The Bay Area Restaurants

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.)

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  • 1. Shakewell

    $$ | Grand Lake

    Two Top Chef vets opened this stylish restaurant, which serves creative and memorable Mediterranean small plates in a lively setting with an open kitchen, wood-fired oven, communal tables, and snug seating. As the name implies, well-crafted cocktails are shaken (or stirred) and poured with panache.

    3407 Lakeshore Ave., Oakland, California, 94610, USA
    510-251–0329

    Known For

    • Wood-oven paella
    • Fried chicken with fenugreek yogurt
    • Vegetarian options

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner Sun. No lunch Tues.–Fri.
  • 2. À Côté

    $$ | Rockridge

    This hot spot is all about seasonal and globe-spanning small plates, family-style eating, and excellent drinks. Intimate dining nooks, natural light, and a heated patio make this an ideal destination for couples, families, and the after-work crowd.

    5478 College Ave., Oakland, California, 94618, USA
    510-655–6469

    Known For

    • Pernod mussels cooked in the wood oven
    • Flatbreads
    • Global and regional wine list

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch
  • 3. Cetrella

    $$$ | Mediterranean

    The coast at its most dressed up, Cetrella is all polished wood and pressed tablecloths, and it hits every mark: adventurous wine list, live jazz on Friday and Saturday night, and a creative menu that pairs regional produce and fish with choice imported ingredients. The resulting dishes are sophisticated but not stuffy. The bar has a smaller and cheaper but no less delectable menu, and Sunday brunch is popular.

    845 Main St., Half Moon Bay, California, 94019, USA
    650-726–4090

    Known For

    • Excellent cheese course
    • Fresh local seafood
    • Extensive international wine cellar
    • Spanish-influenced small plates

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon.; no lunch
  • 4. Lalime's

    $$$ | North Berkeley | Mediterranean

    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.

    1329 Gilman St., at Tevlin St., Berkeley, California, 94706, USA
    510-527–9838

    Known For

    • Seasonal Mediterranean-inspired specialties
    • California wines
    • Cozy bungalow ambience

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch
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