2. Chez Panisse
8.8
1517 Shattuck Ave (btwn Cedar & Vine St), Berkeley, CA
New American Restaurant · Gourmet Ghetto · 135 tips and reviews
Eater: Bill Addison:"My god, the desserts. The apricot galette looked so simple but contained the universe—a dance of sweet & tart, crust carrying a whiff of smoke from the oven, the vanilla ice cream." Read more.
Doug Zamensky: Totally worth the trip to Berkeley. One of the most perfect dinning experiences in the country. Although not listed on the menu they offer wine pairings, very solid.
Epicurious: The daily-changing menu is limited (one option per course), but not a single dish of the three courses will disappoint at this sophisticated, eco-friendly Berkeley mainstay.
3. Highwire Coffee
8.5
2049 San Pablo Ave (btwn University Ave & Addison St), Berkeley, CA
Café · West Berkeley · 18 tips and reviews
Stephen Fisher: Best batch brews. OG owners. Great tea program. Practiced community and environmental focus. Feng Shui in the space. Suggestion: provide complementary vegan/DF food options like cashew cream cheese.
Martha Hill: Chillax! Good seating with an outdoor patio option. Attentive staff. Tasty quiche options if you need more heft than toast. Beautifully presented cappuccino -doesn't everything look better in Heath?
John W: Cool indoor space with green walls. For working… while the outlets are all covered, the outdoor space is great for working and quiet enough to take calls. No WiFi =(
4. Vanessa's Bistro
7.8
1715 Solano Ave (btwn Ensenada & Tulare), Berkeley, CA
Vietnamese Restaurant · Thousand Oaks · 6 tips and reviews
Wendell Robinson: All of the small plate selections I tasted were fabulous, not good...fabulous. Duck confit lettuce wraps were amazing and so was the quail, the tuna carpaccio and the classic filet beef carpaccio.
Charles Kim: Duck strudel is absolutely delicious!!
Claire Bowman: Vanessa's daughter gave the most awesome service ever at the bar - and on valentines day! The food is delectable. Try the filet mignon salad.
8. Pizza Moda
7.6
1401 University Ave (Acton St.), Berkeley, CA
Pizzeria · West Berkeley · 10 tips and reviews
steven kimbrough: Simply put, not your basic pizza place. And on Wednesday great prices on a bottle of wine ... $15 a bottle ... Nice chance to try something new in your glass...
Kirke Curtis: What's good here? EVERYTHING! This is one of my all time favorites in the East Bay. Try the Zucchini Ribbon Salad, any of the pizzas, whole spaghetti with pesto reduction sauce, etc., etc.
Andres Hurtado: The pizza margarita is really good!
10. Eureka!
7.9
2068 Center St (Shattuck), Berkeley, CA
Gastropub · Downtown Berkeley · 67 tips and reviews
Chad B: Try their Catalina Bison Burger. For an alternative option get it in a lettuce wrap.
José Rodríguez: The burger choices are all top-notch. Highly recommend the rotating beers... Have yet to try their rye whiskey selection, but look forward to it. Casual place with multiple monitors to check out games
jason moore: Not a great spot if you have time constraints. They have some point-of-sale issues they need to work out, and the kitchen takes about 20 minutes on a slow day.
11. Skates on the Bay
7.8
100 Seawall Dr., Berkeley, CA
Seafood Restaurant · Berkeley Marina · 64 tips and reviews
Sophie Shafter: Been going here with my grandparents since I was a child. Make a reservation and request a window seat, the views are well worth it.
David Sanger: Eat in the bar if you don't want to wait for a table.
Willard Wheaton Davis: Their Halibut Fish & Chips is out of this world- so much flakier and tender than Cod- Try the Crab Cake on Succotash pesto-Sauce- Hmm and what a View! We always get their artichoke dip to begin.