it to avoid car break-ins.