Best Berkeley Brunches
I’m a big fan of the brunch – really, breakfast food is what I’m after, about a 90/10 split between savory and sweet. Here are my favorite Berkeley brunch spots.
| Name | Food | Coffee | Atmosphere | Cost | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fellini | *** | *** | **** | $$ | *** |
| Just three blocks from our first Berkeley apartment, Fellini eventually became our go-to restaurant for dinner, brunch, and on-the-go coffee (via their out-door coffee bar). The brunch menu has plenty of favorites, but tends to be on the vegan/healthy side, viz. no pork bacon (turkey only), lots of tofu scrambles, no really fatty hollandaise-laden dishes. | |||||
| Bette’s Oceanview Diner | ***** | **** | **** | $$ | ****+ |
| It doesn’t technically have an ocean view, but it is in the neighborhood formerly known as “Oceanview,” now called “4th Street” because, well, there’s not much else around except the stuff on 4th Street. My theory is that Bette’s accounts for a significant amount of retail foot traffic that would otherwise not bother to stop. The food is simply awesome – beautiful breakfasts without being boring (or too creative). On-menu items are great, but more often than not I end up with one of the weekly specials. The homemade chorizo is excellent. The only drawback is the wait: two people on a weekend morning will likely wait 45 minutes. Four people can expect to wait an hour. | |||||
| Jimmy Bean’s | **** | *** | **** | $$ | **** |
| A great selection of egg-based dishes with a slight Mexican recipe bias. Partial service means you stand in line to order, but even a long queue usually clears up within 10-15 minutes. Good espresso drinks, passable communal-carafe drip coffee. French toast offered Real maple syrup, but otherwise unremarkable. No peanut butter. Good bacon. Besides being a great brunch spot, the secret of Jimmy Bean’s is their low-cost, great-atmosphere, full-service dinner. | |||||
| Crepevine | *** | *** | ** | $$ | ** |
| So new it’s not even on their website’s list of locations, the occupant of the corner space on Shattuck and Cedar serves a reasonable meal. Service is a bit lacking (rare coffee refills, slow to clean up abandoned tables), and the high ceilings make the place seem more like a “warehouse” than “spacious and bright.” Beware the namesake crepes, as well – ours was soggy, drowned in its own topping-juice. But if you’re making a stop at Andronico’s anyway… it works. | |||||
| Liaison Bistro | **** | **** | ***** | $$$ | **** |
| This is the kind of place you take out-of-town company or a date – I feel underdressed in my hoodie. Service is way beyond the other contenders on this list, and the food is very well-prepared. The menu has a predictably French bias, but is recognizable brunch fare. Items of note include the list of “Croques” in place of the “Benedicts” found on everyone else’s menu. Liaison also serves a steak-and-eggs, which used to be my signature breakfast dish in college; it was the only plate I could manage to clean. | |||||
| Bacheeso’s | **** | * | ***** | $$ | *** |
| Some great Mediterranean-styled dishes here, but I only ever order the German Farmer’s Omelette, so I can’t speak from experience. They also have a huge breakfast buffet, which I avoid because buffets are always money-losing propositions for me. The drip coffee tasted funky on at least two occasions, and is not very satisfying on its best days. Five-star atmosphere for the consistent appearance of the way-cool accordion player, who entertains you with strains of Hotel California, Ace of Base, and various other pop songs. | |||||
| Cafe Fanny | **** | **** | * | $$ | *** |
| An Alice Waters joint, Cafe Fanny has wonderfully simple and tasty food. For example, do this at home: toast a wide slice of levain or ciabatta; fry or poach an egg and place on top of the toast; sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano, and a few drops of red wine vinegar. Delicious. One star for atmosphere due to the fact that seating is essentially confined to two parking spaces in the midst of other parked cars on a busy street. | |||||
| Chester’s Bayview Cafe | *** | *** | ** | $$+ | ** |
| Unremarkable interior… or maybe it just feels empty during brunch hours. Great location off Shattuck. Nothing special on the menu. They charge extra for organic eggs (wtf?). | |||||
