Top Soup Restaurant in Berkeley
Sourdough and Co
2509 Haste St, Berkeley, CA 94704, United States
The “convenience fee” should be eliminated because it is deceptive. I thought I would pay 12.99 for a sandwich, only to find that at the register there is an additional charge. No other businesses do this.additionally, the justification the cashier gave me for this fee is not right. She told me that the fee exists because minimum wage was raised. This justification presupposes the idea of perfect elasticity between the prices of labor and of goods, which is not a real phenomenon. there are many examples of minimum wage rising but the price of goods DECREASING (because workers have more money to put back into the economy). Also, a flat rate charge per transaction does not scale with the cost of labor: if I order a bunch of items, labor costs increase more or less proportionately, but the convenience fee does not, the point being that even from a management perspective this fee is not a good way to cover rising costs of labor.I would have walked away from the register but my girlfriend wanted a sandwich. This fee should be eliminated.
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Berkeley Organic Market & Deli
2642 Ashby Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705, United States
N few words best falafel pita sandwich I had today! I love it so much! It wasnt overly sodium like a lot of places and price was just right. Whats in the pita was fresh vegetables and hummus was just right. It came with a side salad. It was so refreshing. I cannot wait to eat this all the time now. Thank you for the man that made my falafel today. Everyone was so helpful and kind that works there. Unlike most places and restaurants/cafe in Berkeley people are mean and rude because they hire these college students that is lacking the customers service.Victor G.Elite 2022Oakland, CA451017301572510/12/20212 photosBerkeley Organic Market is a very compact version of Whole Foods. theres a food counter with a small menu of soup, wrap, falafel bowl & sides.eats: mannaqeesh flatbread (5.50)-has a few spices mixed with huumus, avocado, cucumbers, tomato, argula on a round flatbread.-luckily, it wasnt messy to eat (as feared). it didnt have a lot of sauce. yummy.drink: GT synergy raw kombucha tantric turmeric (3.99)-instructions are not to shake, just swirl gently-nice blend of teas, juices, flavorings, no weird taste, just 12 grams sugar (4%), 50 calories. would try again or another flavor.Tasty raw kombucha (3.99)Mannaqeesh flatbread (5.50) with avocadoMegan N.Elite 2022Columbus, OH34038/17/2022Amazingly fresh Mediterranean wrap. The bread is baked fresh to order. These are made and prepared with so much care and love every time. This place is one block from my best friends house and I didnt understand how she was so excited about a veggie wrap until I tried it. Now I have to get multiple every time Im in town to visit her. Very special place and peopleElizabeth A.Elite 2022Hayward, CA2188453/28/2022This market seems small and limited but its actually not. For being small, they have a lot of fresh produce, drinks, canned goods, breads, snacks, and a vegan deli. I havent tried food from their deli yet and I will. However, as soon as I walked in I was greeted by the guy at the register. Im assuming hes the owner because he was talking about inventory to me. Their products are pretty healthy, natural and fresh. Bouquets of fresh flowers are outside for purchase as well. I love how close this market is to me and instead of eating out at a restaurant for lunch, I can go here and buy something fresh and quickly. I can even bring ingredients from here to work and make something for lunch. Its convenient.
Phosho Dough (SAN PABLO AVE)
1235 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley, CA 94706, United States
Phosho Dough has The tastiest, most affordable Vietnamese food And with Big portions! I normally make the trip into Oakland because their restaurantS have the best food and fun experience but now with this new closer Berkeley location Ill be going a lot more.Their internationally well-known spokesman Rich (a former tuxedo wearing super agent) and All of their friendly, hard-working employees will be happy to give you great food and service for not a lot of money. Just try it once and youll see what I mean.I had this grand plan of catching a Real genie and one of three wishes was going to be many more locations of Phosho Dough and their Amazingly delicious, super friendly service, priced right items, Vietnamese food (that welcomes everyone with a smile) style restaurant!So now that that is off my 3 wishes list, I guess I can use that one wish for world peace or something like that instead.And just in case you think Im making any of this up... Just go eat at either Phosho Dough location and you will also be wishing real hard to eat their delicious food more often.
Ben Ben Hot Pot
1585 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94703, United States
This is a completely new concept for Berkeley. In this place, dinner can turn into a creative ritual. You cook your own food, adding any ingredients you like to the base rich stock, which simmers in a pot right on your table. All the food is of the highest quality, from the organic chicken used to make the stock to the delicious Chilean shrimp. You pay a flat rate and can eat an unlimited amount of food - they will add broth to your pot and bring you all the ingredients from the menu as much as you ask. The service is excellent - all the staff are very friendly and always ready to answer questions. Thanks for the great experience! P.S. Their naan is mind blowing!
Garden Variety
1966 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704, United States
Im so mad at myself for not coming here sooner. The reviews are spot-on. Flavor packed food. Beautiful garden outdoor seating. Friendly staff. You cant go wrong with lunch at Garden Variety. My only wish is that they were open on the weekends.The fried chicken sandwich had a generous amount of crispy and juicy chicken, creamy garlic sauce, and crunchy slaw. They offer a choice of two salads with all sandwiches. I could have eaten a bowl of the potato salad alone. I was very kindly given a free tahini chocolate chip cookie when the staff found out I was a first-time customer. Ill definitely be back to try out their other menu items!Fried Chicken SandwichChocolate Chip Tahini CookieGideon T.Berkeley, CA049110/18/2022Updated reviewHad their Ginger Molasses cookie today, and, let me tell you, bakeries that specialize in actually baking things like cookies do not hold a candle to Garden Variety. Absolute perfection. Crispy and almost caramelized on the outside (best way to describe whatevers going on with the edges) and then decreased crunchiness leading to a moist center.I dont know why actual bakeries have such a hard time baking good cookies. Here is a salad joint that makes cookies on the side and they have absolutely nailed the practice. These are the cookies of the grandmother of your dreams!6/3/2022Previous reviewAbsolutely the best cookies to be found anywhere in Berkeley. Better than the highly touted bakeries in the area. Far better than any coffee house. Always freshly baked.The chocolate chip is my favorite, but the others are equally good. Always perfectly textured (crunchy on the outside; soft in the middle), bold yet nuanced with the quintessential aftertaste of a cookie from the oven of the grandmother of your dreams.Substantial, but not overwhelming . Incredibly reasonably priced. At two dollars, there isnt a better deal in the Bay Area!Read moreJeffrey Y.Elite 2022Seattle, WA5301392589/9/20221 photo1 check-inAmbience - 8/10 -- Excellent rose garden in backyard with ample chairs and shady umbrellas available. Decent unisex bathroom.Quality - 6/10 -- Decent salads, nothing special. Would have preferred darker greens. Grilled peach were a bit charred and removing the char was annoying. Expecting more of an experience at this price point.Service - 5/10 -- Friendly staff members, self-serve water. The cups were plastic glasses, and they were oily and had a distinct plasticy aftertaste. After trying a few different glasses, we notified the staff and they gave us two Solo cups instead. Good service, but sus quality water.Value - 6/10 -- $12-15 base salads are good for the area and salads are large enough, but Mezzo is not too far away with much better value for salads ($12.90 for a combo salad and soup, last time I checked). Good quality, higher end place for Berkeley.Overall - 6/10 -- friendly, good salad place with small hiccups. 3.5 starsRed Quinoa and Roast Chicken, GF Grilled Peach and Goat Cheese, with TofuJoniece H.Elite 2022Alameda, CA246821177/11/20223 photosLOVEEEEE Garden Variety!!! My coworker and I stopped by here on a whim one day and Im so glad we did! Whenever we get down time at work, well stop here for lunch so we can enjoy the gorgeous rose garden . The fried chicken sandwich is so good! I also got their soba noodle salad and fried rice before on other occasions and honestly you cant order a bad thing from this menu. Everything is fresh and made to order and the chef and cashier are just the two most fabulous people you could ever meet! Im so glad I stumbled upon this place as I truly feel I found a gem here is Berkeley keep up the great workEd U.Elite 2022
Kuroki Ramen
2309 Telegraph Ave #B, Berkeley, CA 94704, United States
SO GOOD!!! Everything was of very high quality—I got the deluxe red tonkotsu ramen and every part of it was great. It was actually pretty spicy, good noodles and broth, and the toppings were delicious (especially the braised pork wow!!) I also really enjoyed the jasmine green milk tea I got. This place is a bit pricey, yes, but I promise you it's worth it!
Kitchen On Fire - Berkeley Kitchen
1509 Shattuck Ave. Ste A, Berkeley, CA 94709, United States
My partner and I attended a Roman cooking class with (I think) Chef Mat in July 2023 at the Berkeley location, so this is a late review, but I think important for others thinking of attending Kitchen On Fire courses. We signed up for a couples class, but we were the only couple. The rest of the group was a birthday party. This was uncomfortable because we felt like we were imposing on their group. Also, when we first walked in, the two chefs were just talking to each other and didnt make any attempt to be friendly to us. We felt socially excluded the whole time, even though the chefs did incorporate us in the cooking. This was especially hard for me, because the class was outside our price range and my partner got it for my birthday. I had to run to the bathroom at one point to fight off tears. The food was good, but honestly I would have learned just as much about how to cook from a J. Kenji López-Alt video.
Nana Thai Bistro
1453 Dwight Way, Berkeley, CA 94702, United States
The best Thai restaurant in Berkeley!!!I was hesitant to go to yet another Thai restaurant that serves greasy and/or not so authentic food. This one is different. It isn't greasy and the veggies are really fresh and cooked to perfection. Plus, the flavors are really nice.We ordered the crab fried rice and chicken green curry. Both were delicious. Not only that, the people working there are super friendly. It's as if you are eating at their home. A few of their Thai friends visited and they all waved goodbye to us as we left, making us feel like family.This restaurant is next door to and a bit hidden by the Homemade Cafe. Totally worth checking out!!!
FAVA
2114 Vine St, Berkeley, CA 94709, United States
FAVA is everything!! I LOVE the Lamb Flatbreads, fresh Herby Falafels, and rotating soups and salads. Most recently, I had a Golden Squash Soup w/ Jalapeno Yogurt that was divine. Their drinks are also insanely refreshing and reasonably priced.Fava is nothing short of everything I want and need at lunch time. The menu changes with the seasons, so it always features the absolute freshest ingredients that local farms have to offer. It also means that I never tire of whats on the menu, and theres usually something new and delicious to try. I sincerely appreciate their small menu because that means everything is excellent. Its simple math! The share of time and effort paid to each dish is above and beyond what most places can afford to give. Lastly, Sylvia and Jeremy (the chefs/co-owners) put their heart and soul into every detail of this tiny restaurant and you truly FEEL it when youre there. I always feel so good, and so proud of my community after I eat at Fava!!
Caf NOSTOS
1930 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Berkeley, CA 94704, United States
My favorite East Bay cafes for working during lockdown - #6, Café NostosNostos is fully open for normal business! That means ceramic plates and cups, outdoor AND indoor dining (and there's a lot of space indoors so it doesn't feel crowded) and Wi-Fi, bathroom, etc. All the luxuries that we took for granted before lockdown. Last time I was there I had a latte, caprese sandwich with a Greek side-salad, and baklava. The owners are kind folk who are happy when people enjoy their food. The food is very good – the Semifreddi's ciabatta used for sandwiches is delicious and goes well with the Mediterranean-style fillings. The Greek side-salad was totes delicious and pretty substantial. The homemade baklava is also really well done – the pastry is light and crispy and the filling has lots of walnuts and is not too sweet. I think I ended up skipping dinner after that late lunch :-)I'm also giving café Nostos 4 out of 5 “Green Stars” for social and environmental impact, based on this:• Nostos is using ceramic cups and plates for in-house dining, avoiding plastic waste.• Most of the menu is vegetarian, although choices are more limited for vegans.• Overall, the menu follows the Mediterranean diet, which is accepted to be more sustainable (and healthier!) than most diets (except for a completely plant-based diet).• Coffee is from Illy and tea is from Dammann Frères. These are both old-school European companies that do their own thing when it comes to ethics & I think they are both mediocre as far as trade and agriculture policies go. Probably a little above average for Illy Coffee.• My baklava was made in-house and the ciabatta for my sandwich was made by Semifreddi's bakery.Interested in writing green star reviews? If so, please check out the Green Stars Project.