Dining at Berkeley

Berkeley provides plenty of dining options that cater to students’ hungry stomachs, from your typical fast food joints to local eateries. Ike’s Love and Sandwiches is a frequent for many Berkeley students. The enormous, stacked sandwiches are well-worth more than a single meal, as you can split each sandwich over the course of several meals without leaving yourself hungry. Artichoke Basille’s Pizza is another go-to spot for students, particularly for those late-night munchies. U-Cha is widely celebrated among Berkeley’s boba lovers. From milk tea and boba to fries and snow ice, U-Cha is the go-to place. If you’re out for a night on the town, Jupiter is the place to be. If it’s your birthday, mention it to your server for a free beer and a song to celebrate your special day.

Transportation Around Berkeley

If you’re living close to campus, Bear Transit -- UC Berkeley’s shuttle system -- can help you get to where you need to be. It provides transportation between campus, Downtown Berkeley BART, parking lots, Clark Kerr campus, the Hill area, on-campus housing, Richmond Field Station (RFS) and Campus Shared Services on 4th Street. There’s also other public transit services used by many Berkeley Students. This includes AC Transit, which is free for Berkeley students to use with an AC Transit Student Easy Pass. As long as you’re a registered student, you can get it electronically loaded onto your Clipper card. Through the semester, you will have free, unlimited access to rides on AC Transit buses. Through AC Transit, you can access campus, shopping centers, eateries and off-campus housing. There’s also the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) students can use to travel to campus, with the Downtown Berkeley stop just one block from the west side of campus. Students can purchase a discounted BART ticket for $43 at the Parking & Transportation office.

Parking at Berkeley

Many students at Berkeley opt not to have a car. With a heavy emphasis on public transportation, it’s not hard to wonder why, even when you move off-campus. If you do have a car and are driving to campus, you can buy student parking permits at the beginning of each semester. Each permit costs $393 per semester. If you opt for a Carpool Permit, it is $140 per semester. In order to qualify and maintain eligibility for a Carpool Permit, you must log your trips to campus daily. You must also live outside of the designated campus boundary in order to buy a valid campus permit, which does include some off-campus dwellings.

Safety at Berkeley

In 2018, UC Berkeley reported 1,153 safety-related incidents involving students on or near campus or at other UC Berkeley affiliated properties.

Students have free access to night safety services such as the BearWALK safety escort. The service involves a student community service officer accompanying a student when they feel unsafe.

Shopping in Berkeley

Berkeley offers a great selection of grocery stores for students to choose from depending on their needs. Berkeley Bowl, located in South Berkeley, carries a wide selection of fresh produce and bulk items at reasonable prices. Their poultry and perishable goods tend to be pricier for students’ budgets but are still great options for vegans. Safeway has multiple locations around campus, with the closest being on College Avenue -- just a quick ride on the 51B bus. Trader Joe’s is another popular spot located on College Avenue and is know for its low prices and fun offerings. And, Berkeley Student Food Collective is a student-run food co-op that offers students groceries at a reasonable price. It’s located right across from MLK, making it easier for students to shop after classes. It’s also not too hard for students to indulge in some retail therapy in Berkeley. Fourth Street has some of your typical chain stores that can do a decent hit to your budget -- Anthropologie, Lululemon, Apple, and many more. Berkeley also has its fair share of options for eco-friendly shoppers. Stores like Lhasa Karnak Herb Company and Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy offer cruelty-free beauty items. Thrift stores are aplenty in Berkeley, from your typical Buffalo Exchange to Mars Mercantile.