Best Restaurants for Creative Cuisine in El Cerrito

Who knew vegan food could taste this good?! As a relative newcomer to the vegan world, I was pleasantly surprised at the quality and tastiness of the food here. As appetizers, we had a red lentil soup and a breaded (but not fried) mushroom dish that reminded us of fried calamari. We had a mushroom main course and the Alfredo pasta, both of which were excellent, as were the Brussels sprouts (which used a tempeh sausage in lieu of the usual overly heavy bacon). The desserts too were better than expected, especially the chocolate pie. The service was friendly and attentive without being cloying. We had a reservation for the dining room, but they suggested we take patio seating instead. That proved to be a good recommendation. It was much quieter out there, and the heaters and available blankets offset a bit of chilliness. The dining room meanwhile, was pretty noisy. The meal was a bit pricey but definitely worth it for a special occasion. We will return.

Fantastic —This is one of the three best restaurants in Bay area as far as I am concerned..( The other two being Californios in SF and The French Laundry in Yountville )..food is fantastic and the service is to equal to it…

Every course was perfection. Oyster Shooters! Mussels steamed in Pernod cream with sausage meatballs! Fettuccini with clams ! Music and ambiance are 🔥