Encuentro is as inclined as any other eatery to fetishize all things organic and sustanible but also puts a premium on haute cuisine. the menue includes stuffed prunes, brushettas, red quinoa, and other delecasies, all nicely garnished and reasonably priced. Not to mention that the decor featers eco-friendly and scavaged materials.
Housed in a mellow, spic-and-span space, Cafe Yesterday is Berkeley's most comprehensive cereal bar, though its well-rounded menu also includes salads, sandwiches, house-baked pastries, and fair-trade coffee.
The mantra is simple food done very well. Nearly everything, from the dressings to the desserts and the soups to the sauces, is made in-house. Café Aquarius serves locally roasted shade grown coffee as well as beer and wine. Come for breakfast, lunch, weekend brunch, or just for a cup of joe. If you fancy a cup of tea, the selection is top-notch.
The latest addition to Oakland's blossoming nightlife scene has set up shop in a turquoise-tiled Art Deco building at 14th and Webster streets. Disco Volante, set to open in late October, is a bar, music venue, and restaurant run by a trio of Oakland arts and entertainment vets, with chef Douglas Bernstein of Bacar, Eccolo, and Farallon fame serving up local and seasonal California cuisine. Musical offerings will range from bluegrass to Afrobeat, with shows at least three nights a week.