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The Bay Area is home to popular, innovative restaurants such as Chez Panisse in Berkeley and Commis in Oakland—for which reservations must be made well in advance. Expect an emphasis on locally grown produce, hormone-free meats, and California wines. Many Marin cafés don't serve dinner, and dinner service ends on the early side. (No 10 pm reservations in that neck of the woods.)
Alice Waters's legendary eatery, the birthplace of California cuisine, first opened its doors in 1971. It's still known for a passionate dedication to locally sourced heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables, heritage breeds, and ethically farmed or foraged ingredients. The restaurant offers formal prix-fixe menus and personal service, while its upstairs café serves simpler fare in a more casual setting. Both menus change daily, and legions of loyal fans insist that Chez Panisse lives up to its reputation. Reservations are practically essential.
Just look for the hungry crowds and the smell of freshly baked muffins; breakfast-lunch-brunch paradise is here in a far-flung corner of Berkeley. Kelsie Kerr's daytime-only restaurant/bakery started in 2014 and has been a sensation ever since. For the indecisive, this place is a nightmare. Everything looks outstanding and truly is. Buttermilk biscuit egg sandwiches tend to be the morning staple, while lunch sees a little more creativity and quintessential Berkeley farm-to-table elements, like in a long-roasted pork shoulder and beet greens sandwich.
A jazz combo often entertains the line that snakes down the block outside Cheese Board Pizza; it's that good. The cooperatively owned vegetarian and vegan takeout spot and restaurant draws devoted customers with the smell of just-baked garlic on the pie of the day. For just a nibble, the Cheese Board Bakery & Cheese shop next door sells cookies, bialys, and some of the best sourdough baguettes in town.
Taking its name from the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, this nonprofit coffee shop is inspired and powered by refugees. In addition to serving high-caliber coffee drinks, local pastries, and savory bites, the colorful café also serves as an advocacy space and barista training center for refugees.
Exposed brick walls, maps of Louisiana, ceiling fans, and New Orleans music create a festive atmosphere at Angeline's. Specialties include Voo Doo Shrimp, crawfish étouffée, and buttermilk fried chicken.
Spanish-inspired small plates and craft cocktails are served late at César, Berkeley's premier tapas spot. Couples spill out from street-level windows on warm nights, or rub shoulders at the polished bar and communal table. Founded by a trio of former Chez Panisse chefs, César is like a first cousin to the stalwart eatery next door.
Relaxed yet trendy, Comal's cavernous indoor dining space and intimate back patio and firepit draw a diverse, casual crowd for creative Oaxacan-inspired fare and well-crafted cocktails. The modern Mexican menu centers on small dishes that lend themselves to sharing and are offered alongside more than 100 tequilas and mezcals. For quick-service tacos, burritos, and tortas, skip the line and head to sister restaurant Comal Next Door (2024 Shattuck Ave.).
All things local, organic, seasonal, and sustainable harmonize at Gather. This haven for vegans, vegetarians, and carnivores alike serves up market and grain salads, shareable grilled local vegetables or cheese plates, roast chicken, and more in a vibrant, well-lit space that boasts funky light fixtures, shiny wood furnishings, and banquettes made of recycled leather belts.
This award-winning, convivial locale for organic, slow-food German fare has the Bay Area's best variety of German beers. With dishes like spätzle and caramelized onions, house-made brezel with bratwurst, jägerschnitzel with braised red cabbage, and panfried catch of the day, the kitchen puts a fresh stamp on traditional German favorites. A visit would not be complete without sampling the classic nachtisch (dessert) specials. Among several Best of the Bay awards, Gaumenkitzel has earned the highest awards for sustainability, with its distinctive approach to maintaining a no-waste kitchen and green business practices.
More Tokyo street chic than standard sushi house, this izakaya—the Japanese equivalent of a bar with appetizers—is decked with bamboo-screen booths. Servers pour an impressive array of sakes and shōchū and serve up satisfying fare. Savvy diners make reservations and arrive early for the best selection. Several small plates are made in-house and are a must-order, including pickles, gyoza dumplings, and tofu.
Reservations are recommended at this hot spot where the outdoor seating is ideal for people-watching and the Japanese country food is uniquely prepared. Locals come for seasonally changing, eclectic dishes made with a blend of local ingredients, such as burdock root tempura and tamari-kombu cured salmon or a wonderful salad combining various kinds of sashimi with a spicy miso dressing.
Delectable samplings of Spanish cuisine and a lively setting with expanded outdoor seating (Thursday through Sunday only) keep this tapas bar brimming with energy amid savory smells of seafood dishes and small plates of peel-and-eat prawns, cumin lamb sliders, or goat cheese–stuffed piquillos rellenos. The bar's passion for Spanish cuisine and culture is evident in the wines, the Mediterranean flavors, and the cozy setting with tile mosaics.
A charming taste of Provence in a 19th-century locale with stone floors, country tables, and a seasonal flowering patio, La Note serves thoughtfully prepared rustic food. Enjoy breakfast and lunch outdoors with fresh, crusty breads and pastries, eggs Lucas with house-roasted tomatoes, and lemon gingerbread pancakes. Breakfast is served all day, so don't worry if you're in the mood for a ham-and-cheese omelet at noon on a Tuesday.
Inside a charming flower-covered house, this restaurant serves dishes that reflect the entire Mediterranean region. The menu, constantly changing and unfailingly great, depends on the availability of fresh seasonal ingredients, and the two-level dining room is cheerful and light. Excellent and long-lived but not flashy, the restaurant has a legion of dedicated fans.
Chef-owner Mona Leena Michael channels her heritage as a first-generation Palestinian in California. Breakfast, lunch, and Friday-to-Sunday brunch are the main events here, in particular the reservation-only, prix-fixe brunch affair that might feature eight to ten compelling mezze (small plates). Seating is split between the bright, airy dining room and sidewalk tables.
A barnlike space full of cheerful Mexican tiles and folk-art masks, Picante is a find for anyone seeking good Cal-Mex food for a song. The masa is freshly ground for the tortillas and tamales, the salsas are complex, and the flavor combinations are inventive.
Haute comfort food and childhood favorites are the focus at this charming dining nook across from the Claremont hotel. Mac and cheese and free-range chicken potpie play second fiddle to brunches of cornmeal pancakes and gingerbread waffles, which are best enjoyed on the outdoor patio.
The East Bay is saturated with excellent pizzerias, but arguably the best of the esteemed group is hiding in plain sight on busy University Avenue, right by the heart of downtown Berkeley. Day and night, diners enjoy whole pies (no slices) in the cozy dining room and pleasant back patio. The pizza style is a crispy but not crackery thin crust—kind of its own personality. And those pizzas sure are delightful, whether topped with broccoli rabe and garlic confit or burrata, olives, and capers.
High ceilings and red-leather booths add to the friendly, retro atmosphere of Saul's deli, a Berkeley institution that is well known for its house-made sodas and enormous sandwiches made with Acme bread. Locals swear by the pastrami Reubens, stuffed-cabbage rolls, and challah French toast. Don't overlook the glass deli case, where you can order food to go.
The Chopra family has been selling excellent chaat (Indian street food snacks) to East Bay diners since 1989. It's part market, part bustling fast-casual restaurant with more substantial meat dishes and daily specials, dosas, and the staple homemade chaat that tend to be crunchy and/or fried (like samosas or puffed puri shells filled with mint water). It's quite a scene—the restaurant estimates that it serves 2,000 meals a day.
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