Northbrae This small neighborhood shopping district has some of the best shopping in
town. Paris might have Rue Cler, but Berkeley has Hopkins Street!
The Monterey Market can't be beat for fresh produce, there's a nearby
fish and meat market (info and photos below), and Espresso Roma for the sheer pleasure of hanging out
on a sunny day.
I stop here several days a week after working out at the Downtown Berkeley YMCA. First
stop - Monterey Market for fresh fruit and vegetables, and some freshly baked
breads. Then across the street for a capuchino to go (gigante capuchino, para
llevar). You get a dime off if you bring your own cup. Finished your coffee? Cross the street for meats and poultry at Magnani's (founded in 1917), fish at Monterey Fish ... or something fresh from Hopkins Street Bakery.
Coffee, Fish, Produce, Meet, Wine, Pizza, Flowers, Cheese, Pastries and more on two short blocks. Heaven!
Berkeley Horticultural Nursery (Berkeley Hort) on Mc Gee is one of the best
nurseries around, with a highly knowledgeable staff.
Northbrae
is on Hopkins Street (between Gilman and The Alameda).
Westbrae is just west on Gilman Street (roughly between
Santa Fe and Hopkins). They're so close to one another,
I included them together. These are two of the most
affordable of Berkeley's pleasant neighborhoods. As
an extra bonus, they're both within walking distance
of North Berkeley BART and the North Berkeley Library, which was beautifully restored in early 2012.
There's even a running track, pool, and tennis courts at the King School Park on Hopkins
And did I mention Gioia Pizza, the best pizza west of Lexington Avenue? It's true! When you stop by, tell Art that Ira says hello.
These are just some of the reasons that Berkeley's Northbrae Neighborhood was named one of the American Planning Association (APA) "Great Neighborhoods in America" in 2011.
Westbrae
Westbrae is on Gilman, just down the street. Lalime's is a lovely restaurant
frequently changing menu... and one of our favorite places to go (also try
Breads of India, Rivoli, and Skates On The Bay).
Berkeley Bagels and Toot Sweets Bakery are west of the BART
tracks, and on the corner is a pleasant little park where you can drink coffee
and read the paper.
You'll need to take great care of your teeth so you can enjoy Berkeley's great food and drink. That's why we highly recommend our Dentist, Dr. Sy Kurtz
Here which Northbrae/Westbrae homes are for sale right now!
It's easy to adjust your search critera - price range, bedrooms, square footage, etc.
Thinking of Selling?
Extremely low inventory, combined with our marketing and negotiation expertise and extensive Realtor network means this is an excellent time to have us sell your home.
Find out what so many of our other delighted sellers loved about having us represent them - visit our seller testimonial page!
Dan Smith was our architect when we remodelled our home... and he did a wonderful job. That was 20 years ago, and I can only imagine what wonderful designs he's come up with since then.
Berkeley has a great library system. The main library is an Art Deco Jewel in downtown Berkeley. This is one of the four branch libraries (Elmwood/Claremont, South, West & North Berkeley)
Carol spent lots of time at Magic Gardens and Berkeley Hort when we had life before real estate. She’s started gardening again, and still returns from time to time
The BEST coffee I’ve ever had (with the exception of a small coffee shop in Annapolis, MD, is in the French Hotel in North Berkeley. Ask Angelo to make you a Giant Decafe Cappuchino, nonfat milk... and put a foam “teddy bear” on it
Other than that, Peets wins hands down over Starbucks
