A la Carte: Berkeley’s Gather, Orinda’s Republic of Cake
It’s not as if Berkeley didn’t have enough restaurants already, but that embarrassment of riches just got more blush-worthy with the opening of Gather this week.
Executive chef Sean Baker, who hails from San Francisco’s Millennium, is putting the emphasis on seasonal, farm-fresh food for vegetarians and omnivores alike. There’s a takeout cafe and patio, too, and a full bar that serves organic cocktails and biodynamic wines. Open daily for dinner (entrees are in the $12-$19 range) and, beginning next month, lunch. Breakfast service is slated to follow in February. Gather is in the oh-so-green David Brower Center, just steps from the UC Berkeley campus at 2200 Oxford St. at Allston; 510-809-0400; www.gatherrestaurant.com.