Almare Gelato

Wood-fired pizza on a big two-level garden patio that forgives kid volume, with downtown Berkeley bustle all around. The grown-ups get good beer; the kids get room to be kids.

Simple Mexican cooking built around fresh ingredients and fire-roasted salsas made by hand, with lots of them to choose from.

Classic diner downtown serving milkshakes and fries, a casual choice for a family meal.

A giant children's section downtown with storytime and artist-led sessions, and it costs nothing.

Jambalaya, mac and cheese, and beignets drenched in powdered sugar, at a downtown Berkeley staple.

Art museum and film archive where kids 13 and under get into the galleries free, with exhibitions that change regularly and a drop-in art lab.