I used to work at one of those companies that offered completely excessive benefits like massage, acupuncture and free catered meals — anything to keep folks happy and in the office for as long as possible. It all felt so over the top to me and I was amazed by the number of people that utilized these benefits during the day - who had the time to get a massage — at work?! I never did during my handful of years there, but what I did happily indulge in was the free food. It felt like such a luxury to have a nearly endless buffet of gourmet food available day and night.
And while you might think to yourself, that sounds awesome, how could anyone complain about a free lunch? Then maybe you weren’t working in the Bay Area in the 2010’s. Week after week, at the Friday all-hands, the lunch was a regularly raised topic in the employee Q&A. My vague recounting of some of the questions posed by my peers:
The lunch feels too gourmet… is it possible to have something a little more approachable? Maybe we could have sandwiches one day a week?
<sandwiches added to the weekly menu>
It feels like lunch isn’t as healthy as it used to be and all the bread from sandwiches makes me sleepy in the afternoon and I can’t focus on my work. Can we have something a little healthier and lighter?
<sandwiches removed from the weekly rotation>
What happened to the sandwiches? I really loved when we had those. Can we have more options besides all this healthy food? I’m hungry!
<sandwiches added back in one day a week>
I love the sandwiches, but the sandwich schedule feels unpredictable. Are we able to have sandwiches more consistently - like maybe on a Tuesday and Thursday so that we can plan our weeks better?
<sandwiches now on Tuesday and Thursday, but oops they accidentally served them on a Friday one week also>
We had sandwiches on three days last week (!!) - that feels so excessive. Who can eat all this?! Can you please give us advanced notice so that I can plan to get my own lunch if you’re going to have that many sandwiches?!
ENOUGH WITH THE SANDWICHES!!!
That was real life in San Francisco in the early 2010’s. A lot of things were pretty bizarre back then. It was a real moment in time.
Anyway, whether you’re on team sandwiches, or team no sandwiches - I’ve done the service of compiling a handful of my favorite spots in the east bay to grab a lunch. It will not be free. And in case it’s easier, I made you a map.
SANDWICHES
Delirama - jfc. This is the kind of place I just can’t let myself go to. It’s just too greasy and good. If you’re from the east coast, odds are you’ve been searching for this place for all of your time living here. They specialize in pastrami sandwiches and reubens and a really good brisket and cheddar, all of which are served on their freshly baked in-house rye bread. The dining room is totally casual and convivial with a mix of folks of all ages (and they offer free coffee for senior citizens on Tuesdays). Delirama, like all the best places these days, started as a pop-up called Pyro’s Pastrami and they’ve earned a reputation not just for killer smoked meats, but for their monster potato pancakes and weekend bagels and bialys. Delirama is not for the faint of heart. Seriously, if you have heart problems, this could put you over the top. I’m not a doctor and this is not medical advice, so please call your doctor first. And enjoy. Delirama is the best. Open 7 days a week, 8-5, 1746 Solano Avenue
Berkeley
Saint - For a while I was down on the east bay sandwich scene and Saint is the place that renewed my faith. Opened in 2021, this new orleans-vibing sandwich shop offers up all your favorite deli sandwiches on fresh Acme bread. The namesake Saint hoagie is a spin on a classic: salami, ham, provolone, olive and hot pepper spread, with sweet and banana peppers, pickled red onions, shredded lettuce and garlic aioli, on a sesame roll. What’s not to love? Open Tues- Sat 11-3 p.m., 3016 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland (Dimond).
Morrucis - Walnut Creek’s tried and trusted, award-winning, no frills sandwich shop. They have an extremely long list of specialty sandwiches and seem to have gotten tired of creating new ones, so the sandwiches have numbers like 1 & 1/2. There’s typically a line out the door during lunch hours and they now have a handy to-go window for any folks afraid to step foot inside. The prices are as right as they can get in the bay area these days (~$10). As far as I can tell they don’t even have a website, so just go check them out where the 24 meets the 680 (1218 Boulevard Way, Walnut Creek).
OK’s deli - I’ve been watching OK’s deli since it was just a pop-up in the Mago space on Piedmont way back in 2021. Last fall they opened a standalone restaurant on Telegraph ave to much fanfare and lines out the door, though things are a bit more reasonable now - so be sure to check out their famous tingly Sichuan hot chicken or their Spam Mi, plus they have regularly changing specials on offer. Open Thurs- Sun, 11-3 p.m.
Star Meats - The last year has really changed the meaning of money and value of food in strange ways. People are tipping 30% on a cup of coffee, scouring around looking for eggs, romaine lettuce is more expensive than a split of champagne. No one knows what’s happening anymore. It’s all gone off the rails. And the sandwiches at the deli counter in the back of Berkeley’s Star Meats grocery are not immune from this madness. Their very delicious, but already absurdly priced sandwich recently increased by another $2 to a full $18. But … they really do them right. The bread is a tough-to-beat rustic baguette from La Farine (but those have to be <$2 wholesale, right?), plus the perfect combinations of deli meats, cheeses and accouterments. Knowing how little sliced deli meat costs, I’m really hoping the other $15 of the sandwich cost goes to the staff…and yet! I always leave a tip. Sandwiches available from 11 a.m. til sold out, 3068 Claremont Avenue, Berkeley
NO SANDWICHES!
Mujiri Nigiri- This is probably my favorite sushi spot in the east bay. East bae reader Robin first told me about this place a ways back, but I was pregnant at the time so it took me a while to get around to it. And I made up for lost time ever since — indulging in the daily changing menu and absolutely loving the little wooden boxes that the nigiri combo comes in. They have an excellent selection of sake (though, personally, I don’t drink at lunch) and they regularly feature a yummy ume and shiso roll. But if you’re a quantity over quality person, I will warn you that a friend thought the Nigiri was ‘small’. But I thought it was just right. Open for lunch Mon- Sat, 11:30-2:30 p.m., dinner 5:30-9 p.m. - 6501 San Pablo Avenue #B Oakland
Pyeong Chang Tofu House - I met up with a friend at the Telegraph location for lunch. He recently stepped out of the 24/7 work culture and when I arrived he was just peacefully sitting there, totally comfortable and focused on a book like some sort of movie character that I didn’t realize still existed in real life. Meanwhile, I came in like a iphone tornado firing off emails and texts and hanging up a phone call simultaneously. My friend said dialing down work was like quitting smoking: total breath of fresh air. Sounded nice. It was my first time at this spot and my friend had recently returned from Seoul and said the tofu soup here was indistinguishable from the one he had over there. Great lunch specials, friendly and fast service and by my observation, it seems like a pretty chill place to read a book. Locations in Oakland & Berkeley.
Shawarmaji - one could argue that shawarma is borderline sandwich but one can’t argue that the wraps from Shawarmaji are perfect. After Esquire named this spot one of the best new restaurants in America, the restaurant exploded in popularity. Another graduated pop-up, Chef Mohammad Abutaha started slinging his highly addictive chicken shawarma wraps with pickles and garlic toum sauce when he found himself longing for the street food from his native Jordan. These are so juicy and flavorful. I occasionally order mine with the addition of french fries and cheese (the chef recommends it!). Open Mon-Sat, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., 2123 franklin st. Uptown Oakland
State Flour Pizza Company - I’ve been looking for a super solid pizzeria in the east bay for some time now. I love A16, I love Gioia… but I miss places like Delfina and Pizzahacker. And lucky for me, lucky for all of us, it has arrived. I truly, truly hesitated to tell you all about this place as I secured a table for four on a saturday night and would like to forever effortlessly be able to have a table here - but I care about you too much, so I will tell you: this is the spot. State Flour is a casual, quick service pizzeria with a solid wine list and extremely helpful staff. They have mastered both the red and the white pies — I was particularly enamored with the Ollie, loaded up with fresh, high-quality olive oil, leeks, sausage, mushrooms, mozzarella and garlic and they’re getting rave reviews on their Burrata pizza and the fully loaded meat pizza they’re calling the Casanova. I definitely wouldn’t limit yourself to lunch here, but they just started offering pizza by the slice during the week, so it’s worth a pop-in. Otherwise stay for dinner or take out their pizza and salads. 2985 College Ave, Berkeley
And lastly, I’m including these honorable mentions that I’ve covered before and you should already know about: Bakesale Betty, Bartavalle, Boichik bagels and Lulu Berkeley.
Happy lunching!