Best $3.50 lunch in Berkeley?

[TopoTail]

I've become a regular at Luca Cucina Italiana, where a bowl of polenta soup goes for $3.50. They start with a beautiful tomato sauce, add the polenta, and top it with a slice of mozzarella. My only complaint is that I want a tad more tomato sauce than they normally use, but they're happy to add a bit extra. Basic, no frills spot, but I've loved everything I've had there.

Other contenders for something that good at that price?

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Luca Cucina Italiana
2057 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley, CA 94702

[ML8000]

Top Dog still has the brown bag special for $4.50...dog, small soda, chips.

[Mission]

I remember in my youth that the Top Dog brown bag special (As late as 1979.) was only a $1.00...topdog, small soda, chips.

Plus the Top Dog "Louisiana Hot sausage" were actually really, really hot!
Now they should not even be called a "Hot" sausage.

You could also get a Cheeseburger, French Fry and a drink at Kwikway in Oakland for $1.00.

Good times!

Good thing there is no inflation.

[chocolatetartguy]

I'm usually looking for the $5-6 lunch, but for 3.50 there are some sandwiches at Lee's less than a block from LCI. A huge club is only 5.25. Also slices at Arinell also nearby and Gioia. You can get 2 bowls of good honest soup at any Alta Bates cafeteria. I like the beef and root vegetable.

[sydthekyd]

Lee's?

[wolfe]

Possibly Lee's Deli which is much more than 1 block from Luca Cucina. Thank you EIB.
2116 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA 94704
http://www.leesdeli.com/menuberkeley....

[ernie in berkeley]

Less than a block from PIQ, not Luca.

[ML8000]

Lee's is definitely a good deal. The turkey is roasted in house..and the sandwiches giant.

[ernie in berkeley]

Regular burritos are still $3.95 at La Palmita on San Pablo. Excellent chili verde.
Tacos are $2.50, tamales $3.50 at Casa Latina.
PIQ downtown has a variety of sandwiches and pizzas for under $4.00
I think the falafel at Zand (Solano in Albany) is $3.95.

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Casa Latina
1805 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley, CA

La Palmita Cafe
1335 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley, CA 94702

[Glencora]

The peppered pork sandwich at the Albany Cafe. (Okay, that's Albany, not Berkeley--but close.)

[nicedragonboy]

I'm in agreement w/ Glencora on this. That is an excellent sandwich.

[Robert Lauriston]

How does it compare with Ba Le?

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Albany Cafe
1309 Solano Ave, Albany, CA 94706

[nicedragonboy]

While the similarities are there to a traditional banh mi, pickled Daikon, carrots, jalapeno peppers. I really feel like it's almost an entirely different animal with it's more rustic toasted baguette and organic ingredients. They also serve a variety of meat filling you won't typically find at Ba Le or Cam Huong like their Peppered Pork or Spicy Crab. That being said, it's a very good alternative to Ba Le.

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Cam Huong Cafe
702 International Blvd, Oakland, CA 94606

[Robert Lauriston]

A slice of pizza down the block at Lanesplitter.

Luca's prices are startlingly cheap.

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Lanesplitter Berkeley
2033 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley, CA 94702