Sorrento Cafe, Berkeley

This cozy little gem has been serving up quick and inexpensive pastas for years, and has recently added baklava and morning pastries to its repertoire. Choose to sit either outside on the sidewalk with the Telegraph Avenue foot traffic, or down in the warm dining room decorated with sponge-painted walls, flowers and smiles from the servers. The pastas include spaghetti with meatballs, fettucini alfredo (homemade alfredo sauce!) and marinara dishes. It offers salads like the green salad, and an avocado-tomato. Or stop in during the morning for coffee, bagels and muffins. Student Advantage discount is accepted.