East Bay: Telegraph Avenue

What's It Like?

Unlike most cities, Berkeley is a city of under 25-year-olds -- at least 36 percent as of the last census. This ensures a healthy mix of students from around the world, and their life centers on the University of California. Telegraph Avenue, a central commercial strip of that intellectual universe and once the scene of radical protests maintains an edgy vitality. Students do walk The Avenue but it's hardly the dreamscape of their generation. Homeless youth seem at home, as do kids from the Berkeley hills who want to look homeless that day, mentally-askew mystics, and people in costume. Tourists -- who've probably read about Berserkley in an outdated guidebook -- must feel they've found it. Evenings and holidays, the stores on Telegraph pull metal shutters down to the sidewalk.

Bancroft Way, which intersects Telegraph and runs along the southern boundary of campus, seems light and airy by comparison. Its sidewalks are lined with stores and coffee houses patronized by students living in the leafy residential areas above campus.

Sights & Culture

As is true in most college towns, Cal Berkeley is the community's arts and culture center. There are enough sights to visit on campus to fill an entire weekend -- in fact, we've collected them for you in our Campus Guide. However, there are a few off-campus points of interest.

Murals: The first stop on your walking tour has to be the corner of Haste and Telegraph where two separate murals depict Berkeley in the '60s. If you stand on the northeast corner, you can view both, which chronicle the uprising, takeover and eventual decline of People's Park.

Festivals: Berkeley has a number of festivals throughout the year in which the city closes off parts of Telegraph. To find events (which include the World Music Festival and Jazz Festival) use our Event Search.

Restaurants

Since this part of Berkeley is dominated by the campus, it's not really known for fine cuisine (try the Gourmet Ghetto for that). Generally, you'll find the usual pizza, hamburgers and tacos, with some exceptions:

Caffe Strada: This is off the main drag, but worth finding for its coffee and decadent pastries. It also has a pleasant outdoor seating area right on the corner. Their other cafe (at 2437 Bancroft Avenue) serves sandwiches too. 2300 College Avenue (at Bancroft), (510) 843-5282.

Cafe Milano: A spacious interior makes a perfect spot for munching on a sandwich while catching up on reading or letter-writing. 2522 Bancroft Way, (510) 644-3100.

The Musical Offering Café: Prints decorate the white walls, the wooden tables and chairs are attractive and the coffee excellent. The classical music store at the back, plays its favorites all day, making this a pleasant place to have to while away your time, reading or talking. 2430 Bancroft Way, (510) 849-0211. (Chronicle review)

Unicorn: Telegraph Avenue dining moved up several notches when the Unicorn came on the scene. But the low prices and the vegetarian-friendly fare at this little jewel box bistro show that the proprietors know full well where it is that they've set up shop. The cuisine is from the Chao Zhou province of southern China, where influences of Vietnam and Malaysia show up in the spiky flavors of curry, tamarind, mint, and lemongrass. Meanwhile, it's California contemporary-chic all the way in the pleasingly arty decor. The unique look, created by the owner, is so good it's already spawning copycat versions around town. Unicorn is open for lunch and dinner and it can be found at 2533 Telegraph Avenue (between Blake and Dwight Way). (Chronicle review) (510) 841-8098. -Cheryl Koehler, special to SF Gate

Zax: San Francisco's loss is the East Bay's gain, with Zax -- a Chronicle Top 100 restaurant for most of its eight years -- hopping from North Beach to Berkeley. The menu features simple, seasonal dishes, each with its own special spin. Entrees top out at $17 (for a Niman Ranch steak, pork chop or Alaskan halibut), and the menu has other bargain features -- a burger and three warm pressed sandwiches, all under $9. 2826 Telegraph Ave. (near Oregon), Berkeley; (510) 848-9299. Dinner Tuesday-Saturday. Full bar. Ample street parking -SF Chronicle (Chronicle Review)

Shopping

If you pick a day when the sun is out and the campus is in full bloom, you could spend a good chunk of time just navigating the sidewalks. The streets teem with pedestrian traffic. The sidewalks of Telegraph take the most abuse, since it serves as the main thoroughfare.

Sidewalk Vendors: Lining the sidewalks from late morning until dusk, the street vendors are a large part of what draws visitors and locals to Telegraph Avenue. They sell tie-dyed clothing, jewelry, crocheted hats and a range of other apparel, often working on their wares between making sales.

Amoeba Music: Although there's a newer, bigger branch in SF, this is the original. Here you'll find two huge rooms full of music covering all genres, from jazz to hip-hop to Latin and techno. 2445 Telegraph, (510) 549-1125. (Web site)

Annapurna: There are plenty of head (or pipe and smoking supply, if you prefer) shops in Berkeley, but this is the best. You may have no need for a four-chambered water bong, but it's hard to deny the entertainment value of simply window shopping here. 2416 Telegraph, (510) 841-6187.

Bear Basics: The ground floor of this Cal logo superstore sells mostly UC Berkeley apparel: sweatshirts, socks, even baby clothes with the Berkeley Bear logo. Upstairs is Futura (shown at left), which focuses on women's clothing. Down in the basement is T-Shirt Orgy, where references to TV, film, pop-culture and marijuana run rampant. 2350 Telegraph (at Durant), (510) 883-9050.

Berkeley Hat Company: A Berkeley institution, this diminuitive space holds every head covering imaginable, from straw cowboy hats and Harris Tweed caps to feather-dotted church hats and hand-trimmed Ecuadorian Panamas. 2510 Telegraph, (510) 549-2955. (Web site)

Body Time: The airy shop specializes in essential oils and aromatherapy. Lotions, perfumes and creams, bath salts, foot soaks, scrubs, and gift packages are for sale off the shelf, but the friendly staff will also help you mix a custom scent. 2509 Telegraph, (510) 548-3686. (Web site)

Island Treasures: An artisans' collective featuring clothing, home-decor items and jewelry by Berkeley artists. Much of it is designed by the shop owners and produced in other countries. All of it is fair trade. 2486 Channing Way., (510) 649-1600.

Katmandu Imports: Packed with merchandise and dense with incense, this store sells Nepalese and Tibetan jewelry, Buddhas, books and tapes, meditation pillows, and clothing. 2515 Telegraph, (510) 665-8970.

Lhasa Karnak Herb Co.: Opened at this location on Earth Day in 1970 (it's since moved and moved back), Lhasa Karnak sells a vast assortment of herbal remedies for whatever ails you. Alongside old standbys like peppermint, sassafras, comfrey and chamomile, you'll find more unusual herbs like cat's claw and false unicorn root. 2513 Telegraph Ave., (510) 548-0380; 1938 Shattuck Ave., (510) 548-0372. (Web site)

Mars Mercantile: This larger cousin to Sharks sells vintage jewelry and cocktail dresses, plus used and vintage Levi's 501 and 517 jeans. They buy clothing over the counter for cash or store credit. 2398 Telegraph Ave., (510) 843-6711. (Web site)

Muse Designer Outlet: Sells hip-hop gear for men and flirty fashions for women, with brands such as Sean John, Rocawear, Varga and Frenzy at 20 percent to 50 percent off retail. DJ on Friday nights. 2510 Durant Ave., (510) 644-3415.

Rasputin Music: As if Amoeba isn't delightful enough, there's Rasputin, on the same block! Rasputin also has a great selection of new and used music. 2403 Telegraph, (510) 848-9004.

Tienda Ho: The place to go for loose, flowing earth-mother garb. Most items have been imported from Morocco, India, and Indonesia. 2493 Telegraph, (510) 549-0876.

The Map Center: A certain kind of human experiences gravitational pull from a map. If you're a mappy, or just lighting out for Quito, check the Map Center, which sells big wall maps, raised relief maps, globes, USGS and Forest Service maps, maps of California, the US and the world. The store is just below Telegraph on Bancroft, at the back of a gray building. 2400 Bancroft, (510) 841-6277.

Zebra: A clean, well-lighted place to get a tattoo or piercing. 2467 Telegraph Ave., (510) 649-8002.

Nightlife

Raleigh's Pub & Grill: If you're looking to escape from the frenetic pace of Telegraph, scoot in here and head out back to their patio for some peace and quiet. Grab a beer from their extensive selection on your way, and kick back and relax among the shady trees. 2438 Telegraph, (510) 848-8652.

Blake's Bar Restaurant & Night Club: Step into this easygoing place for pizza, a pitcher and some televised sports. 2367 Telegraph, (510) 848-0886.

Where to stay:

The Rose Garden Inn: This lodging, located a little south of the main commercial area on Telegraph Avenue, combines two venerable homes with lovely gardens to make for a comfortable, old-fashioned sanctuary from the bustle of Telegraph Avenue. The reception area is classic B&B; Victorian, with overstuffed furniture and a doll collection. Forty guest rooms. 2740 Telegraph Avenue, (510) 549-2145.

To get to Telegraph Avenue, take BART to the Berkeley station, walk south to Bancroft, then head east up to Telegraph.

Kit Duane, Special to SFGate and Ian Stewart, Special to SF Gate