When one lives is California, it is taken for granted the bounty of fresh produce that is available. We have farmers markets galore. The Bay Area, has a world class farmers market at the Ferry Plaza in San Francisco. Across the Bay, the Berkeley Bowl and Monterey market are worthy destinations to procure vegetable matter. Alas these two institutions are land locked by traffic and horrific parking . Today we demand bigger, better, faster, easy access, and free parking, in all our shopping adventures. The Berkeley Bowl West has risen to fulfil our vegetable and parking needs, maybe.
Let's talk about the Berkeley Bowl. The Berkeley Bowl is a Foodie Mecca. They have produce that is unique, fresh and very reasonably priced. They are a Berkeley institution.If you need any type of vegetable the Bowl will have it. The only problem is driving to and parking at the Bowl. Carolyn Jones of the San Francisco Chronicle sums up the feeling of the original Berkeley Bowl:
"Anyone who's shopped at Berkeley Bowl on a weekend can attest to the store's desperate need for expansion. The parking lot is a gridlocked swamp of road rage, a demolition derby of Priuses and rusty old Volvos vying for parking spots. The produce section is often described as the "Cairo of shopping carts," as dozens of very focused and aggressive gourmands fight over the purple potatoes and fresh water chestnuts. The checkout lines can be staggering, like something out of East Berlin."
Somebody named rebuff1937 made this comment about the bowl:
"The Berkeley bowl is a great melting pot of communist loving organic eating liberal hippies! Go n shop but the real fun is going on a bumper shopping cart ride."
The new Berkeley Bowl West just opened yesterday. They have twice as many parking spots. The place is huge! There is a special section, which is as big as my local store's produce section, for Organic produce only. There are deli's, cheeses and the usual suspects to make this one stop Foodie Paradise.
Time will tell if bigger is better. They still have rusty Volvo's in the parking lot.Berkeley Bowl West
920 Heinz Ave
Berkeley, Ca.
Thank goodness! Of course occasionally I lose my mind and go into the original on a weekend. Now that I'm in Oakland I've been trying out Farmer Joe's.
ReplyDeleteHey Kailyn,
ReplyDeleteNever been. How is Farmer Joe's?
If you click the first picture, and you look to the left, you will see the honey pot for Oscar and Mojo. That is the custom cookie jar that we all enjoy!!!! If your a Dogma maybe?
ReplyDeleteI've only been to their smaller location in the Laurel District -- closer to home -- but I liked it.
ReplyDeleteOur farmers markets are just getting started. Nothing is ripe here before June.
ReplyDeleteMy Beloved and I tried the Berkeley Bowl once but we are not tough enough to survive it. We make love, not war. Maybe the new one will be slightly more civil?
ReplyDelete