Supermarket stocking both organic and conventional produce. Has bulk food, deli and prepared food, household products, and more. Est. 1977 and at this space since 1999. Open Mon-Sat 9:00am-8:00pm, Sun 10:00am-7:00pm.
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11 Reviews
First Review by Mimi710
Contributions +179
Great place! - Edit
Great store with an amazing selection!
Contributions +46
Best market for affordable and diverse produce - Edit
Want to choose between fifteen kinds of oranges (when they are in season) or ten kinds of hot peppers? Mangoes, melons, persimmons, waves of local fruit flow through this almost-warehouse sized store. Sure, it's not a vegetarian store, but if you stay in the produce section you'll forget that.
Organic and conventional produce are in two separate areas.
If you're looking for a good deal, check out the discount produce section and bulk bins.
Don't even try the parking lot unless you need to park close. The surrounding streets will be much easier to find a spot (or ride your bike).
Pros: Fresh fruits and veggies, Huge selection including obscure herbs and veggies
Cons: Sells meat, Too crowded during busy times
Contributions +21
A most beautiful store - Edit
I'm always wanting to go back because the wide selection of food there is just beautiful. For packaged products, there are several of veg options (faux cheese, meats, dairy-free ice creams etc.), but the fresh produce and bulk foods is where it's at. Utterly gorgeous variety. I also like to check out their imperfect/damaged produce section in the back; some are really ugly and quite scary, but I can usually score a good bunch of ripe bananas for 99 cents.
Pros: variety, veg-friendly options, lots of fresh produce and bulk foods
Cons: parking?
Contributions +785
Not bad - Edit
Kind of like Whole Foods with a lot of variety.. But limited parking and very busy with a lot of people. Prices seemed OK for California
Contributions +29
Great store! - Edit
There are two Berkeley Bowls:
920 Heinz Avenue Berkeley, CA 94710 | Phone: 510.898.9555
2020 Oregon Street Berkeley, CA 94703 | Phone: 510.843.6929
We always go to the one on Heinz as it's much newer and bigger. The produce department is divided into organic and conventional, which is nice for us. Huge selection of everything with "health" food and regular groceries available, unlike Whole foods and other natural markets that only carry certain "healthy" brands. There are plenty of checkout lines so fast service, and lots of parking under the store. We always have friendly service. It's more pricey than other markets, but it's a "one stop" shopping place for our family. They also have a separate restaurant and take out section across from the entrance to the store and nice, clean bathrooms for customers.
Contributions +9
cost savings at customers expense - Edit
If you compare the prices with the other leading healthy grocery, you'll find mostly a small savings here and there at the Bowl. I calculated it, on my bill, the savings total was about $5 a week.
How YOU pay for these savings is by: fairly often getting old, poor quality or stale food, by having to argue with customer service for a refund, standing in long lines to pay, a generally unpleasant shopping experience because of a general uncaring approach to customer's well-being.
After my helper was sold actually rotten salmon, 2 clamshells of inedible arugula and two cans of rancid milk powder, and I was refused a refund on the item that had been opened, I decided my Berkeley Bowl days are over. I dont need to go through that to save $5 a week.
Pros: wide variety of produce, low price
Cons: will often sell bad food, customer service often uncaring, long lines
Contributions +196
A great local grocery store - Edit
I go here almost everyday. Large produce section, including lots of local fruits and veggies. Also a large bulk section, so remember your reusable bags! A big selection of tofu and mock meets. They carry some vegan cheeses.
Pros: local, organic, bulk bins
Cons: tofu case by the smelly fish, busy
Contributions +22
Good but stuffy - Edit
They've got tons of stuff so I'm there a lot but the people su-u-uck. Full of those self righteous Bay Areains.
But they have tons of stuff!
When ya gotta go, ya gotta go.
Pros: tons of local produce, good natural/veg selection, they sell quorn!
Cons: Berkeley yuppie central , Oakland hipster central , the new one down the street is scary
Contributions +18
Great produce selection - Edit
This is a wonderful place to buy produce. They have an amazing selection and great prices. The new location on Ashby by the freeway has an even bigger selection and is much cleaner than the location on Shattuck.
Pros: great produce, unusual products
Cons: needs cleaning, refrigerated section is stinky
Contributions +18
If you like the smell of rotting meat... - Edit
This place smells awful. I really hate shopping here because the smell is so bad. The employees are helpful and courteous. However the stench of the meat and fish department is worse than any any major supermarket. Moreover, there are several major corporate brands sold here that can be found on the shelves of a Wal-Mart.
The produce section is a mess, organic and conventional fruits and vegetables are not always clearly marked.
This place is crowded and simply does not have enough registers to deal with the number of customers. Shopping here is not enjoyable.
These are things I could overlook if it weren't for the stench.
There really is nothing here that you can't get get at any other health food store.
Pros: Employees, vegan goods, green products
Cons: smell, non green products, overcrowded
Contributions +192
this place is amazing - Edit
Huge grocery store that I would describe as half way between a Trader Joe's and a Wild Oats. The selection is amazing! Definetly go here to stock up on food if you are staying in Berkeley.
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