East Bay: Gourmet Ghetto

What's It Like?

You could say that Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto is really a state of mind. On the one hand, it's the section of Shattuck Avenue bordered by Rose Street on the north and Hearst on the south. On the other, it's an approach to life (and to food, which is probably more important to a true Gourmet Ghetto-ite) in which the pursuit of quality is absolutely uncompromising. Every bit of food must be well chosen for the dish, at its peak of flavor, organically grown (preferably by a small grower personally known to you), and prepared in a way that showcases its best qualities. It's true that this degree of perfectionism can seem ridiculous -- it's just food, after all. Taken at its best, however, it's a way of approaching life that makes living a true pleasure and deeply connects you to the earth and to other people through the medium of food.

Although Alice Waters, inspired by the food and lifestyle of Provence in southern France, and her restaurant Chez Panisse are mostly responsible for the birth of the Gourmet Ghetto lifestyle, the area boasts several other food revolutionaries. And "revolutionary" is really the right word -- the Gourmet Ghetto was born in the late 60s and early 70s in Berkeley, when the counterculture was changing everyone's life. "The personal is political" and "you are what you eat" are mottoes still very much in evidence. There are several collectives in the area, and even the capitalist businesses tend to live by the ideal that work should be a joy, not a duty.

When Waters opened Chez Panisse (affectionately known to intimates as the Cheese Penis) in 1971, the Gourmet Ghetto was primed and ready for a food breakthrough. Peet's Coffee, Tea and Spices and the Cheese Board were both open by '67, and were busily preparing America, used to Velveeta and Folger's Crystals, to grasp the complexities of good coffee and good cheese. They're both still in the neighborhood, as is Chez Panisse, and lots of businesses in the area take the same approach to heart and are ready to give you a truly quality Gourmet Ghetto experience.

There are also some very local businesses that predate the gourmet explosion. Their survival in this era of chains gives the area a small-town feel, reminding us that Berkeley's history goes back long before the 60s. There are some great recent (say, a mere 10 or so years old) and brand-new businesses too.

The area is pleasant, with its central boulevard, Shattuck Avenue, bordered by trees. Many businesses have sidewalk tables, and a casual, leisurely mood prevails. You could wander for hours in the morning, just sampling coffee and pastries here and there. Or, you might shop for food to cook at home, astounding friends and relatives with your gourmet expertise; then again, you could just buy food ready-made, heat it up, and pretend you made it yourself. You could shop for clothes (for women and kids only; dudes over 12 are out of luck), comfortable shoes, books, jewelry or art; or linger over lunch or dinner. Food is a lot of what the area's about, but it isn't the only reason to go there. A wander through the neighborhood may make you a convert to the Gourmet Ghetto approach to life; even if it doesn't, you can spend some pleasant hours, get some great eats and experience some of the area's other amenities.

A mile west of the actual Gourmet Ghetto, there's a corner outpost you could call the Gourmet Ghetto West. It has three businesses intimately connected with Chez Panisse: the small Café Fanny; Acme Bread, which has supplied Chez Panisse almost since it opened; and Kermit Lynch, the wine importer who provides most of Chez Panisse's wine. Olive trees line the parking lot, giving it a Mediterranean feel. You can almost imagine yourself in the South of France as you sip your bowl of café au lait and chat about this and that -- if you're able to ignore the cars jockeying for parking spaces a few feet away.

Sights & Culture

Live Oak Park: A lovely restful place to go to escape the rigors of the commercial life (no matter how organic and sustainable). Picnic tables and lawns for consuming your gourmet lunch, and basketball courts for working it off. The small theater has plays (mostly children's), and Shakespeare and craft fairs occasionally take over the lawns. Across Walnut Street at the east end of the park is the Berkeley Art Center, a jewel of a building set over a creek and among oak trees. Most exhibitions feature local artists; the center also hosts poetry readings and musical events. Park is midway between Rose and Eunice, Shattuck and Walnut; the Art Center is at 1275 Walnut St., 510-644-6893. (Web site)

Restaurants

Café de la Paz: A comfortable restaurant specializing in Central and South American food: enchiladas, burritos, tasty salads and tapas. The upstairs restaurant is spacious, with windows onto Shattuck and a tinkling fountain; there's a new tapas and margarita bar downstairs. 1600 Shattuck Ave., 510-843-0662. (Chronicle review / Web site)

César: Exactly what the area needed, a fun, sophisticated place open late for high-quality snacking and drinking. Delicious and unusual martinis. The menu offers 14 savory tapas, three bocadillos, and five mouth-watering sweets. Really nice design, with a beautiful simple bar, wooden tables and mesmerizing tiles. 1515 Shattuck Ave., 510-883-0222. (Chronicle review)

Cha Am: A very well-beloved Thai restaurant perched above Shattuck in a wooden building that feels like a tree house. Recommended by old Southeast Asia hands. 1543 Shattuck Ave., 510-848-9664.

Cheese Board Collective: There is a big board -- not for cutting cheese, but a chalk board listing dozens and dozens of types of cheese. Low-fat Quark? Pecorino ricotta? Goat blue cheese for the lactose-intolerant? Whatever your cheese needs, they are answered here -- and I defy you to stump the people behind the counter. They're members of a collective, not employees, and they're obsessed with cheese. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing; a huge amount of knowledge can be scary. Founded in '67, collectivized in '71 or '72, and in its present location since about '75, the Cheese Board helped define the Gourmet Ghetto we know today - political activism and passion about food. They also offer olives, bread, coffee and sugary things to eat with it, and prepared foods such as blintzes. Some tables outside. 1504 Shattuck Ave., 510-549-3183.

Cheese Board is 36 and still going strong

Cheese Board Pizza: A couple of doors down from its parent, the Cheese Board Pizza sells delicious pizza by the slice or pie, or half-baked to bring home. There's only one kind daily, always vegetarian. Fresh vegetables and herbs, high-quality cheese and lots of olive oil make it really hard not to overindulge. As you wait in line, you're entertained by local musicians playing piano and bass. Some tables outside; on sunny days people picnic along the grassy, tree-lined street divider. 1512 Shattuck Ave., 510-549-3055.

Chester's Bayview Café: Hidden away inside Walnut Square and just from Vine Street, Chester's offers an eclectic array of dishes. Breakfast options range from eggs Mexicali to Belgian Banberry Split waffles; lunch from stir-fry salad to pesto chicken pasta. Dinner dishes (Wed-Sat) include blackened catfish and Mediterranean crepes. On clear days the view from the café's intimate terrace extends beyond nearby rooftops to the Bay and San Francisco. One resident of the area, who has an office in Walnut Square, reports that between inhaling the breakfast aromas emanating from Chester's at the beginning of his day and sniffing the scents of Provence that waft over from Chez Panisse by late-afternoon, he gets to eat for free -- sniff-ishly speaking. 1508-B Walnut St., 510-849-9995.

Chez Panisse : What can we say about a restaurant that not only inspired an American revolution in food preparation but whose proprietor, Berkeley resident Alice Waters, is one of America's best and most beloved cook-celebrities? Fixed price, get your reservations months in advance, eat what they serve you. Amazing ingredients, perfectly fresh and of the highest quality, prepared with imagination and profound respect, will make you remember the experience for years. 1517 Shattuck Ave., 510-548-5525 (dinner reservations only). (Chronicle review/Web site)

Cafe at Chez Panisse: Upstairs from the restaurant in the same shingled house, the café uses the same principles to less formal (though not necessarily less expensive, depending on how greedy you are) ends. 1517 Shattuck Ave., 510-548-5049. (Chronicle Review)

Epicurious Garden: Some are calling this new food hall Ferry Plaza Lite. On the bottom floor find eight fine-food businesses, including Taste Fine Wines (read the Chronicle review), Imperial Tea Court, Ciao Bella Gelato, Kirala Grill, Dom Petroff Caviar, Socca Oven and Soop. Kitchen on Fire, a hands-on cooking school, resides on the upper floor. The charming, waterfall-enhanced courtyard has a few benches for seating. (-SF Chronicle) 1509-1513 Shattuck Ave. (near Vine). (Chronicle Article/Web site)

French Hotel Café: A lively, bordering on raucous, scene, with the customers caught up in caffeine-inspired political or philosophical discussions. Regulars can be fanatically punctual, some arriving every morning at 6:30 a.m. for their cup o' java. The merely curious enjoy the frenzy, as do idlers. Famous giant cappuccinos, other drinks, and pastries. 1538 Shattuck Ave., 510-843-8958.

Related article: Loyal latte lovers win a reprieve for sidewalk culture at French Hotel Café

Gregoire: Pricey but delicious gourmet takeout. Gregoire Jacquet's menu is organic, seasonal and ambitious, and he cooks his stylish meals with a buttery, saucy French flair. The menu changes monthly and is immense for such a tiny place. Lunch is always nine sandwiches and salads, plus sides, one soup and three desserts. Dinner offers 10 hot entrees, plus soup, salad, sides and the same desserts. The potato puffs have a near-cult following. There are few places to sit; just fill out a checklist menu at the counter, then wait as food is cooked to order and packed in octagonal boxes. Orders can also be faxed or phoned. 2109 Cedar St. (near Shattuck), (510) 883-1893. (SF Chronicle/SF Gate) (Chronicle Review/Web site)

Juice Bar Collective: This tiny storefront offers quick lunches: sandwiches, hot food such as soups and chili, and, yes, juice. Piles of carrots and oranges await juicing at your command. An institution. 2114 Vine St., 510-548-8473.

Liaison Bistro: The atmosphere in this chic, lively bistro is invariably festive. The food is unpretentious and first rate, and the customers all seem to be embroiled in exciting conversations. Maybe it's the effect of warm colors, glowing lights, and the sight of all those earnest chefs in their white paper toques stirring, whisking, and sautéing in the open kitchen. As in any proper French bistro, customers seem to feel perfectly comfortable ordering nothing more than a glass of wine and a bowl of French onion soup. More serious eaters may order a series of classic bistro dishes to make up a meal -- everything from escargots to asparagus salad to Boeuf Bourguignon, followed by a cheese plate and a fine tart. 1849 Shattuck Ave., 510-849-2155. (Chronicle review)

Lo Coco's: This outpost of the Lo Coco clan's string of eating establishments -- siblings and uncles of Berkeley's Gilberto Lo Coco run pizzerias in Marin, Oakland and Los Angeles -- is a smart little slice of Sicily on the edge of the Gourmet Ghetto. On any given day there are 23 varieties on crisp, medium-thick crusts on the menu, but pastas and dinner entrees are also offered. 1400 Shattuck Ave., 510-843-3745. (Chronicle review)

Masse's Pastries: They do taste good, but it's the way the pastries and cakes look that'll blow your mind. Unusual flavors such as mango and cassis mix with more traditional cake ingredients such as chocolate and caramel. The individual serving-sized cakes are lovely little sculptures. The French go in the mornings for real croissants -- but get there by nine or you'll miss out. Some indoor and outdoor tables. 1469 Shattuck Ave., 510-649-1004. (Recipe: Chocolate "S" Cookies)

North Berkeley Wine: Long a fixture of the "Chez Panisse block" of the Gourmet Ghetto, this store has moved to more spacious quarters a few blocks away, where it's actually possible to park. If the new store lacks the funky, friendly atmosphere of the old, its cool temperature keeps the wine in excellent condition, and its selection of French and Italian wines is superb. You can find some good bargains and the sales staff is knowledgeable. 1601 Martin Luther King Jr., Way, 510-848-8910. (Web site)

Peet's: The very first Peet's there ever was in the whole world. It might seem like other Peet's outposts -- until you realize that they all seem like it, with dark wood, coffee machines and mugs lining the walls, and teas in bulk. Sunday mornings, townies come to bask in the sunshine along the sidewalks, caffeine-up and schmooze. 2124 Vine St., 510-841-0564. (Web site)

Related article: Peet, Berkeley store paved Starbucks' way

Phoenix Pastificio Restaurant: Moved to 1250 Addison St. (at Bonar). Owner Eric Sartenaer says there won't be room for a restaurant this time around, but he will continue to make wholesale pasta for Bay Area restaurants and will have a retail counter open to the public June 1. (-SF Chronicle)

Poulet: Though known best for its ready-made dishes, Poulet also offers casual lunch and dinner to eat in. The menu includes fresh salads, chicken many ways and other main dishes, and desserts. Catering too; North Berkeleyans have been relying on Poulet for parties for the past 20 years. 1685 Shattuck Ave., 510-845-5932. (Chronicle Review)

Saul's: As close as you can get in Berkeley to a genuine New York deli. The deli counter has all sorts of salad and meats, and the restaurant serves huge sandwiches as well as matzo ball soup and other staples. A schmaltzy borschtiness prevails. Special kids' menu. 1475 Shattuck Ave., 510-848-3354. (Chronicle review)

Virginia Bakery: A refreshingly old-fashioned bakery, a local favorite for 50 years. Big, fluffy cakes, cookies by the pound, etc. Be sure to reserve the butter rolls well in advance for your holiday dinner. 1690 Shattuck Ave., 510-878-6711. (Chronicle article / Web site)

Gourmet Ghetto West

Acme Bread: Started by a Cal student who baked bread for Chez Panisse, Acme has been making outstanding bread for over 20 years. Though you can buy their breads (now made with all organic flours) in upscale markets all over the Bay Area, it's fresher and tastier if you go to the source. The smell of the cinnamon bread in the mornings can make rational people slobber. All the food snobs agree: it's the best there is. 1601 San Pablo Ave., 510-524-1327.

Café Fanny: This tiny café is named after Alice Water's daughter Fanny and modeled on French café bars. It serves breakfast -- bowls of café au lait, Acme levain toast and some heartier items -- and sandwiches and salads for lunch. Lines can be long and it's hard to find a place to stand or sit, but the food is worth it. 1603 San Pablo Ave., 510-524-5447.

Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant: A very nice big red brick space for browsing among the bottles. Because Kermit Lynch is an importer and travels to many of the wineries personally, the depth of his knowledge is impressive. The staff knows their way around a decanter too. Every wine here is extraordinary for the price; if you're looking for bargains you can find them, and if you want to splurge on something special you can do that too. Mostly French and other European bottles; some cookbooks and a few European food items. 1605 San Pablo Ave., 510-524-1524. (Chronicle article)

For more Berkeley restaurants, checkout these Chronicle reviews.

Shopping

ACCI Gallery: The Arts and Crafts Cooperative, Inc. was founded in the mid-1950s as a mutual support society for artists, and to help the artist-art buyer relationship be as positive and rewarding as possible. The gallery, which has been at its present location since 1976, shows small works such as jewelry and ceramics. There are member exhibitions, a yearly sale of flawed ceramics and a small sculpture garden in the back. 1252 Shattuck Ave., 510-843-2527. (Web site)

Aura Jewelers: Not as astrally planed as the name might indicate, this 22-year-old jeweler specializes in antique jewelry. They also carry lovely modern things, most of them made by local artists. And if your aura's in need of repair, they do carry crystals. 2122 Vine Ave., 510-644-1487.

Bosanova: Pushing the relaxed North Berkeley aesthetic to its hip extreme, Bosanova bills itself as providing "modern wardrobe essentials." And it's true, they do carry everything a sartorial modernist needs, from jeans and T-shirts through office wear to party attire. Some items go so far as to be architectural; accessories are available. 2111 Vine St., Suite E, 510-841-7402.

Cotton Kids: What a revolutionary idea! Simple cotton clothing in bright colors for babies and kids -- it's a natural. With nursing moms on the staff and toys scattered here and there, it's probably the most baby-friendly retail environment in the world. They manufacture all the clothes; it's the only retail outlet. 2112B Vine St., 510-665-8133.

Earthly Goods: Everything you need to equip a chick for the North Berkeley lifestyle, 24 hours a day, including shoes, jewelry and, seasonally, PJs. Mostly natural fabrics and a comfortable silhouette, with a few more extreme items for the fashion victims among us. 2100 Vine St., 510-845-4564 and 2106 Vine St., 510-644-8378.

Lobelia: Well chosen, casual clothing at a reasonable price -- a rarity in this neighborhood! Colors tend to be bright, the fabric, cotton, the atmosphere, upbeat. 1483 Shattuck Ave., 510-848-1555.

M. Lowe & Co Fine Jewelry: Great stuff, about half made in their own studio. The other half might be from anywhere in the world. Some nice antique things as well. 1519 Shattuck Ave., 510-486-0613.

Molly b: Dramatic clothing in luscious fabrics with a Berkeley-meets-Bloomsbury aesthetic. There's a second store on Fourth St. 2112A Vine St., 510-843-1586.

Pacific Cotton: Cotton and fleece clothing in the Pacific Cotton and Bryn Walker labels. Comfy and mostly casual. Accessories by local artisans. 2111A Vine St., 510-845-1109.

Pickles & Ice Cream: High-quality kids' clothes, including lots of those colorful Zutano items. Belly Basics maternity clothes, toys and books are for sale as well. BirthWays services for pregnant women and new parents has a room in the back. 1677 Shattuck Ave., 510-540-7210.

Tadpoles and Frogs: Hand-made, cheerful, attractive and sturdy clothing for babies and children in cotton and fleece. Hats to play suits to dresses, in a range of colors and prints. 1506 Walnut St., 510-848-2678. (Web site)

Virginia Cleaners: Another beloved institution, helping the food-obsessed locals impress their favorite maitre d' for over 100 years. Really! They operate their own plant, and you can drive through to drop off or pick up your duds. 1650 Shattuck Ave., 510-848-1345.

The Walk Shop: The Walk Shop carries a huge selection of shoes designed to keep your feet happy and at least moderately fashionable, including the expensive but reputedly life-changing Mephistos. A quadruple-E width doesn't even make them blink; the narrow-footed might have a harder time. 2120 Vine St., 510-849-3628. (Web site)

Kitty Luce, Special to SFGate; updated by Kit Duane 5/02