18 Best Italian Restaurants in Berkeley

“the margherita pizza is so delicious. i literally only order it everytime, to the point that they know my name with my order HAHA.
super authentic, delicious, and the staff are really friendly as well. I'm lucky to be able to go as often as I do, and i love the food here so much!!“

“Great atmosphere and delicious food! Outdoor dining, too!“

“The lamb chops were phenomenal!“

“Food was alright and not as good as usual. both Calzones seemed a bit burnt on the outside. And we had to wait quite sometime for the cashier to be done taking orders on the phone. Maybe the owner should hire more people to help out and dont have few people do multiple tasks all at once.“

“We are new to the area/California from NY we were delighted to find pizza as amazing as home! Friendly owner and staff.“

“My experience at Passione Caffè in their gorgeous two-story, well-decorated café at 91 Shattuck Square was simply marvelous. The staff was friendly, quick, and accommodating and the food, drinks, and desserts were delicious! I highly recommend Passione Caffè to those looking for a quick and yummy lunch (or breakfast/brunch everyday), to snack and study, or for an authentic Italian coffee. Don’t miss out on the great happy hour/aperativo deals between 4-7PM! It almost goes without mentioning, but Passione Caffè is absolutely true to its slogan: “A corner of Italy in Berkeley.” From the food and drink to the atmosphere and the service, this is the only truly Italian café I have found in Berkeley! And that comes from over a year of experience living and traveling in Italy! Besides the beautiful architecture and interior design of Passione Caffè—not to mention its convenient location next to Downtown Berkeley BART—I would like to point out some highlights on the menu. The pastas are all made with homemade, organic noodles and made-to-order sauces. The pasta dishes are so fresh and authentic! The spaghetti with meatballs, their only Americanized dish, is to die for! The pizzas also are also made with home-made dough and gluten-free options are offered. Try one with fresh prosciutto, mozzarella, and arugula! The fresh panini with Italian meats and cheeses round out the lunch menu. It is possible to have a filling lunch for $7-15, which is definitely reasonably priced by Berkeley standards! A serious final highlight was the artisanal gelato, made in-house by the Italian co-owner, Eleanora Cercatore. There are 12 flavors, weekly made with gluten-free options, that are displayed on a beautiful rotating wheel. The gelato is spectacularly tasty—I cannot recommend it highly enough! For your time, money, and fine Italian bites and drinks, I cannot recommend a Berkeley café more highly than Passione Caffè! Please pay them a visit soon—you won’t be disappointed!“

“Great sandwiches in downtown Berkeley with a lovely patio“

“Great Hamburgers and garlic bread.“

“I was introduced to this restaurant by my other “foodie” friend Maria Vargas. I have been there about 4 times now. I appreciate the fresh pasta, the fresh veggies and the excellent service. Will be back again soon.“

“Friendly, professional and fine cuisine!“

“Great dining experience and great service“

“Delicious food - really Italian style Will go back & recommend to fam & friends“

“Wonderful food and friendly service; indoor/outdoor dining“

“North Beach Pizza has the best GF pizza in the bay area. It's even better than my homemade GF pizza, and you can't beat the service. North Beach Pizza is great for family dinners with gluten free pizza and salads.“

“Three. One Four Pizza is an elevated dinning experience featuring great thin pizzas, pastas and crafted cocktail menu. Our table enjoyed a few cocktails and three pizzas including one that was Gluten Free. All very good. While our table did not have the pasta dishes, we saw other tables enjoying the Cacio e Pepe dish served table side in a parm wheel. We will certainly try it next time.“

“So happy I got myself a large for the stuffed crust! They tossed me crushed peppers 🙏

Next to the hotel, walking distance.

Got my pizza well done and man oh man, better than jets with the quality of fresh ingredients. I can just tell it fresh and hot. They know what their doing in the kitchen I tell ya what!

I'm usually picky about quality of my meals. But this is a better option than being let down with a big rib or steak dinner elsewhere. Best pizza I had in a few years no lie.

Definitely give them a chance and really get the pizza how you want it done, you won't regret the 20$-30$ I swear.“

“My experience at Passione Caffè in their gorgeous two-story, well-decorated café at 91 Shattuck Square was simply marvelous. The staff was friendly, quick, and accommodating and the food, drinks, and desserts were delicious! I highly recommend Passione Caffè to those looking for a quick and yummy lunch (or breakfast/brunch everyday), to snack and study, or for an authentic Italian coffee. Don’t miss out on the great happy hour/aperativo deals between 4-7PM! It almost goes without mentioning, but Passione Caffè is absolutely true to its slogan: “A corner of Italy in Berkeley.” From the food and drink to the atmosphere and the service, this is the only truly Italian café I have found in Berkeley! And that comes from over a year of experience living and traveling in Italy! Besides the beautiful architecture and interior design of Passione Caffè—not to mention its convenient location next to Downtown Berkeley BART—I would like to point out some highlights on the menu. The pastas are all made with homemade, organic noodles and made-to-order sauces. The pasta dishes are so fresh and authentic! The spaghetti with meatballs, their only Americanized dish, is to die for! The pizzas also are also made with home-made dough and gluten-free options are offered. Try one with fresh prosciutto, mozzarella, and arugula! The fresh panini with Italian meats and cheeses round out the lunch menu. It is possible to have a filling lunch for $7-15, which is definitely reasonably priced by Berkeley standards! A serious final highlight was the artisanal gelato, made in-house by the Italian co-owner, Eleanora Cercatore. There are 12 flavors, weekly made with gluten-free options, that are displayed on a beautiful rotating wheel. The gelato is spectacularly tasty—I cannot recommend it highly enough! For your time, money, and fine Italian bites and drinks, I cannot recommend a Berkeley café more highly than Passione Caffè! Please pay them a visit soon—you won’t be disappointed!“