The world has come to recognize Berkeley as the city of revolutionary change; in the last week, the number of vegetarians and vegans I have interacted with only goes to prove that. As a dedicative post to wonderful people who embody passion, here is a list of 5 staple locations for any vegetarians or vegans in the vicinity.
1. The Butcher’s Son
From secondhand experience and the ravings of close friends, this is the go-to restaurant for anything ranging from a lovely brunch to a take-out dinner. On Yelp, it’s rated at 4.75 stars with incomparable ravings from non-vegans as well.
2. Berkeley’s Student Food Collective
This cute little nonprofit is easily overlooked despite being right on Bancroft, next to Sharetea. There are no products with meat in the store and you can find anything from health products to dried fruit and nuts to fresh fruits. On top of that, there are always baked vegan goodies for anyone with a sweet-tooth.
3. Eatsa
Though this little hole in the wall next to Walgreens has not made a grand entrance to the scene, it’s a must-visit. While a lot of the food does contain dairy, there are options such as the side dishes and breakfast bowls that are vegan-friendly. The price ranges under $7.50 and the experience of automated food preparation is probably the shortest wait on good food.
4. Cinnaholic
I can guarantee that trying a cinnabun from Cinnaholic will change your optimism about life. These choose-your-own warm freshly-baked buns are deserving of all the hype and more. AND, not to forget, they’re vegan which makes it an even more incredible foodie-phenomenon.
5. Berkeley Bowl
For those of you that live further away from Berkeley Bowl, I have to say you’re missing out if you don’t grocery shop here. The selection of fresh produce is endless, so much so that you could spend hours picking out fruit.
Enjoy!