Berkeley Bowl

Berkeley Bowl is a grocery with a produce reputation, not a restaurant. The store’s site lists two Berkeley locations ¹. The about page says Glenn Yasuda opened a neighborhood market in 1977 in a converted bowling alley; in 1999 the business moved to a former Safeway at 2020 Oregon Street; in June 2009 Berkeley Bowl West opened at 920 Heinz Avenue ².

What to notice in the aisles is range of produce and bulk foods — unidentified tropical fruit, bulk grain, a floral department — as a purchasing problem, not as a vibe. Preserve fruit via Jam; identify it via Ingredients. Nearby Berkeley food nodes: Cheese Board Collective, Acme Bread Company. A San Francisco co-op grocery for comparison: Rainbow Grocery.