Where do high schoolers go?

Insights from a rising senior Yellowjacket.

By Elsie Yuen

Every school day at exactly 11:41 a.m., thousands of Berkeley High students dash off campus and flood nearby eateries, cafes and boba shops. This daily stampede is the students’ lunchtime, a 40-minute period when ravenous teens reliably descend on nearby restaurants. The lunch rush represents an almost symbiotic relationship between students and restaurants — students receive special discounts and delicious food, while restaurants enjoy a boost in patronage and customers.

Berkeley High is unique in that it allows all students an off-campus lunch period, different from other schools that restrict their students from leaving campus or require them to wait until junior or senior year to do so. It’s also conveniently located in the heart of downtown Berkeley, the perfect place for any hungry student to get affordable, accessible, and appetizing food. Whether it be bagels or burritos, sushi or sandwiches, there’s always something nearby catering to each student’s budget and gastronomical palatee.

Arinell Pizza, personal 10-inch pizza, $12

King Kong watches over the Arinell Pizza shop in Downtown Berkeley. Credit: Ted Friedman

Why share a pizza when you could have an entire one for yourself? Arinell Pizza answers this conundrum offering diners the wonderful gift of a totally customizable personal pizza, with toppings ranging from calamari to Canadian bacon. The pizza is just $12, a clincher for Berkeley High students with pizza on their minds but a hole in their wallet. If you’re a sardine-and-pineapple lover, this is your time to enjoy that pizza all for yourself without your friends complaining. “Arinell’s,” as it’s commonly known by students, also offers affordable single slices with add-on toppings (starting at $6.00). While you eat, you may be watched by an LED King Kong eating a slice of pizza on top of the Empire State Building.

Arinell Pizza; 2119 Kala Bagai Way; open Monday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.

Sliver Pizzeria, 2 slices and a free sliver, $8

Before lunchtime on any given day, catch a hungry Berkeley High student looking up Sliver Pizzeria’s “Pizza of the Day” flavor on their school Chromebook. Sliver offers an eclectic mix of flavors, from roasted corn to pineapple spinach to the mysterious “Pizza of the Day,” a medley of fresh, locally sourced toppings. Sliver pizzas are delicious in any shape or form, known for their thin sourdough crust, and fantastic with their famous green sauce. It’s akin to the “Papi Chulo” sauce of the Cheese Board Collective, another location popular for thin-crust pizza, lending Sliver the informal reputation as the Cheese Board of Berkeley High (not surprising given the three co-founders of Sliver are all Cheese Board alums). It’s also friendly for meat-lovers and veggie-munchers alike: there’s both a “Protein Style” and “Vegetarian Style” menu. But make sure to get there fast: as a student favorite, the lunch rush line is frequently out the door. 

Sliver Pizzeria; 2174 Shattuck Ave; open Monday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Spicy Ahi tuna (left) and Kimchi Tofu onigiri. Credit: Calliope Arkilic/East Bay Nosh

Oori Triangles, 2-triangle set, $5.18-$13.98

Oori Triangles has several locations around the Bay Area from Oakland to Albany, but the one located just a few blocks from Berkeley High is held close to students’ hearts. Its famous triangles (and namesake) were formulated as a fusion of Japanese onigiri and Korean gimbap, according to its Korean-American owner Chris Kim. Oori triangles come in a diverse range of flavors, from ume (pickled plum) to short rib in Korean-style galbi marinade. The triangles, ranging from $2.59 to $6.99, are a favorite among highschoolers. Appealing to its younger customers, Oori also offers a special Student/Kids Bowl that allows you to choose a protein over a bed of rice ($11.59).

Oori Triangles; 2177 Shattuck Ave.; open Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m, and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

On a sunny day, Berkeley High students flock to “The Park” across from campus with a Nuha’s Cafe sandwich and drink in hand. A stone’s throw from school grounds, Nuha’s Cafe is known among students for its affordable, versatile menu. Its sandwiches come in combinations of different meats and cheeses, such as smoked turkey Swiss pesto and pastrami & pepper jack cheese. It also serves vegetarian varieties, such as French Brie Sun-Dried Tomatoes ($9.95). Feeling chilly? On a cold winter’s day, nothing warms you up better than a hot pressed sandwich ($11.59-$12.59).

Nuha’s Cafe; 2115 Milvia St; open Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Bagels all day, every day

What’s a bite you can grab in the morning before zero period, during lunch, or even on your way to math class? Many Berkeley High students would point to the versatile bagel. Boiled and baked dough is humble in concept but delightfully executed, demonstrated by the abundance of bagel shops in downtown Berkeley that many students flock to for a convenient meal or quick snack.

Feeling an empty stomach but also holding an (almost) empty wallet? Lox Stock & Bagel offers a solution: the aptly named “The Budget,” lox spread on a toasted bagel ($8.45). It also serves more elaborate bagel variants, such as “The Californian” (avocado and cream cheese, $8.95) and The Veggie” (cream cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, sprouts, and bell pepper, $8.95). The restaurant offers ample seating, and serves as a popular location for students to meet up with friends or study.

Cafe Brusco’s signature is the Gold Standard, an open faced lox bagel ($8.50). Credit: Ximena Natera for East Bay Nosh

For those feeling peckish in the early hours of the day, K’s Coffee House offers delicious variations of the breakfast bagel. Their bacon, egg, & Cheese bagel ($8.95) provides a tasty and convenient start to one’s day. If you’re looking for a spicier jolt of energy, consider the jalapeño cheddar bagel ($4.95). Just a few blocks away, Cafe Brusco serves similar fare with its “Classic,” cream cheese, tomato, red onions, capers and dill ($6.00 for a half bagel, $12.00 for a whole bagel). It’s also known for open-faced bagel sandwiches such as the “Brusco,” a combination of Calabrian cream cheese, pistachio pork, mortadella, honey, and pickled pepper ($8.00 for a half bagel, $16.00 for a whole bagel).

Lox Stock & Bagel; 2043 Allston Way; open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

K’s Coffee House; 2002 Center Street; open Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Cafe Brusco; 2000 University Ave; open Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m and Sunday from 9 a.m to 3 p.m.