General Visitor Information
CNMAT
1750 Arch Street
Berkeley, CA 94709
(510) 643 9990
Voice
(510) 642 7918 Fax
The Location, Directions and Parking
page contains detailed information on transportation to CNMAT.
The Visitor Information Center is in Room 101 University Hall - located at
the corner of University Avenue and Oxford Street.
Local Weather
Restaurants (notes principally by David Wessel
with onging contributions from Matt Wright and Adrian Freed.
Within walking distance:
- Kirala 2100 Ward Street, Berkeley at the corner of Shattuck Adeline
& Ward 549-3486 -- the best Sushi Bar around. Usually a bit of a wait
for seating. A fair walk but it's good.
- Toyo 1463 Shattuck, Berkeley 843-3767. Another sushi bar: cheaper,
less crowded, and closer to CNMAT.
- Sushi California 2033 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, 548-0737. A great
little sushi place with a very limited non-sushi menu. Fish is always excellent
and they have the best unagi (eel) around. Lots of vegetarian sushi.
- India Palace 2160 University Ave. right next door to The Cambodiana's
and has an excellent buffet lunch deal. One of the best Indian places in town
(of about 10 in walking distance!) with plenty of vegetarian fare.
- Blue Nile Restaurant - Authentic Ethiopian Cuisine 2525 Telegraph
Ave. Berkeley 540 6777 Have not been in a few years but it maintains and excellent
reputation.
- Chez Panisse 1517 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, Dinner Reservations Only
548 5525 Cafe Information 548 5049. This is the one. The restaurant downstairs
is booked months in advance but you might slip in on a cancellation. The Cafe
upstairs (much less of an investment) is very good and does not take reservations
by phone but you can stop by and sign up. An easy walk from CNMAT. Also, the
Chez Panisse people have opened a (very expensive) Tapas restaurant right
next door called Cesar's.
- Long Life Vegi House - Chinese Vegetarian Seafood 2129 University
Ave. Berkeley, CA. - Inexpensive with some tasty items like the Hot Garlic
Eggplant.
- Nefeli Cafe 1854 Euclid Ave. makes me feel a bit like I'm back in
France.
- Northside Food Court On Hearst, facing the north side of campus,
just above Euclid. A little complex of cheap and adequate campus-oriented
restaurants with Top Dog (grilled sausages), a burger place,
Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Korean restaurants.
- Cha Am 1543 Shattuck, 848-9664. Excellent Thai restaurant. Seafood
specials are typically extraordinary. Plenty of vegetarian options.
- Dara Thai Lao Cuisine 1549 Shattuck, 841-2002. Wide assortment of
vegetarian and meat fare. The stuffed sea bass and Nam Lao are particularly
good.
- Taiwan Restaurant Chinese/Taiwanese food at reasonable prices. Excellent
steamed pork dumplings. Very inexpensive lunch specials, and lots of vegetarian
choices.
- Venezia 1799 University Ave. Berkeley. Pasta and other Italian fare.
- Spats 1974 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley. A good place to meet and converse
as it is comfortable and quiet. Close by with a good selection of drinks.
- Triple Rock 1920 Shattuck, 843-2793. Great local microbrewery. Their
kitchen serves reasonable nachos, burgers, sandwiches, and salads, but you
have to enjoy their excellent beer for it to be worth the way-too-loud rock
music. Their upstairs roof patio is extremely pleasant but closes early.
- Thai Noodle 1936 Shattuck Ave., 848-6531, not the best Thai food
in Berkeley, but one of the only restaurants open late (like 1 or 2 am). Obviously
noodles are a speciality; the duck and pumpkin curries are also good
- The Cheese Board Pizza Collective, south west corner of Shattuck
and Vine. Delicious gourmet vegetarian pizza, one kind per day.
- Cancun 2134 Allston, 549-0964. Great Mexican place with an incredible
salsa bar.
- Gregoire Cedar just up from Shattuck: Expensive but delicious French-style
carryout. The $4 french fries are actually worth the price.
Local Shops and Resources
The following are within a block of the corner of Shattuck avenue and Vine
street:
- The Cheese Board, huge selection of imported and local cheese, excellent
bakery
- Peet's Coffee
- French Hotel, good coffee and local hangout.
- Andronico's, more imported and gourmet items than Safeway
- Safeway
- Longs Drugs
- North Berkeley Post Office
- Bank of America
- Wells Fargo (inside Andronico's)
- North Berkeley Wine Cellar
- Black Oak books, new and used. Good selection of used Math. books.
The best local produce may be found at Monterey Market on Hopkins street.
Hotels
Beau Sky Hotel
2520 Durant Ave.
Berkeley 94704
(510) 540-7688
Restaurant, bar, 1-blk from campus
Bed and Breakfast International
P.O. Box 2829
San Francisco 94128
1-800-872-4500
(415) 696-1690
(415) 696-1699 fax
Room sizes and prices vary;
they all include breakfast 60.00 and up
Berkeley-Ramada Inn
920 University Ave.
Berkeley 94704
(510) 849-1121
Restaurant, pool
Berkeley Travel Lodge
1820 University Ave.
Berkeley 94703
(510 843-4262
Campus Motel
1691 University Ave.
Berkeley 94703
(510) 841-3844
Claremont Hotel
Ashby & Domingo
Berkeley 94705
(510) 843-3000
Restaurant, spa facilities, lounge, sauna, pool, tennis courts, shuttle to airports
Days Inn
1603 Powell St.
Emeryville 94603
(510) 547-8414
Restaurant, room service, lounge, jacuzzi
Durant Hotel
2600 Durant Ave.
Berkeley 94704
(510) 845-8981
Restaurant, room service, lounge, continental breakfast, shuttle to airports;
1-blk from campus
The French Hotel
1538 Shattuck Ave.
Berkeley 94709
(510) 548-9930
Cafe, room service
Golden Bear
1620 San Pablo Ave.
Berkeley 94702
(510) 525-6770
Restaurant
Gramma's Rose Garden Inn
2790 Telegraph Ave.
Berkeley 94709
(510) 549-2145
Bed and breakfast style
Full-serve breakfast; wine & cheese served in the afternoon; restored turn-of-the-century
home
Holiday Inn Bay Bridge
1800 Powell St.
Emeryville 94608
(510) 658-9300
1-2 people with Bay view
Suites and conference rooms
Restaurant, room service, bar, pool, free parking
La Posada Guest House
1629 Walnut (north of campus)
Berkeley 94709
(510) 548-8658
(510) 548-6528 fax
Doubles, queens, and king beds
Self-contained apts; fully furnished w/kitchens
Marriott Inn on the Marina
Berkeley Marina
Berkeley 94710
(510) 548-7920
Restaurant, room service, bar, pool, sauna, airport shuttle
Shattuck Hotel
2086 Allston Way
Berkeley 94704
(510) 845-7300
Bar and grill, lounge, bayview, continental breakfast, parking, conference rooms
None of the recommendations or opinions on this page are the official views
of CNMAT or of UC Berkeley.