It’s Restaurant Week season, folks. The city of Oakland just finished its 11-day extravaganza of prix-fixe dining deals, while the super-sized spring iteration of San Francisco’s twice-yearly promotion kicks off on April 10.
This week, it’s Berkeley’s turn. The 2026 edition of Berkeley Restaurant Week runs April 2–12, with at least 74 restaurants, bars and wineries signed up to participate. Sponsored by the city’s tourism bureau, the annual event features the usual array of discounted set menus and special dishes, with a few added bonuses: This year, a number of participating restaurants will offer free corkage to customers who bring a bottle of their favorite Berkeley-made wine or sake. And for those who like an extra helping of culture with their meal, the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) is offering discounted tickets to visitors who show Berkeley Restaurant Week reservations or dining receipts.
As for the deals themselves, it’s a bit of a mixed bag: Some restaurants are only adding a single (not necessarily discounted) special dish for the occasion, while a handful are promoting prix-fixe sets that — gasp! — actually appear more expensive than their regular menu prices. After scouring the dozens of menus, I’ve picked out eight deals I’m especially enthusiastic about. The best thing about the promotion? The breadth of offerings really shows off Berkeley’s identity as a diverse, globally inspired food city.
The Ethiopian feast
Lemat, one of the East Bay’s most popular Ethiopian restaurants, is doing a $35 prix fixe that comes with an appetizer, a meat or veggie sampler entree, and ceremonial coffee service to close. This is an especially good deal for carnivores, as choosing all of the meat options comes out to well over a $40 value. But the smartest play would be to come with a buddy (or a small group, even) and split one meat set and one veggie set — a classic move for frequent Ethiopian restaurant-goers.
The vegetarian Thai set
The Farmhouse Thai restaurant group is one of the Bay Area’s most well-regarded Thai establishments, but it’s also on the more expensive end of the spectrum. Its Berkeley location’s Restaurant Week prix fixe should appeal to both budget-minded diners and vegetarians who’ve been thinking about giving the restaurant a try: a $39 vegetarian set that includes a sparkly lemon drink, vegan fresh rolls, a pomelo salad, and a vegetarian version of Farmhouse Thai’s signature khao soi curry noodle soup. (The version with meat normally costs $46 all by itself.)
The indulgent solo tapas spread
La Marcha is offering a few different Restaurant Week deals, but the $25 lunch special is especially appealing to anyone who’s ever thought going out for tapas is thoroughly impractical for a solo diner. The set includes your choice of two tapas, plus an individual portion of paella (not normally an available option).
The boba deal
Chicha San Chen has a strong case for being the best boba shop in the East Bay and possibly the entire Bay Area. The Berkeley location’s Restaurant Week deal requires a little bit of prior planning: You have to make a reservation for a free tea tasting. Once you’ve completed the tasting, you’ll get $2 off the purchase of two of the shop’s excellent boba drinks — I favor anything with their osmanthus oolong.
The family chicken bucket
Hopscotch Chicken, chef Kyle Itani’s Japanese American–inflected fried chicken spot, has a fun deal for a family or group of friends: $60 for a “picnic pack” that includes a bucket of fried chicken, a miso chicken Caesar salad, fries, collard greens, mac and cheese and two Asahi beers. It’s not a huge savings off the regular menu prices, but you essentially get the beer for free.
