Guidebook for El Cerrito
Essentials
Safeway
1444 Shattuck PlIf you need a small load washed we can often take care of it. If you've got bigger needs, Teddy Bear is right down the road.
Teddy Bear Wash & Dry
6511 Arlington Blvd
If you need a small load washed we can often take care of it. If you've got bigger needs, Teddy Bear is right down the road.
Parks & Nature
Wildcat Canyon is a part of a very large system of parks throughout the hills. Once you enter you can hike for many miles.
61 locals recommend
Wildcat Canyon Regional Park
5755 McBryde AveWildcat Canyon is a part of a very large system of parks throughout the hills. Once you enter you can hike for many miles.
Food Scene
Catahoula Coffee Co
12472 San Pablo AveSmall locally owned coffee shop
Mexican restaurant with a great taco Tuesday! Can be a little spicy so be cautious
12 locals recommend
Los Moles Beer Garden
6120 Potrero AveMexican restaurant with a great taco Tuesday! Can be a little spicy so be cautious
Comal is probably the best Mexican restaurant in the area. It's "tapas-style" - so smaller dishes and a little on the expensive side. It's great for going with friends and chatting while you eat. Also nice patio.
134 locals recommend
Comal
2020 Shattuck AveComal is probably the best Mexican restaurant in the area. It's "tapas-style" - so smaller dishes and a little on the expensive side. It's great for going with friends and chatting while you eat. Also nice patio.
Philz has a unique coffee experience, each drink is custom ordered. A favorite is the "mint mojito".
There are no espresso drinks (no cappuccinos, lattes etc)
913 locals recommend
Philz Coffee
3101 24th StPhilz has a unique coffee experience, each drink is custom ordered. A favorite is the "mint mojito".
There are no espresso drinks (no cappuccinos, lattes etc)
Assemble is a mostly-breakfast oriented restaurant. The food is good enough but the big win here are the surroundings. Assemble is right next to the bay in an old Ford factory. The old factory equipment is cool to see and there are great views if you stroll around the building.
It can be a little tricky to find the door: Turn left where you see a guard and tell them you're headed to the restaurant.
Assemble often gives you an entry pass to the nearby Columbia employee store, which has surprising good deals, and if you're a history buff there's a small "Rosie the Riveter" museum a few steps away.
28 locals recommend
Assemble Restaurant
1414 Harbour Way SAssemble is a mostly-breakfast oriented restaurant. The food is good enough but the big win here are the surroundings. Assemble is right next to the bay in an old Ford factory. The old factory equipment is cool to see and there are great views if you stroll around the building.
It can be a little tricky to find the door: Turn left where you see a guard and tell them you're headed to the restaurant.
Assemble often gives you an entry pass to the nearby Columbia employee store, which has surprising good deals, and if you're a history buff there's a small "Rosie the Riveter" museum a few steps away.
Zachary's is a local favorite for deep dish pizza. Go for the "chicken special". You won't regret it.
Leftovers to your airbnb host, please.
247 locals recommend
Zachary's Chicago Pizza
5801 College Ave
Zachary's is a local favorite for deep dish pizza. Go for the "chicken special". You won't regret it.
Leftovers to your airbnb host, please.
Fenton's is quite a drive, but is a local ice cream tradition, opened in 1922. You might have seen it in the Pixar movie "Up"
Order the banana special if you want some entertainment, or, get the black and tan for a more mild experience. Fenton's stays open til about 11pm. It's on the pricy side, as ice cream goes.
If you want ice cream a little closer, Ici on University Avenue in Berkeley is GREAT - but doesn't have as much seating.
129 locals recommend
Fentons Creamery
4226 Piedmont Ave
Fenton's is quite a drive, but is a local ice cream tradition, opened in 1922. You might have seen it in the Pixar movie "Up"
Order the banana special if you want some entertainment, or, get the black and tan for a more mild experience. Fenton's stays open til about 11pm. It's on the pricy side, as ice cream goes.
If you want ice cream a little closer, Ici on University Avenue in Berkeley is GREAT - but doesn't have as much seating.
One of the closer restaurants to us, Gangnam Tofu is pretty standard Korean fare. Not amazing, but not too bad, and just a short trip down the hill.
17 locals recommend
Gangnam Tofu Korean Cuisine
11740 San Pablo Ave
One of the closer restaurants to us, Gangnam Tofu is pretty standard Korean fare. Not amazing, but not too bad, and just a short trip down the hill.
Blue Bottle has the best all around coffee experience in the area. The drinks are delicious, staff professional, setting is clean and modern.
The cappuccinos are basically perfect. Waffles are also good.
It's in downtown Berkeley so there's not a lot of parking and you might see a few homeless people.
173 locals recommend
Blue Bottle Coffee
300 Webster St
Blue Bottle has the best all around coffee experience in the area. The drinks are delicious, staff professional, setting is clean and modern.
The cappuccinos are basically perfect. Waffles are also good.
It's in downtown Berkeley so there's not a lot of parking and you might see a few homeless people.
We've only been to Da Nang twice, but liked it. It's a pretty basic Vietnamese restaurant with good food and reasonable prices. We like the Banh Mi (sandwiches), Pho, and Cafe Sua Da (iced coffee with condensed milk)
Dà Nẵng Restaurant
905 San Pablo Ave
We've only been to Da Nang twice, but liked it. It's a pretty basic Vietnamese restaurant with good food and reasonable prices. We like the Banh Mi (sandwiches), Pho, and Cafe Sua Da (iced coffee with condensed milk)
This is a dinner-oriented restaurant with great paella!
Often pretty crowded but if the staff is in a good mood you'll get a complimentary glass of champagne while you wait.
36 locals recommend
La Marcha Tapas Bar
2026 San Pablo Ave
This is a dinner-oriented restaurant with great paella!
Often pretty crowded but if the staff is in a good mood you'll get a complimentary glass of champagne while you wait.
Hands down best steak tacos for miles. The tortillas are handmade as you watch. Chips and iced coffee not too shabby.
Iyasare next door is great Japanese but pricey.
60 locals recommend
Tacubaya
1782 Fourth St
Hands down best steak tacos for miles. The tortillas are handmade as you watch. Chips and iced coffee not too shabby.
Iyasare next door is great Japanese but pricey.
Drinks & Nightlife
A fantastic local brewpub with a beautiful patio. It's a few miles away but one of our favorites.
113 locals recommend
Jupiter
2181 Shattuck AveA fantastic local brewpub with a beautiful patio. It's a few miles away but one of our favorites.
Getting Around
BART is the local train system, it'll get you to Berkeley, Oakland, and San Francisco.
69 locals recommend
El Cerrito del Norte Station
6400 Cutting BlvdBART is the local train system, it'll get you to Berkeley, Oakland, and San Francisco.
Entertainment & Activities
The Cerrito is a classic small old theater, originally opened in 1937, closed for 50 years, and recently re-opened by a preservationist group. They serve food and beer, etc.
58 locals recommend
Rialto Cinemas Cerrito
10070 San Pablo AveThe Cerrito is a classic small old theater, originally opened in 1937, closed for 50 years, and recently re-opened by a preservationist group. They serve food and beer, etc.
Local horse track. Easy to go if you've always wanted.
Usually pretty affordable, and some Sundays are "dollar says", with $1 parking, $1 admission, $1 Hot Dogs, $1 Beers, $1 Mimosas, etc.
34 locals recommend
Golden Gate Fields
1100 Eastshore Hwy
Local horse track. Easy to go if you've always wanted.
Usually pretty affordable, and some Sundays are "dollar says", with $1 parking, $1 admission, $1 Hot Dogs, $1 Beers, $1 Mimosas, etc.
Arts & Culture
A science museum for kids. There are some jawdropping views from the area.
42 locals recommend
Centennial Drive:Lawrence Hall of Science station
A science museum for kids. There are some jawdropping views from the area.
No famous pieces here but often has some fun stuff to see. Free on the 1st Thursday of each month.
171 locals recommend
Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive
2155 Center StNo famous pieces here but often has some fun stuff to see. Free on the 1st Thursday of each month.