Chez Panisse is a Berkeley institution. Just across the Bay Bridge from SF (itself a beautiful and highly underrated bridge with great views of the SF Financial District, always coming in second place to the Golden Gate Bridge!) is Berkeley, probably the most liberal of places in the US. Home to Berkeley University (where I spent 2 happy years as a student) and numerous incredible restaurants, my pick of which is definitely Chez Panisse in the Gourmet Ghetto district.

Alice Waters, creator of "California Cuisine" (all natural, organic, local, fresh, seasonal ingredients), founded this restaurant in 1971, and it is still serving up some of the best, freshest food in the whole of the Bay Area. It is not cheap, but not outrageously expensive either, and worth splashing out on.

They have two sections in the restaurant - the a la carte cafe upstairs, slightly cheaper, where you can choose between courses, and the restaurant downstairs, which serves a set menu every night. The wine list is also impressive, and it is worth asking the waiters to pair your meal with some excellent local Napa and Sonoma Valley wines, as they are extremely knowledgeable and will no doubt recommend the perfect wine to go with your meal. I have eaten in both the a la carte section and the restaurant downstairs, and both times felt I had eaten the best meal of my life!

Reservations should be made, as it is a popular place.

1517 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley (nearest BART station is Downtown Berkeley;
Café reservations: (510) 548 5049; Restaurant reservations: (510) 548-5525;
www.chezpanisse.com

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A beautiful winery, off the beaten track in Sonoma Valley, which is a short (2-3 hour) drive from San Francisco. The reason I choose this winery over all the others is that they are the only winery that I know of that pairs hors d'oeuvres with each wine you taste. The taste of the food really brings out the flavours of the wines, making for an enhanced wine-tasting experience. The winery is also near the gorgeous Alexander Valley, famous for its Zinfandels and its stunning scenery, much more rustic and picturesque than commercial Napa Valley.

I suggest either hiring a car in SF and spending a day driving around the area, or booking yourself onto a wine-tasting tour/limousine, obviously allowing you to sample more of the region's produce.

www.jwine.com

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