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Introduction
Who is César?
César is a character from a trilogy of films by Marcel Pagnol ' Marius, Fanny, and César ' that all take place in a quay side bar in Marseilles. César is the proprietor of the bar, dispensing aperitifs and his own brand of slightly skewed philosophy. Note that another central character in the trilogy is Panisse, who lent his name to our famous next door neighbor. Be sure and look for the photograph in César that depicts César and Panisse engaging in one of their favorite pastimes, playing cards with their cronies.
What is César?
César presents a unique combination of Spanish food, a French name, American restaurateurs, and a global, award-winning selection of wines and spirits. Founded in 1998 by three Chez Panisse alumni ' Richard Mazzera, Dennis Lapuyade, and Stephen Singer ' César is essentially a Mediterranean-style bar/restaurant that serves a delicious and diverse selection of Spanish tapas, or small plates. Our original location on Shattuck Avenue sits in the heart of what has affectionately become known as the 'Gourmet Ghettoâ? in North Berkeley, right next door to Chez Panisse, the restaurant generally recognized as the genesis of what has come to be known as California cuisine.
César combines its freshly made tapas with a large and thoughtful selection of fine wines, beers and spirits. We also serve a wide range of cocktails made by our expert bartenders, as well as wines-by-the-glass and sample 'flightsâ? from our list of spirits, sherries and other aperitifs, and dessert wines. César has been included in the San Francisco Chronicle's 'Best 100 Restaurants of the Bay Areaâ? every year since we opened, in addition to garnering a list of international awards and recognition.
César features the kind of sleek, modern, but unpretentious architecture one would find in a tapas bar in Barcelona, juxtaposed with a large, rustic wood communal table made from recycled planks that sits in the middle of the dining room.
Our tapas menu is culled from the vast repertoire of classic Spanish recipes, made with a combination of authentic Spanish ingredients and the bounty of the San Francisco Bay Area, often revised and re-imagined by Chef Maggie Pond, her sous chefs Mil Apostol and Germain Andrade, and her kitchen crew. Maggie has traveled throughout Spain and continues to go back each year to scour the markets for new ingredients, and to eat and cook in the finest tapas bars in Barcelona, Madrid, and San Sebastián. She brings back recipes from all over Spain, transforming some into our signature dishes, while others inspire some of her own creations.
In 2003, Maggie, along with veteran food writer (and César bartender/host) James Mellgren, published César: Recipes From a Tapas Bar (Ten Speed Press), a compilation of recipes for our cocktails and Maggie's tapas, as well as detailed information on sherry, Spanish wines, and the history of César. Autographed copies of César are always available at the bar.
César Latino
Finally, after eight years, we found the perfect spot for another César Latino on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland. We are following the course of history by exploring beyond the borders of Spain and the Mediterranean to the new worlds of Latin America.
Executive Chef Maggie Pond has created a wonderful new Latin American menu for César on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland that celebrates the amazing cuisine from various regions in South and Central America. It is often said that while some things change others remain the same. To that point, César in Berkeley will continue to provide some of the best authentic Spanish food outside of Spain, as we have since opening twelve years ago.
Praise for César
'Just a stone's throw from the legendary Chez Panisse, Cesar makes its own mark with a small but well-rounded tapas menu and exhaustive spirits list.â?
-Lonely Planet
'One of the greatest bars in the world in terms of quality, selection and mixology.â?
'It's that passionate attention to detail and respect for authenticity that sets Cesar apart.â?
'The café's most mellow time is in late afternoon, before the evening crush. All the handcrafted details of the interior are best admired then-the communal table, the wall of sea green and blue tiles that curve like a wave, the beauty of the long tiled bar.â?
Gourmet Magazine 3/99
'No one cares if all you want is an espresso or a glass of sherry. Cesar is what few cafes are, a gathering place for everyone.â?
Gourmet Magazine 3/99
'One of the only grown-up bars and places to get food after 9pm in Berkeley,â?¦this fun, fun, fun 'authentic Spanishâ? spot in the 'gourmet ghettoâ? is packed..â?
Zagat Survey 2003
César is a character from a trilogy of films by Marcel Pagnol ' Marius, Fanny, and César ' that all take place in a quay side bar in Marseilles. César is the proprietor of the bar, dispensing aperitifs and his own brand of slightly skewed philosophy. Note that another central character in the trilogy is Panisse, who lent his name to our famous next door neighbor. Be sure and look for the photograph in César that depicts César and Panisse engaging in one of their favorite pastimes, playing cards with their cronies.
What is César?
César presents a unique combination of Spanish food, a French name, American restaurateurs, and a global, award-winning selection of wines and spirits. Founded in 1998 by three Chez Panisse alumni ' Richard Mazzera, Dennis Lapuyade, and Stephen Singer ' César is essentially a Mediterranean-style bar/restaurant that serves a delicious and diverse selection of Spanish tapas, or small plates. Our original location on Shattuck Avenue sits in the heart of what has affectionately become known as the 'Gourmet Ghettoâ? in North Berkeley, right next door to Chez Panisse, the restaurant generally recognized as the genesis of what has come to be known as California cuisine.
César combines its freshly made tapas with a large and thoughtful selection of fine wines, beers and spirits. We also serve a wide range of cocktails made by our expert bartenders, as well as wines-by-the-glass and sample 'flightsâ? from our list of spirits, sherries and other aperitifs, and dessert wines. César has been included in the San Francisco Chronicle's 'Best 100 Restaurants of the Bay Areaâ? every year since we opened, in addition to garnering a list of international awards and recognition.
César features the kind of sleek, modern, but unpretentious architecture one would find in a tapas bar in Barcelona, juxtaposed with a large, rustic wood communal table made from recycled planks that sits in the middle of the dining room.
Our tapas menu is culled from the vast repertoire of classic Spanish recipes, made with a combination of authentic Spanish ingredients and the bounty of the San Francisco Bay Area, often revised and re-imagined by Chef Maggie Pond, her sous chefs Mil Apostol and Germain Andrade, and her kitchen crew. Maggie has traveled throughout Spain and continues to go back each year to scour the markets for new ingredients, and to eat and cook in the finest tapas bars in Barcelona, Madrid, and San Sebastián. She brings back recipes from all over Spain, transforming some into our signature dishes, while others inspire some of her own creations.
In 2003, Maggie, along with veteran food writer (and César bartender/host) James Mellgren, published César: Recipes From a Tapas Bar (Ten Speed Press), a compilation of recipes for our cocktails and Maggie's tapas, as well as detailed information on sherry, Spanish wines, and the history of César. Autographed copies of César are always available at the bar.
César Latino
Finally, after eight years, we found the perfect spot for another César Latino on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland. We are following the course of history by exploring beyond the borders of Spain and the Mediterranean to the new worlds of Latin America.
Executive Chef Maggie Pond has created a wonderful new Latin American menu for César on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland that celebrates the amazing cuisine from various regions in South and Central America. It is often said that while some things change others remain the same. To that point, César in Berkeley will continue to provide some of the best authentic Spanish food outside of Spain, as we have since opening twelve years ago.
Praise for César
'Just a stone's throw from the legendary Chez Panisse, Cesar makes its own mark with a small but well-rounded tapas menu and exhaustive spirits list.â?
-Lonely Planet
'One of the greatest bars in the world in terms of quality, selection and mixology.â?
'It's that passionate attention to detail and respect for authenticity that sets Cesar apart.â?
'The café's most mellow time is in late afternoon, before the evening crush. All the handcrafted details of the interior are best admired then-the communal table, the wall of sea green and blue tiles that curve like a wave, the beauty of the long tiled bar.â?
Gourmet Magazine 3/99
'No one cares if all you want is an espresso or a glass of sherry. Cesar is what few cafes are, a gathering place for everyone.â?
Gourmet Magazine 3/99
'One of the only grown-up bars and places to get food after 9pm in Berkeley,â?¦this fun, fun, fun 'authentic Spanishâ? spot in the 'gourmet ghettoâ? is packed..â?
Zagat Survey 2003
Contact Info
Address:
1515 shattuck ave
Berkeley
California 94709
United States
Berkeley
California 94709
United States
Tel:
510.883.0222
Website:
http://www.barcesar.com/
Offering
- Spanish Style Restaurant
Hours of operation
| From | To | From | To | From | To | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Open | noon | 23:00 | ||||
| Tuesday | Open | noon | 23:00 | ||||
| Wednesday | Open | noon | 23:00 | ||||
| Thursday | Open | noon | 23:00 | ||||
| Friday | Open | noon | 24:00 | ||||
| Saturday | Open | noon | 24:00 | ||||
| Sunday | Open | ||||||
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