Genencafe – B33

Definitely my go-​to cafeteria on campus, but easily the busiest.
B33 café has a bunch of options for lunch; from sushi to Asian to Rotisserie to Mexican to sandwiches to salad to pizza and pasta. They pretty much cover any taste that a person could ask for. My favorite is the prime rib that’s normally available only on Fridays.
The only thing is with this cafeteria is that it ALWAYS gets busy by noon. My recommendation is to get there about 11:45. You’ll skip a lot of the line and also get the best cuts of meat (especially for prime rib day.)
The fact that this cafeteria is always busy also means that finding seating can be a pain sometimes. A protip from someone who goes there all the time: find seating first if you come at a later time. You can leave your stuff at a table and tilt the chairs to let others know that you have claimed the table.

B33 probably the largest café on Genentech campus. This café is most central in terms of relative location. There’s a great selection in the salad bar, soup station, sandwich area, grill, Mexican, sushi, Chinese, and various daily specials. The seating is all in an open and large space. This cafeteria is also where they tend to hold corporate events. Outside seating is an option. It gets really cold outside, but the view of the bay is stunning.

This cafeteria is hit or miss… The food can be good sometimes or can be pretty horrible. They do offer different menus every day, so it never gets boring.

Definitely one of the better cafeterias on campus. It’s bigger than most and offers a fair amount of variety from Sushi, Pizza, Rotisserie, Mexican (or Tacqueria), Asian, and a Salad Bar. At the peak of lunch time, this place gets very, very crowded. Seats are sparse and every station has an obscene line.
But as far as my favorite station goes, it is definitely the roisserie. I’ve had everything from roast chicken to flank steak to my favorite prime rib on Fridays! Best advice, come earlier, around 11:45 — 11:50. You won’t get the edges of most meat dishes (i.e. you won’t get the piece that’s been sitting there ready for the early birds and hopefully you won’t get the dreaded edge piece that is super fatty and salty, as far as the prime rib goes).

I love the variety in this cafeteria! It is well worth the trek up the hill and perhaps exerting myself will eventually burn off enough calories to earn a dessert. Though I realize that’ll never happen at a dessert/​hill trek ratio that is satisfying enough for me.
I keep pledging to bring my lunch since I’ve started work here, but it hasn’t happened yet. I figure if I can keep the cost down and make most of my meals healthy, it’ll be worth not having to cook.
Here’s my lowdown (in alphabetical order):
Asian: Usually pretty decent choices for the stir fry. Great amount of food for a really great price. Warning: Do not get the soup unless you’re in the mood for a bunch of delicious vegetables floating in the most flavorless broth ever. Basically, a salad floating in water.
Deli: Delicious paninis! A hot sandwich is one of two ways I’ll eat a sandwich. (The other is messy.) Try the weekly special.
Dessert: Really good, especially anything made with seasonal fruit.
Grill: Burgers need a bit more meat. Turkey burgers are really well seasoned.
Pasta: Cooked on the spot. Most of the time, it doesn’t have enough flavor for me.
Pizza: Decent (and cheap!). Freshly made in the wood fired oven. Can be a bit greasy.
Rotisserie: Pretty decent… though I rarely venture here. Calorie count is usually too high. But quality of meat is excellent. One of these days, I’m going to splurge and get the tri tip, or the prime rib, or the baby back ribs, or… drooool.
Salad Bar: A good back up if you’re wanting something healthy for you and your wallet.
Sushi: Great quality fish. I love their sushi (and I’m really picky about my fish).
«Taqueria»: In quotes as it’s not quite authentic, but it’ll do in a pinch for a craving as long as you know that it’s not muy authentico.

This is the newest cafeteria on the site and it’s not bad at all.
There’s plenty of options here, «international» cuisine, sushi, pasta, pizza and various specials. Of course there’s salad etc.
It’s pretty big so there’s usually plenty of room to get a table.
Best to either come slightly earlier or slightly later to avoid the lunch rush. If you come too late though they do run out of specials…

SInce the switch to Bön Appetit, I don’t think the salad bar is as good anymore. And the prices have gone up a bit as well. But complaining about it is like a spoiled kid whining because Daddy got her a brown pony instead of a white one… the Genentech cafeterias are pretty damn good all things considered. Clean and well maintained; food made to order (including sushi, which I have
…mercury poisoning be damned); prices partially subsidized by the company. Plus it’s on-​site so it’s not like we have to drive off campus or anything to get lunch during the day.
Out of all our cafes on campus, however, I think B42 is the best.

Probably one of the best cafeterias on campus — made to order sushi, phở, fresh pasta, hot-​out-​of-​the-​oven pizzas, deli area, hot soups/​stews, prime rib (Friday’s), a taqueria, an extensive salad bar, and amazing desserts!
There’s quite a bit of seating (inside and outside), but sometimes it does get busy around the prime lunch hour (noon-​1pm), so get there early if you have a big group!

Prime rib fridays… the highlight of my week: D This is the easily the best cafeteria on the SSF Genentech campus.
The perfectly cooked prime rib with the colorful pink interior with the well seasoned crust. So tender that even the frail biodegradable knives can cut it! Get a single serving if you are moderately hungry, but if you are me, get a triple service of meat!
Get there early so that you don’t have to be stuck in the line. The worst is watching as people get their food and you just stand there smelling the aroma of prime rib.
I guess if you aren’t into eating prime rib, they also have salads there. They always have a variety of veggies that are fresh. The soup in this building is much heartier and actually have chunks of meat and vegetables vs some of the more bland and watery soups of the other cafeteria.
Enjoy the PRIME RIB!