LEARN MORE ABOUT GOURMET GHETTO

A paradise for foodies

The Gourmet Ghetto of north Berkeley takes its name from the elegant and wholesome food and dining options situated along this northern stretch of Shattuck Avenue. A food revolution began here in 1967, beginning with Peet’s Coffees and Teas and the The Cheese Board Collective, which features cheeses from all over the world. The neighborhood was ripe for Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse restaurant when it opened in 1971. Taking a cue from the way the French shopped for food, cooked, and ate, and using fresh, locally grown products, Waters has been credited with ushering in California Cuisine.

Today, the area has great restaurants, bakeries, and coffee houses galore. But food isn’t the only attraction. Here, the business corridor gives way to leafy, quiet residential neighborhoods along streets that begin to ease their way up into the hills. Homes tend to be larger and many have stunning bay views. The Queen Anne Victorians and turn-of-the-century homes that survived the 1923 fire are mixed in among brown shingles, Colonial revivals and Craftsman bungalows. The close proximity of homes to major shopping makes the Gourmet Ghetto a true walking neighborhood of the sort one might find in Paris or New York.

●       Thursday Farmers’ Market

●       Numerous houses of worship of many different denominations

●       Public transportation

●       Two public parks with tennis courts

Elementary and middle schools nearby