Restaurants in Berkeley

After years of dreaming about owning their own restaurant, Marcel Banks and his uncle Gregory Banks finally opened the doors at Frisco Fried in 2010. Within months, SF Weekly declared that "the Bayview soul-food restaurant felt like the kind of place that defines a neighborhood," nodding to the Giants-inspired black-and-orange décor, the finger-licking fare, and the framed Webster's definitions of "neighborhood" at each table. The menu's fried chicken, seafood entrees, and Southern-style sides seem deceptively simple, but in reality, chefs pride themselves on innovative seasonings and impeccable pairings, such as the caramelized garlic butter and garlic noodles that accompany the crab. When not paying homage to soul-food staples including chicken and waffles, Frisco Fried's culinary architects reveal a flair for invention with their hybridized and hunger-busting burger dogs.

Homestyle Latino cooking and bright California flavors find common ground on Chef Enrique Urrutia's menu of shareable and artfully arranged small plates. Ceviches add unusual ingredients such as corn nuts, pickled onions, and far-west fungi to tangy blends of prawns, tuna, and veggies. Fontina cheese spills from crispy, flaky empanadas at the first bite, and universally beloved rotisserie chicken takes on Latin accents of roasted poblanos and cilantro rice. Brick walls and dark wood line a simple dining room, while the catering arm of La Fusion adds culinary conviviality to occasions ranging from birthday parties and wedding receptions to corporate lunches and parent-teacher conferences.

Weekly samba performances complement authentic Brazilian fare at Canto Do Brasil Restaurant, one of San Francisco's longest-standing Brazilian restaurants and subject of a Check, Please! feature. To commence meals, chefs can sauté black mussels with red wine and garlic or grill up a sausage that intimidates foot-long hot dogs with its 16-inch length and muscular entourage of bread. For the main dish, forks can tap dance over the galinha na cerveja, a half chicken marinated in dark beer and Brazilian-style spices; or hide away inside the seafood tropical’s pineapple shell, in which a sauce made with orange, apple, and coconut festoons a medley of seafood. Finally, a selection of Brazilian and Portuguese beers or the signature caipirinha’s mix of sugar, lime, and rum's bad-boy cousin cachaça can wash down meals with authentic South American flavors.

Patrons can pluck their daily serving of fruit from piled-high headdresses on Friday and Saturday nights, when Canto Do Brasil hosts live samba performances. Dancers decked out in feathered plumes and sparkly costumes shimmy and shake their way between rustic wooden chairs and bright blue walls, entertaining customers and competing to see whose headdress can attract the most parrots.

The chefs of San Buena Taco Truck grill asada and carnitas inside roaming kitchens, delighting taste buds across the city with four trucks and a bustling catering department. Each truck totes a station for dousing spicy tacos, quesadillas, and burritos with salsa verde and guacamole, and stocks a refrigerator with beverages from south of the border, including tamarindo and Mexican Coca-Cola. Caterers travel to special occasions, such as weddings and discoveries of lost remotes, dishing fare en masse. They count Whole Foods Market, Lucasfilm, and Genentech among their satisfied, sated clientele.

Local artwork, bright pink and teal hues, and incredibly intricate architectural accents welcome guests to the Red Victorian. For more than a century, the historic bed-and-breakfast has offered travelers a home away from home with an inviting café and 18 themed rooms including the Japanese Tea Garden room and the Summer of Love room decorated with authentic '60s posters, a lava lamp, and a tie-dye canopy. At the Peaceful World Café, guests can enjoy vegan, vegetarian, and organic fare such as warm pastries, elaborate sandwiches, and robust coffee drinks. In addition, the café hosts regular events including musical performances, and snack seminars led by 6-foot scones.

The patty-flipping artisans at Burger House, a casual eatery in Union Square, crown half-pound burgers with traditional and gourmet ingredients. The Cable Car burger, Burger House's most popular menu item, charges into mouths bearing thousand island dressing, melted swiss cheese, two pieces of bacon, and slices of avocado. Classic burger pairings include generous helpings of fries, colossal onion rings, and lonely takeout boxes.