Oakland and Berkeley Restaurant Weeks snuck up on us this year. I hardly get a day and a half per week in California since our return from Italy, in which time I do my best to catch up on all my non-work life from circus classes to friends to basic chores around the home. We nearly missed Oakland's entirely, squeezing in just one Rockridge destination: Forge. American comfort food with absolutely American portion sizes. It was fine enough but not some place we need to hit up again.
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| American comfort food at Forge, Oakland Restaurant Week 2026 |
We were more prepared for Berkeley’s Restaurant Week a couple weeks later, having devoted some of my airport wait time to doing homework on the dining selections. We squeezed in two restaurants and even a featured coffee shop.
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| Berkeley Restaurant Week 2026: Anja's with Nico, Michelle, Brian, and Sven! Featuring a lovely rose garden; buckwheat pancakes with pepper, carrot, asparagus, beans, berries, mint, and coconut (??); and breakfast beer! |
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| Berkeley Restaurant Week 2026: Trumer Pils. Because beer isn't only a breakfast beverage. |
The highlight was easily Anja’s, a German brunch restaurant (breakfast beer optional) with an absolutely charming rose garden outdoor dining area. Trumer Pils Brewery was also a delight. And Roaming Bean Coffee on the Berkeley Marina was worth the bike ride, even if Nico and his glasses may have had differing opinions.
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| A rainy ride over to Roaming Bean for Restaurant Week coffees. |
For someone who hardly even calls the East Bay home anymore, I feel I did Restaurant Weeks right. And now I’ve got a new, affordable, and mildly boozy brunch destination to add to our weekend agendas.
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