Top Rated Shopping in Albany

Here book-lovers will find the romantic notion of shelves stacked up to the ceiling with books, so heavy they threaten to give way. The fading smell of bookbinding glue conjures images of ancient libraries. You could spend hours wandering the aisles like that kid in The Neverending Story. If you do not find what you are looking for, which is nearly impossible since Moe's has just about everything ever printed, you are sure to find something to appease you. For those looking for antique or rare books, check out the huge collection on the fourth floor.

In an area known for wineries and wine bars, Solano Cellars is a mecca for Bay Area oenophiles who sit at the imposing wood bar and sample a dazzling array of wines from around the world. A staff of refreshingly unpretentious wine experts can guide you through the selection and help you find just the vintage you were looking for. The shop attached is tiny, but what they do not have on display can be fetched from the seemingly bottomless wine cellar. To enhance the wine, an ever-changing appetizer and dessert menu, designed with wine in mind, is offered. There is a strict prohibition on cell phones.

On the eastern edge of Berkeley, nestled at the foothills, you will find this small shopping and restaurant area centered near the intersection of College Avenue and Ashby. Somewhat of a younger sibling to the Rockridge Shopping District a few blocks to the south, and seemingly a village to the castle of the Claremont Hotel that looms above, Elmwood features everything you need for a relaxing day of strolling and shopping. Begin your day over coffee and pastries at the famous Espresso Roma with a thriving student and artist clientele. Find several quaint shops and romantic restaurants around, like Shen Hua, which features the best in Chinese food and family dining.

Mars is repeatedly voted the best vintage clothing store in the East Bay by local newspapers and it is one of the best sources for fun and unusual retro garb. It has two stories filled with hip basics, shoes, glamorous accessories and clothing from a variety of time periods ranging from the Renaissance to the awesome 80s. Stock up on zoot suits, bell-bottoms, worn Levi's, leather coats and poodle skirts. It also specializes in a lot of theme attire for the seasons. Find costumes around Halloween, luau-worthy Hawaiian shirts for summer and fabulous faux and vintage fur coats for winter.

Temescal Alley has emerged as a hotbed of activity. A lot of development has happened through the years and now a lot of independent shops, restaurants and artist's shops are open in the alley. There are restaurants and ice cream parlors also, which offer a wide variety of cuisine to the tourists. The architecture of the alley is of early 20th Century and due to this the shops which are located in this alley have maintained the buildings as they were. The owner's of the shops have formed small communities amongst themselves. This place has developed a lot over the years and has become a small sweet little alley for people to shop, eat and spend some time with their family.

With its own BART station, Rockridge's main artery is College Avenue. Half in Oakland and half in Berkeley, Rockridge nevertheless feels like its own little town. Locals, as well as those in-the-know throughout the Bay Area, know this is the perfect place to wile away a sunny weekend afternoon shopping for antiques, gourmet groceries, and the best in locally made clothing and crafts, or to just enjoy a leisurely brunch at one of the many fine restaurants. Whether you are visiting for a short while or are new to the area, a day in Rockridge is not to be missed.