Berkeley buzz

Bar Panisse (Berkeley)

BARS • First Round

The Skinny: After three years of anticipation, Alice Waters finally opened her newest restaurant, Bar Panisse. Located next door to her iconic Chez Panisse, the space had been home to popular tapas bar Cesar for over two decades — and when Waters evicted Cesar to make way for her new business, some of Berkeley’s biggest names cried foul. But the new cocktail and light bites addition to the North Berkeley scene has been greeted with open arms.

The Vibe: With its beautifully milled Craftsman-inspired wood paneling, zinc bar, marble back bar, and moody lighting, the place feels like an immediate part of the Chez Panisse family. And like the restaurant, everything from the menu to the service has a European cafe-by-way-of-Berkeley feel, starting with the small bowl of Banyuls vinegar potato chips (made from local purple fingerlings) that lands in front of you when you sit down.