10 Michelin Guide Picks For Berkeley

BERKELEY, CA — Berkeley foodies can eat out for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily and never get bored with the offerings. Any city that has a designated "gourmet alley" has serious food credentials.

The Michelin Guide is suitably impressed, listing 10 restaurants worth trying.

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It all starts with Chez Panisse, whose founder Alice Waters is widely considered to be the originator of "California Cuisine."

Her philosophy of using only fresh, locally grown organic ingredients has made her one of America's most influential chefs. The Michelin Guide gives Chez Panisse a Green Star for sustainability. "Chez Panisse is a certified Green Business," Alice Waters told Michelin, "we have an organic farm growing 75% of our produce and the remainder comes from within 50 miles; we have almost zero landfill waste."

The restaurant is for diners who have a hefty budget. Here are the offerings for Thursday through Saturday of this week —

THURSDAY, MARCH 28 $175
Grilled asparagus and baby artichokes with maltaise sauce; with rocket and shaved fennel salad
Celery root velouté with wild mushrooms, croûtons, and crispy pancetta
Roasted Sonoma County duck breast with flageolet beans, escarole, and Annabelle’s carrots
Buckwheat crêpe with wildflower honey ice cream, tangerines, and pistachio

FRIDAY, MARCH 29 $175
Leek and gruyère galette with rocket salad and prosciutto
Petite bouillabaisse à la Panisse with local rockfish, Manila clams, Monterey Bay squid, and rouille toast
Joyce Farms guinea hen roasted in the hearth; with gaufrette potatoes, chanterelle mushroom ragoût, and roasted asparagus
Strawberry sherbet and kumquat ice cream meringata

SATURDAY, MARCH 30 $175
Frisée salade aux lardons with golden beets, mustard vinaigrette, and buttery croûtons
Wild mushroom cappelletti in brodo with Parmesan and lemon zest
Grilled ling cod with sauce gribiche, roasted marble potatoes, savoy spinach, and fried spring onions
Gâteau Basque with huckleberries

Wine pairing: $85 per person.

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If you need to move down from four Michelin dollar signs to three, Iyasare is where you will find "Japanese techniques and Californian ingredients blend harmoniously." The Michelin Guide recommends that diners purchase a variety of small plates. "Manila clams enhanced with a broth of sake, bacon, potatoes, and shiitakes is an aromatic wonder." The menu changes frequently.

Michelin Guide $$

Two dollar signs is the sweet spot, with five Berkeley restaurants landing in this range. You can satisfy your craving for Japanese, Chinese, Mexican, and Spanish food at this price point.

Make a reservation for Ippuku or Fish & Bird Sousaku Izakaya for Japanese cuisine.

Great China is your go-to place for, well — great Chinese food. The Michelin Guide praises its fresh ingredients.

Find inventive Mexican food at Comal where you can expect "bold and zesty" flavors. While the Michelin Guide recommends that you start with chips and guacamole, "Just make sure that those smoky wood-grilled rock cod tacos, with creamy avocado aïoli and spicy cabbage slaw, are on your must-order list."

La Marcha is the reservation you need for Spanish food. The Michelin Guide calls it a Spanish delight that "does double duty as a mecca for both tapas and paella." Solo diners can select amazing tapas, while you can gather friend and family to enjoy traditional paella.

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When you whittle all the way down to a single dollar sign in the Michelin Guide, Berkeley has three entries — and they all offer delivery!

Vik's Chaat combines a market and a counter service restaurant. "For $15, you can get perfectly tender tandoori chicken with a mouthwatering smoky char, served alongside basmati rice, dal, raita and papadum." It also offers colorful sweets, so save room for dessert or have one packed to go.

Funky Elephant is located in a strip mall, but offers "nuanced" Thai dishes. "Nam kao todd is coated in a house-made red curry paste, fried until crispy, hit with fish sauce and layered with tendrils of pork skin and crumbles of fermented pork for a vibrant taste with just the right amount of heat."

The final Berkeley entry is Tacubaya Mexican, a beloved restaurant that moved to a larger space to accommodate regulars, including families. "They are here for chilaquiles and churros at breakfast; then transition into chorizo-and-potato sopes with black bean purée at lunch. Other standbys unveil beef enchiladas doused in a smoky guajillo-tomatillo sauce and covered with melted cheese; followed by tamales de verduras bested with spicy salsa verde and cool crema."

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