Chez Panisse, the seminal Bay Area farm-to-table restaurant, has long been a touchstone for American dining. Now, owner Alice Waters has opened Bar Panisse next door, offering a more casual, yet equally thoughtful, culinary experience.

Bar Panisse features a menu of small plates and pizzas, drawing inspiration from the Mediterranean. Dishes like the cicchetti (Venetian tapas) and hearth-baked pizzas showcase the same commitment to seasonal, high-quality ingredients that defined Chez Panisse. The atmosphere is lively and convivial, a departure from the more formal dining room of its predecessor.

Chez Panisse, founded in 1971, remains a destination for its fixed-price, prix-fixe menu that celebrates the bounty of California. The new Bar Panisse, however, provides a more accessible entry point into Waters' culinary philosophy. Both establishments, located in Berkeley, California, continue to influence and inspire chefs and diners alike, reinforcing the enduring power of simple, well-executed food.