Chez Panisse

“You can’t talk about the Berkeley restaurant scene without mentioning Chez Panisse, the birthplace of California cuisine. It seems like every notable chef has spent some time honing his or her culinary skills in the Chez Panisse kitchen. We always take out-of-town guests to Chez Panisse, and prefer their more casual cafe upstairs. The food in the cafe is just as good and there are more choices since you’re not restricted by the set menu in the downstairs restaurant,” says Catherine Lo.