Cultured Pickle Shop - Berkeley

The staff at the Cultured Pickle Shop explained each item in the bowl as they served them, making the experience exciting and informative. Learning that some dishes had been fermenting for over half a decade added to the special feeling of the meal. I recommend referencing the printed menu while you eat to remember which item is which, as there is a lot of information to take in all at once, but it enhances the overall experience. While I personally wasn't a fan of the tomato fennel parsley dashi, one of my dining companions loved it and finished mine as well. The pickle and rice bowl offered a wide variety of flavors and textures that are hard to do justice in words. I particularly enjoyed the spicy and sour flavor combinations found in the dishes, as they cater to my love of texture variety. The dessert bite, though unexpected, was delicious. The sweet tartness of the strawberry paired perfectly with the sweet umeboshi macaroon. Despite our initial skepticism about the tomato corn silk kombucha, it turned out to be amazing. I would recommend following the shop's recommendations for pairings. While I enjoyed the warm amazake with ginger as a sweet note to end on, my dining companions didn't find it as exciting. Overall, we left feeling pleasantly full and grateful for the meal. I look forward to returning with others in the future.

I discovered this hidden gem in Berkeley while exploring the area. The restaurant sells pickles, sauerkraut, and other fermented vegetables. They also offer rice bowls on the weekends, which are initially vegan but can have an egg or avocado added as toppings. However, I would have given them a perfect rating if they included a vegan protein option like tofu or tempeh for the bowls.

This restaurant in Berkeley is a hidden gem. I stumbled upon it while walking around and was pleasantly surprised. They sell natural pickles, sour wort, and various other fermented vegetables. On weekends, they offer rice dishes. The bowls are standard vegan but you have the option to add an egg or avocado. I would have given it 5 stars if they also offered a vegan protein option like tofu or tempeh for the bowls.

This restaurant in Berkeley is a hidden gem. I recently visited and was impressed. They offer a variety of pickled (all-natural) vegetables and sour wort, as well as rice bowls with the option to add an egg or avocado. The dishes are mainly vegan, but they could improve by adding a protein option like tofu or tempeh. Overall, I would have given them 5 stars if they had more vegan protein choices.

This restaurant is . It's recommended (but not necessary) to book a table in advance. Be sure to mention you're vegan when placing your order.