gregarious, playful lilt to
dead-serious in a second –
it’s clear that a declaration
of ‘real food’ is her highest
praise. It’s reserved
for a select handful of
students who have passed
through the kitchen of
her restaurant and other
like-minded chefs in
what she calls ‘the cause.’
Asked about menus she
admires, her response is
uncomplicated: ‘It’s about
seasonality, no question,’
she says. ‘And obviously
locality. I’m looking for
people who are using
organic produce and
meat. So I want grass-
fed beef. I want organic
vegetables. I want organic
breads. I want people who
care about farmers and
ranchers. I’m looking,’ and
she pauses just a beat, ‘for
the purists.’
54 p77
The Drive » From the Mission
District it is a straight shot over
the Bay Bridge and into Berkeley
via I-80.
7 Berkeley
San Francisco might
host a handful of banner
dining rooms, but the
heart of Waters’ food
revolution is across
the Bay, in Berkeley.
Start at the Berkeley
farmers market (Center
St; h10am-3pm Sat), run
by the Ecology Center
since 1987. Alice Waters
herself may be here,
in her element and in
raptures. ‘You have to
try Prima Vera’s organic
tortillas,’ she urges, ‘and
Annabelle’s stand [La
Tercera] has wonderful
Italian greens. Oh,
that puntarella...’ On
the western end of the
so-called ‘Gourmet
Ghetto’ – a neighborhood
that married the
revolutionary ’60s ideals
of Berkeley with a haute
dining sensibility – follow
the scent of cinnamon
bread to the Acme Bread
Company (%510-524-1327;
1601 San Pablo; h8am-6pm
Mon-Sat, 8:30am-3pm Sun),
where Chez Panisse alum
Steve Sullivan sparkedwhat local foodies call
the ‘San Francisco bread
revolution.’ The crown
jewel of the Gourmet
Ghetto, and appropriate
final stop, is Chez
Panisse (%restaurant
510-548-5525, cafe 510-548-
5049; http://www.chezpanisse.com;
1517 Shattuck Ave; restaurant
meals $65-100, cafe mains
$18-29; hrestaurant dinner
Mon-Sat, cafe lunch & dinner
Mon-Sat). It’s casual and
unpretentious, and every
mind-altering, soul-
sanctifying bite of the
food served in the dining
room downstairs and the
slightly less formal cafe
upstairs is emblematic of
Waters’ principles. The
kitchen is even open so
diners can peek behind
the scenes (ask nicely
at the end of the night
and you might even get
a tour). Reserve weeks
ahead.54 p77
TRIP HIGHLIGHTPANISSE PROTÉGÉS
‘When you operate a restaurant for 37 years, a whole lot of people come through
the kitchen,’ Waters says. Of her alumni in San Francisco, try Michael Tusk, who
offers shrewd Italian-French fusions at Quince, or Gayle Pirie, who operates Foreign
Cinema, a gourmet movie house in the Mission District. More casual eateries are
across the bay, where Charlie Hallowell offers immaculate wood-fired pizzas at a
pair of Oakland restaurants: Pizzaiolo and Boot & Shoe Service. You can tuck into
earthy California cuisine at Camino or visit Alison Barakat, who serves what may be
the best chicken sandwich on earth at Bakesale Betty.
NORTHERN.CALIFORNIA.4
.ALICE WATERS’ CULINARY TOUR