Long known as a hub of activism, academia, and diverse communities, Berkeley’s dining scene is a microcosm of the Bay Area’s creativity, producing some of America’s most iconic restaurants and an endlessly curious, food-savvy clientele.
Chez Panisse
Alice Waters’s temple to California cuisine—where farm-fresh, organic, and seasonal became a movement—is as transformative now as it was in 1971.
Upstairs is more casual, with wood-fired pizzas and salads; downstairs’s set menu offers dishes like duck with wild fennel, chicory salad, or Meyer lemon tart.
The service, wine list, and candlelit mood are quietly magical.
Vik’s Chaat
A citywide favorite for Indian street food, Vik’s bustles with UC students, families, and local techies.
Samosas, bhel puri, dosas crisp-edged and stuffed with spiced potatoes, and chole bhature all arrive fast and packed with flavor.
The huge “sweets case” is irresistible—mango burfi, pistachio laddu, and more traditional treats.
Cheeseboard Pizza
Co-op-run, joyfully hippie, and always packed, Cheeseboard serves one “pizza of the day”—think roasted sweet potato, chèvre, lemon zest—on a crackling sourdough-like crust.
Slices come with free seconds, jazz musicians play improvised sets, and long lines turn into spontaneous street parties on sunny afternoons.
Ippuku
Berkeley’s definitive izakaya, Ippuku evokes a Tokyo tavern—wood booths, sake bottles, and a rotating menu of grilled skewers.
Unusual cuts (chicken gizzard, beef tongue), housemade tofu, and delicate sashimi join bracing whiskey highballs.
Adventurous, intimate, and beloved among chefs.
Gather
Right on Shattuck near the university, Gather features sustainable, veggie-forward California cuisine with enough innovation to satisfy omnivores too. Mushroom pizzettas, wild nettle risotto, “vegan charcuterie” boards, and cocktails scented with local herbs.
The airy space, reclaimed décor, and friendly servers have made it a wellness-forward community cornerstone.
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