Editor's note: Chez Panisse remains temporarily closed due to the pandemic.
Alice Waters is a culinary legend. When she opened Chez Panisse over 50 years ago, Waters revolutionized the idea of California cuisine as one of the first restaurateurs to popularize a farm-to-table approach. Needless to say, Chez Panisse should be on your Bay Area bucket list. From Tuesday to Saturday, it offers a pre-fixe dinner focused on seasonal and organic ingredients ($100–$125). For a more affordable choice, the upstairs cafe serves casual bites (like heirloom tomato salad and pizzetta) and a $35 menu-du-jour.