Berkeley Bowl Produce Inc

This is the closest grocery store to where we live, but we now seriously plan our trips there. It's always an hour, and be prepared to deal with parking [The hippies, old folks, and the crazies], and inside it's more of the same. Well...it is Berkeley after all.

The lines are always long, and we haven't been able to find a time when it's less crowded. Perhaps first thing in the morning....

Just so you know...we're part hippy, old and pretty crazy too!

Posted 07/20/07 | Report Abuse

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Berkeley Bowl is great. It has any type of produce you could want. the first time I went I spent a couple of hours and saw many things I had never even heard of before. the prices are very reasonable. They also have other food, including a number of gluten-free things. There is a place to get food to eat if you spend to much time shopping. Parking can be awful here, but it is worth it.

Posted 11/11/05 | Report Abuse

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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I simply love the Berkeley Bowl supermarket. They have the best selection of the freshest fruit and vegetables I have ever seen and at substantially lower prices than their closest competition. You can buy all of your groceries here too. They specialize in organic yet do not charge a fortune. Their bulk section is huge too, you can buy as much or as little as you want. You must go!

Posted 11/08/05 | Report Abuse

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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I used to work just a few blocks from Berkeley Bowl which made it very convenient to shop there. I normally just walked there though from work rather than drive because parking is difficult to find. They do carry a large selection and variety of fresh produce at great prices.

Posted 11/01/05 | Report Abuse

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If you're looking for the freshest produce at the best price, but don't have the energy to look for the farmers' market of the day, head to Berkeley Bowl.

Posted 08/29/05 | Report Abuse

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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just last week i did a big grocery shopping tour for the coop that i am living in. berkeley bowl is amazing. they have every produce and those that are in season are incredibly cheap. the best bargains you find on the "packaged for immediate sale table" i got five red pepers for $0.69 and four aubergines for also $0.69.

berkeley bowl makes the sustainable lifestyle affordable.

PROS: mother nature wants you to shop here
CONS: finding parking can be tough

Posted 08/23/05 | Report Abuse

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Berkeley Bowl has the largest produce section in California, so I've heard. I believe it because it's simply amazing!! And cheap prices too. I love how they sell everything in bulk, from shampoo to cereal, and I love how their organic/free range/etc foods are so much cheaper than oth er supermarkets. Their deli and bakery section is tops too.

Posted 08/20/05 | Report Abuse

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I just moved to Berkeley and i was looking for a place were to go grocery shopping, i tried many places but when a friend told me about the Berkeley bowl i loved the variety of products that they have and the best part is the selection of fruits.

PROS: Fresh products.
CONS: Always busy!

Posted 07/29/05 | Report Abuse

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I've heard so many great things about Berkeley Bowl. I was a bit disappointed my first time going there. First of all, I went on a Monday morning. Not the best time to go. The parking was hell and the store was extremely crowded. I will concede that the produce is excellent. They have a wide variety of organic produce and everything looked very fresh, colorful, and smelled great. The rest of the store wasn't all that. I would come here solely for produce.

Posted 07/25/05 | Report Abuse

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Hands down the best place to shop in the East Bay. No other store has a selection this deep, and the quality of the goods is consistently high. Need 5 choices of house-brand feta? Looking for obscure produce? This is the place to shop. The bulk foods section is amazing, and watch for the occasional produce specials (99 cents for fruits and vegetables that must be used immediately).

One surprising fact: if you comparison-shop, the Bowl is often cheaper than other grocery stores in the area, even on packaged goods.

Parking is terrible, though--for quick trips, take the bus if you can (#43).

PROS: Bulk foods, bulk spices, olives, produce
CONS: Parking, crowds

Posted 07/20/05 | Report Abuse

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So, my experiences at Berkeley bowl have always been fun filled. My old roomate and i nick named it hippy costco because they have everything that stereotypical hippy folk would want in bulk. I definately have to give them big props for their extensive produce section! Very impressive and the prices for produce are so cheap! The prices for regular grocery items seem to be on the high end though. I live in Oakland and I almost always got to Bedrkeley Bowl for fruits and veggies! Great!

Posted 07/15/05 | Report Abuse

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Really, we all know it, the only thing wrong with this place is it's just too dang small. The aisles are narrow, too many people.

But - They have the best produce in all of the bay area. They are full service, and have a deli and take out lunch area. They have most of what you want, unless its really bad junk food!

PROS: Yummy Produce
CONS: Too Small

Posted 07/10/05 | Report Abuse

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Man, I really hate this place. Grocery shopping is a difficult enough endeavor without crowds of crazy people who shouldn't be licensed to drive a shopping cart, let alone attempt to park in a lot designed to encourage road rage and gridlock. Sure, they've got plentiful produce at good prices and maybe there is some good grub in those bulk bins, but ask yourself, is it worth the hype?

Posted 06/22/05 | Report Abuse

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Oh my god! The best grocery store in the bay area. A Mecca of food. All the produce is fresh and locally grown and priced well. It is somewhat seasonal, but that's what you can expect when a store buys from top notch local suppliers. Sometimes they'll stock four or five kinds of avacados. Did you even know there were four or five kinds of avacados? exactly.

PROS: The best. Fresh. Local. Cheap-ish.
CONS:

Posted 06/20/05 | Report Abuse

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One of the great things about living in California is the easy availability of fresh, organic produce. The Berkeley Bowl is an alternative to well-stocked but overpriced stores like Andronico's. There's an endless selection of vegetables, cheeses, and other gourmet products. It's definitely possible to spend a fortune there, but it's not mandatory. Get your mass-produced items, cleaning supplies, etc. elsewhere, though.

Posted 06/18/05 | Report Abuse

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Although the atmosphere is crowded, noisy and one frequently finds themselves stuck in an aisle, the prices are the cheapest in town for organic food items, both fresh and boxed. It is worth the hassle to spend wisely and eat healthy. Their produce selection is vast and yummy.

Posted 06/05/05 | Report Abuse

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I really wouldnt wish this place on anyone it has a some what cult like following. Its a chaotic mess and extremely difficult to get any parking close enough to make it even practical. They are supposed to be opening a new location with alot more parking but it has yet to get planning consent.

Being an independent chain means the prices on your grocerys are actually higher but for some reason its a typical Berkeley thing and people continue to swarm there.

Posted 04/16/05 | Report Abuse

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Their produce department is top notch, you can virtually find any vegetables you want here at very reasonable prices. The choices are numberous, since they offer both organic and non-organic products.

Berkeley Bowl is the best grocery store in the Bay Area. Watch out though, it can be pretty crowded on the weekends so it is best to go on a weekday.

PROS: Great produce, great prices, great selection
CONS: Crowded on weekends

Posted 04/16/05 | Report Abuse

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Berkeley Bowl is an independent, full-service supermarket. They have an enormous produce selection with lots of organic choices and great prices. Great fish, meat, cheese, wines, beers. A really fun place to shop, with lots of healthy choices. The store is super crowded on weekends and somewhat frustrating, but worth it for the prices and selection.

Posted 01/05/05 | Report Abuse

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