Berkeley Bowl, Berkeley
If you’ve never heard of Berkeley Bowl, you’re either a city dweller or a South Bayan. Before Cal, I didn’t really understand Berkeley Bowl either, but this is an institution, if ever a grocery store can carry that responsibility! This is all confirmed by the ridiculous lines for parking and at the check-out registers, no matter when or what time you go!
Berkeley Bowl is famous for its extensive produce section: in the Fall it’s the only place where you can find Italian chestnuts to make caldarroste. You can find all sort of vegetables and fruits, and a lot of the produce is organic and mostly local. The variety of heirloom tomatoes in season is quite amazing!
I like the bulk section of Berkeley Bowl- not only beans (for minestrone) and nuts, but also pasta!
Berkeley Bowl is a bounty for rice- you can find carnaroli here, and more importantly, vialone nano is on the shelves! Not many places carry it, and none, for sure, at this price!
Other things that I like to buy here: different flours for polenta…
…Garganelli and anchovies…
…and over at the butcher counter, you can find rabbit!! Yeih!
Berkeley Bowl also carries an amazing selection of cheeses, among which they have mozzarella di bufala. They also have the amazing, astounding The Phoenix Pastificio bread. I have become an instant addict ever since discovering it!
Berkeley Bowl
2020 Oregon St.
Berkeley, CA 94703
510-843-6929
Filed under: East Bay, The Grocery List
