Cesar

Description:

• With an open patio facing the street, a long bar inside and tiled mosaic-like walls, Cesar is easily the hippest hangout in Berkeley. And the location--right next to Chez Panisse, in the heart of Berkeley's gourmet ghetto--doesn't hurt, either. In an era when everything from wontons to polenta fries are tossed on small plates and called tapas, the classic Spanish offerings here are refreshingly pure. Cesar is essentially, at its core, a Mediterranean café that serves Spanish food. Established by a handful of Chez Panisse alums, the bar is a fun and colorful tapestry of various approaches to dining. The wine list changes weekly and the spirits list has won numerous international awards several years in a row. Cesar is a small, lively bar situated in the heart of the gourmet ghetto, the food haven of the east bay. It shares a wall with the restaurant that is recognized as the birthplace for California cuisine some thirty years ago, Chez Panisse. At Cesar you can stop by for a snack, an afternoon espresso at the bar or a full dinner with friends. The rustic, unpretentious food grounds the swanky, sexy bar scene. Finally Berkeleyans that like to dress up and go out have a place to see and be seen.