Gourmet Ghetto / North Campus

Conveniently located half a mile north of UC Berkeley, near two BART stations and a short hop from downtown, "North Campus" is popular with professors and students who attend the science and engineering schools and the seminaries of "Holy Hill."

It's also populated with those who dine regularly at the innovative eateries of the "Gourmet Ghetto." In the wake of the 1950s -- with its TV dinners and Jello molds -- an idea was born: What if we celebrated food by using the best local ingredients we can find? From this sprung a food revolution -- in 1971 Chez Panisse opened and the original Gourmet Ghetto of Berkeley was born.

The area runs down Shattuck Avenue, bordered by Rose Street to the north and Hearst to the south. Trees line the streets of North Campus/Gourmet Ghetto real estate, encouraging you to linger and take in all there is to see of one of the Bay Area's finest neighborhoods.

An amusement park for your palate, the Gourmet Ghetto offers the best of the best. If you have ever been even remotely curious about cheese visit the Cheese Board Collective (and don't forget to pick up a Cheese Board pizza while you're at it). If you're hungry for philosophy grab a cappuccino and some conversation at the French Hotel Cafe, and absolutely find a reason to treat yourself to some of the marvelous takeout bistro offerings at Gregoire.

But, lest you assume this area is entirely consumed with filling its belly, the vibrant Shattuck Avenue is filled with a fabulous Art & Crafts Cooperative, wine tastings, art exhibits, a sidewalk music series and festivals every summer and fall. It is also home to the original Peet's Coffee and the Berkeley Art Center.

This is a place defined by the notion that eating is not merely about survival. It is a fete of life.