The Best of Berkeley is the Daily Californian’s annual reader-voted contest to find the best people, places, and businesses in Berkeley.

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Restaurants

Best Overall Restaurant: Chez Panisse

Louis Peitzman

Chez Panisse is a lot like having sex. No, really.

You hear everyone else talk about it, and you seethe with jealousy, longing for the day when you can finally join their ranks. Sometimes you even lie—you say, “Sure, I’ve been. Lots of times.” I mean, you’ve seen it. That’s like the same thing, right?

And then the glorious moment arrives. Everyone remembers their first time, and yours will be no different. You order the baked Andante Dairy goat cheese with garden lettuces; the Liberty Farm duck leg confit roasted in the wood oven with cardoon and frisee salad and lentils; and, for dessert, the rhubarb tart with ginger ice cream.

Oh, sweet, unimagined bliss! You knew it was going to be good, but no one ever told you it was going to be this good. And that’s only the upstairs. Downstairs—well, that’s a whole nother story.

Editors' Pick: Chez Panisse
Honorable Mention: Gypsy's

Best Bang for Your Buck: Cheese 'N' Stuff

Stefanie Lee

Cheese ‘N’ Stuff is not just the best deli in Berkeley. It’s kind of a way of life. Think about it: if all citizens of Berkeley modeled their mindsets after Cheese ‘N’ Stuff (i.e. efficient, affordable, and amiable), there would be no “I Secretly Want to Punch Slow-Walking People in the Back of the Head” Facebook group. Papers would get done the night before. Students would not run out of meal points before finals. The world (or Berkeley at the very least) would be a better place. Indeed, a very happy place exists within the confines of the tiny deli, located in the Durant-Channing alleyway next to the parking structure. Beloved owner Sam always greets his snaking line of customers with comical quips. And after less than a five-minute wait, those same people leave with a smile and a sandwich, knowing that they got the best deal in town.

Editors' Pick: Cheese 'N' Stuff
Honorable Mention: Smart Alec's
Also Won For: Best Deli

Best Service: Brazil Cafe

Ian Ferguson

There’s a roughly twenty foot by twenty foot tract of Brazilian territory in the United States—on University Ave, actually, just east of Shattuck. Our foreign policy would do well to take its cues from this occupation. Rather than drop bombs, ambassador Pedro Robin polices the borders in linen shorts and rubber sandals, handing samples of tri-tip to those waiting to order. Café Brazil’s string lights, metal patio chairs, and astro-turf flooring (to say nothing of their food) colonize the broken blacktop of downtown Berkeley in the name of Brazil.

The obvious pride with which Pedro maintains the café radiates in everything from his first hello to the meal he brings to your table. One warm evening, my tri-tip just devoured, I sat listening to a Brazilian guitarist render Jimi Hendrix into Portuguese. For the duration of that meal, the B in UCB stood not for Berkeley, but for Brazil.

Editors' Pick: Brazil Cafe
Honorable Mention: Chez Panisse

Best Chinese: Great China

Editors' Pick: Shen Hua
Honorable Mention: Lotus House

Best Indian: House of Curries

Angela Xu

Tucked inside the Beau Sky Hotel on Bancroft, House of Curries has practically nothing—no neon lights, no banners celebrating the triumph of Indian cuisine that it represents—to give away its presence within the hotel’s white facade. The total lack of advertising, coupled with the crowded tables inside, provides solid testament to the restaurant’s success. On my first visit, I was instantly seduced by the creamy chicken tikka masala and the savory garlic naan. If you want your taste buds to tingle, try the spicy gobhi ghosht (a lamb dish that, like everything else, is by no means as inaccessible as its name might suggest). Help yourself to the complimentary chai and grab a table by the huge window in the front, which creates the helpful illusion that you have more space than there actually is—always useful in a cozily-sized restaurant that often has more business than it can comfortably accommodate.

Editors' Pick: Naan 'N' Curry
Honorable Mention: Naan 'N' Curry

Best Italian: Gypsy's

Gazelle Emami

 Sometimes, you just get the urge to dig into a heaping bowl of pasta and hear that satisfyingly squishy sound that pasta makes when its doused in sauce. Or maybe you prefer to cut into a calzone, watch the heat rush out and let the aroma fill your lungs. It would be nice to enjoy all the comforting, tactile qualities of Italian food without having to fork over a week's paycheck.  Unfortunately, finding good Italian food on a student budget isn't easy. Except, that is, for that one little Trattoria tucked away in the Asian Ghetto. As far as Italian food for the masses goes, Gypsy's is where it's at. Not only are the portions bigger than your face, but the prices won't give you an aneurysm either. And with an such extensive menu of squishy, flavorful options, the lack of affordable Italian food around these parts doesn't really seem like such a problem-- you need go no farther than Gypsy's.

Editors' Pick: Trattoria la Siciliana
Honorable Mention: Trattoria la Siciliana

Best Korean: Steve's Korean BBQ

Editors' Pick: Berkel Berkel
Honorable Mention: Berkel Berkel

Best Mediterranean: La Mediterranee

Hannah Jewell

Commenting on the deliciousness of Mediterranean food is a risky business. There’s always the fear that a rogue character from “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” is going to appear out of the bushes, tell you the food is cooked all wrong and spray you with Windex. Or something like that.

Editors' Pick: La Mediterranee
Honorable Mention: Sunrise Deli

Best Mexican: La Burrita

Brendan Liverman

The one thing that every good Cal student knows about late night dining is that when the craving for Mexican hits and the wallet is light, there is only one right answer: La Burrita.  And yet, to pass it off as a simple after-hours dive would be uneducated. This deceptively small joint has a wealth of choices that far surpasses your typical counter-served Mexican fare, and if you take the time to acquaint yourself with the menu you will be duly rewarded. Burritos come grilled, wrapped or wet with multiple varieties of tortillas, and that doesn’t even take into account the delectable enchiladas, tacos and other options. Even vegetarians will walk away satisfied after sampling the tamales. Regardless of your selection, don’t make the mistake of passing over the salsa bar. Despite their unassuming appearance, those deep red bowls hold the key to adding instant freshness and flavor to any meal.

Editors' Pick: La Burrita
Honorable Mention: Chipotle

Best Thai: Thai Basil

Hannah Jewell

I recently took my father to dinner at Thai Basil. He was not pleased with the crowd, the noise or the hot tea served in a clear plastic cup.

But you know what? Thai Basil is not for fat, English, bald old men. (Sorry, Dad. And thanks for paying.) Thai Basil is for the fast, the young and the hip. It’s for go-getters who want their green curry and want it quick. It’s massive portions, cheap prices and priceless deliciousness.

So move aside, Prince Charles. Go have a lovely sit-down geriatric experience over at Thai House before you get knocked down and spill your hot tea. Don’t worry, it won’t burn you; you already complained it wasn’t hot enough.

Berkeley students: skip the formalities of waiters and waiting. Thai Basil is the next best thing to intravenous injection of peanut sauce, curry, chicken, coconut and nam pla. Straight to the brain, where we need our nam pla the most.

Editors' Pick: Tuk Tuk Thai
Honorable Mention: Berkeley Thai House

Best Vietnamese: Le Petit Cheval

Editors' Pick: Le Petit Cheval
Honorable Mention: Vietnam Village