Vik’s is an occasion unto itself: A bustling, cafeteria-like gathering place for loud, boisterous extended families and groups of friends. Almost every customer gets an order of cholle bhature (“the big puffy thing,” as the restaurant’s online menu describes it), but all of the chaat is solid to very good — from pani puri to assorted kathi rolls. The adjoining market is a good place to stock up on Indian pantry staples like rice, chutney, and canned mango purée.

This “non-traditional Thai comfort food” restaurant from former Hawker Fare chef Supasit Puttikaew has become a neighborhood staple in the Gilman Street corridor, serving up excellent (and quite spicy) pad Thai; “Thai-spicy” party wings; a legit version of khao mun gai (Thai-style poached chicken and rice); and some of the tastiest fried Brussels sprouts in town.

Tucked in the back of this well-stocked Middle Eastern grocery store is one of Berkeley’s best-kept secrets: a kitchen that turns out perhaps the most delicious Persian food in the East Bay. The menu includes juicy, well-blackened koobideh, or kebabs; tender lamb shanks; and homey stews like the classic, green herb-packed ghormeh sabzi. Regulars know to snag a bag of Persian flatbread before they leave.

Standard Fare is a Berkeley insider favorite; it’s a bit off the beaten path but manages to lure in locals on a steady basis. The restaurant’s highly seasonal fare from chef Kelsie Kerr is the draw here. Diners can’t go wrong with the frittata, which comes with an assortment of vegetables, or the oft-rotating selection of salads and sandwiches. The restaurant also expanded to include dinner, with a rotating menu that shifts with the seasons.

Tanzie’s quickly became a Berkeley favorite, winning diners over with Thai breakfasts consisting of beignets, and beautiful, soft-scrambled “lava eggs,” with house-made sausage or in-season Dungeness crab meat. Tanzie’s won an Eater award in 2024, and the restaurant has since expanded to dinner service with dishes such as turmeric-rubbed chicken.

There is plenty of amazing pizza in Berkeley (some of whom are on this list) but Rose Pizzeria serves some great thin-crust pies at this University spot, both indoors and outside on their patio. The champione pizza is a favorite, which comes in a spring onion cream, roasted mushrooms, mozzarella, and green onions, arriving tableside with a beautifully oven-blistered crust. And as with all great pizza-salad combos, don’t sleep on the spicy Caesar salad while you’re at it, and if you’ve got room, indulge in the tiramisu.

This homey, family-run Ethiopian restaurant in South Berkeley is known for its tender, buttery kitfo (a traditional raw beef dish), tangy, all-teff injera, and its flavorful veggie combo spread.

This group-friendly, Korean American restaurant features a big menu that could satisfy almost every member of your dining party. Breakfast fanatics will enjoy the Korean-inflected breakfast dishes, such as the bulgogi scramble or the Korean.F.C. Benedict with Korean fried chicken and gochujang hollandaise. Others, meanwhile, will enjoy the BSC army stew or the spicy seafood dolsot made with a mix of mussels, shrimp, scallops, and calamari for a warming meal. If dining al fresco is on your checklist of must-haves, there’s a nice patio out back with heaters to enjoy some fresh air alongside your dishes, plus a sturdy menu of beers and cocktails to order from.

Pizzeria da Laura is the first restaurant from award-winning pizzaiola Laura Meyer, and with it, she’s showing off the depth of her pan pizza knowledge. At this Shattuck Avenue shop, Meyer serves four styles of pizza — New York, Sicilian, Detroit, and grandma — but the menu goes beyond just slices of pie. There are five styles of pasta, including a lasagna made with beef and fennel sausage ragu, as well as appetizers and salads, if you’re so inclined.

This downtown Berkeley izakaya made a name for itself for its inventive, forward-thinking small plates. Settle into the stylish dining room to enjoy sashimi, curry, and more. Try to work in the housemade soft tofu, plus a dessert to close out the meal.

One of the most stylish, intimate Japanese restaurants in the Bay Area, Ippuku is mostly known for serving the East Bay’s most delicious chicken skewers and izakaya-style dishes, earning it a spot on Michelin’s Bib Gourmand list. The yakitori specialist, with its (shoes-off) tatami-style tables, also has one of the best Japanese beer and sake lists around.

The East Bay has many izakaya-style Japanese restaurants, but Kiraku offers rollicking fun and food that’s consistently delightful and well executed. Must-order dishes include the corn tempura with green tea salt, the grilled whole squid, and the mini kaisen donburi or one of the other rice bowls to end the meal in the traditional Japanese way.