For this week of Local Lunches, we decided to check out quite a historic place in Downtown Berkeley: Arinell Pizza, a longtime local favorite that’s been serving slices for nearly 50 years. Multiple people have told us to try it out, including Duffy’s dad, who mentioned that “Back in the 1990s, a slice and a coke used to cost less than two bucks.” Prices have gone up since then, now a slice will cost you about five dollars.
Arinell has been around since 1975, and when we stopped by, the staff told us they haven’t changed much since opening. Honestly, it shows in a good way. When you walk in, the smell of freshly baked dough instantly hits you. It's a simple operation, but one where you can be in and out in under a minute. There’s no seating inside, which makes it feel much more like a grab-and-go place. It makes the line move fast and the system seems to work. We each ordered something different, one plain cheese slice and one Sicilian slice. Both came out hot, served on paper plates straight from the oven. You could tell the pizzas had been made a few hours earlier, but they still tasted fresh. They also heat it up in the oven to get it just warm enough. The cheese slice was classic New York style, thin and very large. The Sicilian slice was similar with meat on top. One interesting thing about their pizzas was that instead of having circular pies, they had square pies. This made slices right angle triangles instead of the typical acute slice. The only difference it seemed to make was better spacing in the oven, where two fit perfectly, and in the pizza boxes where it slid around less. Could this be the next pizza breakthrough? Probably not, but it definitely gives it more memory as the pizza was fine, not amazing. The cheese slice was super greasy, which was nice, but also a bit weird. However, it was definitely still manageable.
For the price, a plain slice is five dollars and a Sicilian is $5.50. Arinell doesn’t offer any student discounts or lunch specials, which most of the other places we’ve reviewed have had. Their menu is simple: pizza and drinks. If you just want a good, simple slice, this is a good spot to find it. One thing we liked about Arinell is how consistent every bite is. You can tell they’ve been doing this a long time, and they stick to what works.
Overall, Arinell Pizza is simple and reliable. While the lack of seating and limited menu are downsides, the pizza itself is solid. We think it’s a great spot for a quick lunch or to grab something after school. Arinell is not anything special, but it's also not trying to be anything more than a pizza shop. It may not have a million flavors, toppings, menu options, or even a place to sit, but it's just food, and that's enough. We give Arinell Pizza a seven out of 10. It's good, classic, and exactly what you’d expect from a place that’s been doing it the same way since 1975, a perfect example of if it ain't broken, don't fix it.