The second place we went to was Juno’s Lunchbox, a casual lunch spot in downtown Berkeley located at 2115 Allston Way. The entrance is quite hidden, but being hard to find makes this a true hidden jem. We chose this as the next spot by the request of readers of our last column, and if you have any recommendations for future columns just let us know where we should go next, and we could use your advice for the next column. It’s a little bigger than our last column’s spot, but it’s still unknown to many people. Juno’s has a big patio with outdoor seating and a relaxed, student-friendly vibe, which makes it a nice place to sit down and enjoy lunch. They have really quality pizza hot and ready to serve, making it fast enough to fit a true, filling meal into a lunch period.
For our visit, we kept it simple and went straight for the pizza, their most commonly ordered item on the menu. Juno’s sells pizza by the slice, and we tried both the cheese and pepperoni. The cheese slice cost $4.50 and the pepperoni slice cost $5.50. We didn't get to try the veggie pizza option on the menu, but that also costs $5.50. They also conveniently have a student lunch combo, which for eight dollars gives you the choice of a slice of pizza, a drink, and chips of your choice. This is a great deal because the slices are huge, we're talking like the equivalent of two or three normal slices, and they're delicious. This is by far the best value we have seen so far, and it's hard to beat.
The pepperoni slice was hot, fresh, with just enough pepperoni, cheese, and sauce. The cheese was melted evenly, the pepperoni had a little crisp around the edges, and the crust held up really well while still soft. It had all you want from a slice of pizza, a chewy inside, a crunchy bottom, gooey cheese, crispy pepperoni, a reasonable crust, and a good ratio of sauce to cheese.
The cheese slice was just as good, with the same crisp crust and a simple, classic flavor of New York style slices. Sometimes cheese can be boring, but this one wasn’t — the sauce had a nice little tang, and the portion size seals the deal. This is the most filling lunch I’ve had, because of the size and chewy crust, with that good pizza taste. Also it wasn't greasy in that way that soaks your plate, but still had that comfort-food feel that you want from pizza. Each bite had the right mix of chew, cheese, and sauce. It wasn’t trying to be fancy or gourmet, just good pizza made well, which is enough for lunch.
Overall, Juno’s Lunchbox is a great lunch spot for students who want something quick, filling, and tasty. The patio makes it a good hangout spot if you’ve got time to sit, and the food comes fast. We’d give Juno’s a 9.5 out of 10 for its amazing slices, chill atmosphere, and amazing value.