Bateman

The tiny neighborhood of Bateman in Berkeley is best known as the home of Alta Bates Hospital, which dominates the neighborhood both in terms of size and prestige. The neighborhood is often considered to be part of the Elmwood neighborhood one of the most coveted residential areas in Berkeley. Homes in the area are often listed as either being part of that neighborhood or of Rockridge. Either way, the prices are on the more espensive side. A two bedroom starts at about $1400 although some can rise much higher than this. The proximity to the hospital makes it a prime destination not only for doctors and nurses but also for Cal students and professors. There are many older craftsman style homes here with idiosyncratic front gardens and back lots that serve as yards. Most of the residents are families who work in the area.

At the edges of the neighborhood, you have three of the busiest thoroughfares in Berkeley. Ashby to the north is largely a connector between the 13/Caldecott Tunnel and Highway 80 in West Berkeley. Cars race by on their way to and from work, making most of the lane too busy for pedestrians.

College, however is beautiful through out. That the corner it shares with Ashby you find one of the great hangouts in Berkeley, Cafe Roma. The area surrounding this open air café with large ceiling high windows is one of the most attractive of the East Bay, mixing Cal students and locals. The strip offers a series of interesting restaurants from Chinese to Mediterranean and is especially busy on weekend mornings when people read the paper and socialize.

Telegraph is much less attractive but has many of the more practical stores that families require. Just outside of the Bateman border on College and on Telegraph there are supermarkets and the famous Berkeley Bowl., frequented by the like of Michael Pollan, a local sustainable lifestyle advocate.

Crime is relatively low and schools are good making this one of the better south Berkeley neighborhoods for raising kids. With Rockridge and the Downtown Berkeley within easy walking distance there is little need for an automobile.