Largest supermarket in Berkeley, Berkeley Bowl is super busy all the time. They have an amazing variety of produce. They also have a cafe where you can get a quick bite to eat including burritos, Chinese and sushi. Berkeley Bowl got its name from the defunct bowling alley which served as the original location.

If Berkeley were a maharaja, Berkeley Bowl would be the largest jewel in his crown. When you've got visitors from the East Coast, make sure to include Berkeley Bowl in your tourist itinerary - somewhere between the produce section and the bulk goods section, they'll decide that they are ready to move to California.

Things to watch out for at Berkeley Bowl:

• cart aggression. It's real and it's a problem, people! You're not being passive aggressive; you're being aggressive aggressive. You haven't lived until a yoga instructor has shoved your cart out of its totally out-of-the-way resting location at the end of an aisle. Please note that cart aggression becomes severe before major holidays, especially in the Thanksgiving/Christmas period. BEWARE.
• people you know. Your boss - you will see him/her. Some people you maybe met once? You'll see them. Take it easy and take the time to interact with the people you recognize; there's no need to pretend like you didn't see each other. We're all at the grocery store. We must all buy food. It's okay to ask someone their name if you've forgotten it. There's nothing to be embarrassed about.
• cheese samples. There are typically cheese samples! Fun for everyone but vegans and lactose intolerant folks.

Finally, the "about-to-go-bad" produce section is a cornucopia of value. Make use of it!