.A Family-Friendly Vibe

Solano Avenue and El Cerrito offer quiet streets and dining gems.

With its wide sidewalks and family-friendly restaurants and stores,
Solano Avenue may be the small-towniest stretch of street in the East
Bay. The surrounding hills of Albany, El Cerrito and North Berkeley are
quiet and largely residential, populated by families and retired
folks.

Part dog park, part homeless encampment, and part urban art
gallery, the Albany Bulb (Buchanan St. and I-80, Albany) is one
of those only-in-the-East-Bay gems that you have to see to understand.
Located on a spit of land that juts out into the bay, the former
landfill fell into neglect as governments squabbled about what to do
with it. During that time it was claimed by homeless people, dog
walkers, hikers, and artists, who have taken what is essentially
a junkyard and turned it into an outdoor museum with large-scale
paintings and industrial sculptures both bizarre and compelling.

Even in an area saturated with independent music stores, Down
Home Music
(10341 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito, 510-525-2129,
DownHomeMusic.com) manages to
stand out. It’s a neighborhood shop that offers a well-picked and
perfectly sized selection of underappreciated oldies, rockabilly,
Tex-Mex, country, blues, and world and roots music on both CD and
vinyl. It’s truly by and for music lovers, with a staff that’s patient,
passionate, and knowledgeable, plus a listen-before-you-buy policy.

Fonda (1501 Solano Ave., Albany, 510-559-9006) manages a rare
combination of hip and comfortable with its take on upscale, stylish,
Spanish-style small bites and cocktails. Brunch and lunch are good, and
in honor of the recession, Fonda currently offers an all-day
happyhour menu that includes drinks as well as several
appetizers, including their signature duck tacos with salsa
crema. But it’s best to go later at night for impossibly rich desserts,
drinks like the citrusy-sweet Key Lime Caipirinha, and a loungey,
low-lit vibe that’s surprisingly lively for sleepy Solano Avenue.

Wedged between a Domino’s and a dry-cleaning place, Gordo
Taqueria
(1423 Solano Ave., Albany, 510-528-8226) is a
hole-in-the-wall with a heart of gold: The service is fast and
no-frills, the portions are massive, and the prices are dirt cheap.
Five bucks will get you a well-balanced, brick-sized super burrito
filled with cheese, rice, beans, fresh pico de gallo, and surprisingly
high-quality meat; guac is extra but entirely worth it. 

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