berkeley eats at home: four locally-made provisions
a new series spotlighting four local products we were tempted to try – and would buy again.
product: cult crackers
where to buy: maybe you, like us, have seen these everywhere? spotted in boutiquey (shoppy) shops as well as larger groceries such as the berkeley bowl, cult crackers – in their mod-colored blue and red bags – are also offered as a gluten-free option in local restaurants such as uqbar.
what to expect: a super seedy, nourishing, crunchy little plant-based cracker, good with cheeses, dips or right out of the bag. the blue bag's heartier crackers are baked with corn flour, the red bag's slightly crispier crackers feature cassava flour. both are packed with the same six types of organic seeds (chia, pumpkin, sesame, etc.). all are tasty, gluten-free and more than a little addictive.
local hq: west berkeley; woman-owned small business.
we scored seasonal bayview pasta at of all places to cook up at home. photo credit berkeley eats.
product: bayview pasta
where to buy: we shopped for ours at berkeley's of all places, but you can also get bayview pasta at berkeley bowl, berkeley bowl west and star grocery.
what to expect: hand-milled flour and local ingredients make for elegant, small-batch pasta that aligns with the seasons. we were lucky to make the short window for freshly foraged nettle fettuccine, so silky and nuanced. next try: the seasonal spinach, parsley, mint fettuccine, squid ink linguine or classic spaghetti.
local hq: san francisco. note: local owner-maker joshua felciano is fun to watch in action on the instagram.
product: the cheese board's house-baked, famously-named killer granola.
where to buy: exclusively at the cheese board bakery and cheese shop.
what to expect: fresher tasting granola than typical store-bought, with big chunks, whole nuts and a buttery, brown-sugary, extra sea-salty kick. especially good with fruit and yogurt. find it in bags to go at the expanded new space. (or find the recipe in the cheese board collective works cookbook, also available at the shop.)
local hq: berkeley's worker-owned cheese board collective.
product: bay area bee company honey
where to buy: we purchased at the arlington market in richmond, but have spotted bay area bee company jars large and small at the natural grocery shops in el cerrito and berkeley, among other markets. the company also sells pollen and honeycomb.
what to expect: golden, unfiltered honey bright with noticeably local floral notes. ours had a rosy, layered sweetness that might have ruined us for sugary mass-market honey, especially when drizzled on good toast with butter.
local hq: home base is berkeley (mailing address is el cerrito), but the honey itself is gathered from hives all around the bay area, as reflected in labels on each jar. ('oakland harvest,' 'marin's best,' 'bay area blend.')
may 13, 2026 (know a local product worth a spotlight? let us know.)