One of Berkeley's most revered restaurants, Chez Panisse is the creation of food luminary Alice Waters. Waters typically extols the benefits and joys of eating fresh, locally sourced food, and Chez Panisse exemplifies the best elements of locavore cuisine. Visitors to Chez Panisse can enjoy a seasonal prix fixe menu that's primarily composed from locally sourced, organically produced ingredients. A meal is typically three or four courses, and range from Monday's simple menu at $65 per plate to more elaborate dishes available on Fridays and Saturdays.

On Chez Panisse's second floor, you'll find an a la carte menu offering things like oysters on the half shell, fresh ricotta, and green garlic pudding souffle. The upstairs space has a more casual atmosphere; the downstairs, a refined ambiance for elegant dining. Reservations, of course, are highly recommended at this Berkeley spot.

Chez Panisse
1517 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, CA 95709
(510) 548-5525
http://www.chezpanisse.com
http://www.yelp.com/biz/chez-panisse-berkeley-2

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/Quinn Dombrowski