Chez Panisse, Berkeley

###The Press Box: Chez Panisse In 1971, Alice Waters opened Chez Panisse to showcase sustainably sourced, organic, and seasonal ingredients. No two visits have been the same here ever since. That’s because the chefs change the menu every night, with three to four courses served in the main restaurant and an alternative á la carte menu served upstairs in the café. Read on to see what else makes this place special: “Co-founder Alice Waters has done more to implant the words **’local,’ ‘seasonal,’ and ’sustainable’** in our brains than any other living soul.” — [Eater](http://gr.pn/1x2gP1j) “A daily set menu (cheaper on Mondays, pricier on weekends) features the best of local products like an asparagus and sweet pea salad with baked ricotta, black truffle and baccalà ravioli… and **the wine selection is top-notch.**” — [_Michelin Guide_](http://gr.pn/1xl00cr) “It is historic and ceremonial, from the walk through the **vine-entwined gate under the bunya-bunya tree** to the handsome French maître d' who greets you in the foyer. ” — [_San Jose Mercury News_](http://gr.pn/1BC9Hs7) “There's an **unsurpassed respect for ingredients** and a clarity of style that emerges no matter the menu or who is in the kitchen. I firmly believe that even after all these years, Chez Panisse deserves its four-star rating.” — [SFGate](http://gr.pn/1BCLkcu)