Gather is a nice comfortable place complete with excellent service and stylish cocktails. The staff is great; the bane of a hostess is a party of eight that shows up with only a reservation for four in hand. That was us, but the hostess and manager expertly handled the issue with great dexterity and excellent customer service. As we waited for our table we took the opportunity to look at the menu. But what a friend described as a tight menu, I felt was a little limiting. The faves: + Kale salad, carrot, grapefruit, charmoula tahini + Beef sausage pizza, potato, new onion, creme fraiche, horseradish, + Summer squash, basil, smoked olives, arugula pizza I especially loved the Summer squash pizza, it was bright and fresh, with great textures and a wonderful meld of flavors. Middle of the road; not bad, but not great either: + Fontinella, mozerella, tomato, sea salt, pancettta pizza + Pork terrine, Blenheim apricot, braised Santa Rosa plum, grilled Ruby Pearl nectarine, lard + Fried quail eggs, shell beans, braised lamb, cherry tomato confit, garum, queso blanco Enigma: + Vegan "charcuterie" was comprised as four tastings on a rectangle plate. - New crop onions, lobster mushroom, black romesco, June Flower bean, epazote - Aged squash, Opal basil, sunflower seeds, sprouts - Summer vegetables, ranch Berkeley mulberries, crispy white grits - Watermelon, strawberry, tomato, miso, Nepitella Look, I feel like I have food smarts and always consider what the chef was trying to achieve, but this dish I just didn't get. The pairing of vegan with charcuterie was more about falling in love with the play on words than it did a well executed dish. Pizzas aside, the food seemed fussy and a little pretentious. Overall Gather was okay, but it just didn't resonate with me. read more

The food is the redeeming quality of this spot, so if it's no bother for you to look beyond slow, hap-hazard, and awkward service then you'll be in good shape. It's fitting that the place is on the edge of the Berkley campus - you might also need some form of higher education to decipher the menu (ie, I'm not exactly sure how the food category "Ranch & Sea" fits in among Starters, Salads, and Entrees, and good luck with the gf vs. v vs. v* or gf*). I'll admit that all four of us were entering the hangry zone upon arrival, so after being seated we quickly perused drinks and apps with the intent to take the edge of as soon as possible. We ordered the sampler of pickled items (sounds fast, right?) only to have a decent amount of time go by (an eternity in hungry-diner land) before learning that our app order had been forgotten. So we inhaled the bread and olive oil that finally made its way to our table. Then, as we likely should have expected, we were bombarded with every ordered item all at once. There was nary an inch of space left on our table, and we sent the pickled tray off a bit prematurely to help address the issue. Our frustration with service didn't set a positive tone for the meal, but the food was good enough to start redeeming the experience - especially the Wild Mushroom item from "The Garden" category. A quick translation: it's a cross between a side and a salad, and it's easily sharable or would be enough for a personal light lunch meal. We thought we had really turned a corner with this place... then we got served someone else's desserts, never got our pizza leftovers, paid our fairly steep bill, and left with a sour taste. Welcome to Berkeley, I guess. read more

Stopped through Berkeley for a quick brunch. I hadn't visited the campus area since I graduated in 2004, so this was among the many newer nicer changes I noticed. This restaurant (along with the whole building) used to be a huge parking lot when I was in college. I heard from other diners that Gather just recently opened a little over a year ago. We ordered their fresh local lettuce salad with two eggs, a side of bacon, and their scramble with the chorizo. All the food tasted amazing. It's rare to find such a restaurant that offers decently-priced (at least for brunch) locally-sourced organic dishes! I don't know why people were complaining about the size of the salads...both my husband and I thought they were HUGE. This is coming from me, a big eater (I finish 2/3 lb burgers at The Counter). The eggs were probably the best eggs I've had at a restaurant, and they tasted and looked (deep yellow yolks) a lot like the pasture eggs I buy at home. I wouldn't be surprised if they actually were pasture eggs, but then that would be a pretty amazing thing for a restaurant to offer. The bacon was perfectly cooked to a crispy-yet-still-chewy -- and nice and thick slices! Scramble and the side of potatoes were out of this world as well. Service was a bit on the slow side, but still very friendly. The decor was so cute and "organic" looking. My husband even noticed that the seats were made from recycled leather belts haha -- how environmental =P The restaurant seems pretty roomy, and we noticed they also have patio space. When we went there as a nice mix between college students and a more mature/older crowd as well. I had an amazing meal and hope to be able to try their dinner menu sometime! read more

A farewell dinner to our fellow Berkelian friends who are leaving the country. What better to do than to "Gather!" and reminisce the good times while eating some amazing food. It's restaurants like this one that make this here Bay Area look good so darn good on the food map. Breakfast, lunch and dinner menus, all with unique mouth watering dishes: vegetarian, meatertarian, gluten free, veterinarian (who knows) they accommodate us all! You know the place is exquisite when you have to pop out the word exquisite, or look at words on the menu and go "oooh it has kishu mandarins? That's my cousin's name" or "ooh mother loving Yukon gold potatoes in my dish bro.. just like my ride" or "forget a freak tonight, I got me some freekeh citrus in my chicken bro." Yes plates range in prices from expensive to "hmm remember we're still in a recession." So if you're a hobo whose not just rocking the traditional Berkeley attire, this may not be your kinder meal. I had the Half chicken with the freeka-freeka freekeh citrus, and whatever other sorts of exquisite goodness to this entree that only stimulates that amygdala and heals all forms of psychological illnesses, such as Body Dysmophic Disorder and Dementia. Yes I am exaggerating, and I'm misinforming you with a bunch of clinical bull-shenanigans, but this was a damn good entree and I would highly recommend it! Little bit of tang to it, alittle bit of spice.. perfect. I came, I ate and said my last goodbyes to my mates. May not be in Berkeley for a while, but when I'm back in hobo's paradise, I'll be sure to cop me a pancho and more importantly eat at Gather. read more

Wow, the split pea soup. Everything could be mended by this vegetarian masterpiece. We need a place like Gather in DC right now. read more

I'll preface the review by saying that, though we had inexcusably bad service, the manager eventually noticed without our prompting and comped wine and part of the entrees. That said - our service was inexcusably bad. I have only once ever sent something back in a restaurant, and it was because of the hair in my food here. After that, it took our server close to an hour to bring out entrees; the couple next to us had finished dessert and paid by the time we finally got them. The food itself was just OK - don't see what the raves are about. The beet salad I had was good, but the guinea hen entree (special) was underwhelming. read more

Server: "Does your food taste ok?" We heard variations on this, throughout our meal. Unfortunately, "ok" about sums up our lunch experience at Gather. The components were beyond reproach, especially in the pizza crust, but the final presentation was seriously lacking in flavor composition and eye appeal. The roasted beet salad was nearly bereft of beets, and arrived mysteriously hooded by an overly large, rather bitter, pale green lettuce leaf. The soup, while flavorful, was a monotone pastel puree; it could have used a sage leaf as a proverbial fig leaf for cover. The tomato and cheese pizza presented another monotone pastel on a crust that was in need of more char. So, yes, everything tasted ok, and ditto Gather. We roamed down the street for the rest of our midday repast. read more

My credit card charge was mysteriously higher than what the receipt reflected. When I contacted Gather, there was no response. Suspicious. Stay away. read more

I've been here about 5 times now and it is one of my favorite restaurants. It's the only place I know where I can go to dinner with vegan friends and everyone will be happy (vegas, vegetarians, lactards, carnivores, etc.). They have something for everyone and their menu changes regularly. The pizzas are great and you can get an egg sunny-side-up in the middle. Also, the c-word (you'll see it in the review highlights) is tasty and is one of the best vegan things I've ever hard. Their vegan desserts are pretty good too. read more

Came here for brunch with friends. The food was okay; nothing was impressive, neither in taste nor innovation/creativity. I also had hoped that for $15 there would be more than one (1) strawberry on my french toast. The portion was sizable (two chunky pieces of bread) and the cream on top was a nice touch, but overall it felt dry and lacking. The espresso drinks were alright and had pretty foam art, but I would not come here for brunch again. read more

It was a third time at Gather and I'm amazed at how they manage to maintain the quality while keeping the menu constantly updated. I like how they have options for meat eaters and delicious vegetarian options as well. We had a table of 11 people so we could try just about everything on the menu. Everything was fantastic but here a few highlights. On the appetizers side the smoked mussels was a standout. Pizza wise, the kim chi pie was unique and to do for. I don't recall the name of the ice cream, but it was truly divine. I can't wait to hit Gather again. read more

I took my parents here tonight. Mom had the Pink Lady Apple Pizza special. It was beautiful! Dad had the burger and conversation stopped while he ate it (too good for words) I had the bean ragout and it was also really wonderful. The atmosphere was friendly and welcoming. What I thought was great was that the portion sizes weren't enormous. They were more towards what a NORMAL HUMAN should consume at a meal. Quantity does not equal quality. I'll be returning next time I'm in the bay. read more

Saturday, 7:30PM. Waiter: Eric. Bad time to try this venue. It was jam packed and I didn't think they'd be able to handle the six of us without reservations. Hostess was able to seat us, albeit on the counter. Turns out that it was the best seat in the house! At least for us, because we wanted a peak at the preparations. Quickie: +Great service: our waiter, Eric, made great recommendations and knew everything about the menu! +Clean, upscale decor: the setup was like an IKEA times ten. +Menu diversity: omnivore? Carnivore? Vegetarian? Vegan? There's something for everyone. +Fresh, fresh, fresh ingredients with sustainable practices (YAYEAH!) Final Call: The food was delicious. Gather exuded an upscale feel sans the bourgie-ness. Eric, our waiter, was particularly enthusiastic and happy to be working that evening. Why, was he so excited? Verbatim: "...when you know the food is prepared fresh, meticulously and with pride, it's hard not to serve it with a smile." Nicely done Gather, keep up the good work! ********** Stuffed my face in: 1. Vegan "charcuterie" +"Oysters in the half shell" was the best of the fab five but they were all pretty dang good 2. Local halibut +People who don't eat raw anything won't like this but to the more adventurous folks, this was firm meat that tasted like it came right out of the ocean 3. Young chicken under a brick +Juicy meat, fried onion was a nice addition 4. Heirloom bean ragout +WOW, flavorful bean soup thick enough for bread-dipping 5. Mushroom "cioppino" ++Even those averse to fungus would be shocked at the potent flavors of this savory broth - I can't believe this was freakin' vegan! 6. Sauteed greens +Kale and chard action with caramelized onion and cabernet vinegar 7. Fresh milled creamy polenta +Despite its namesake, this dish was light and lived up to polenta delissssshousnessss 8. Red velvet cake +Smooth cake outlined with white chocolate, very potent! 9. Chai creme brulee +Poached apple with some dark chocolate action - are you kidding me!? read more

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I've been wanting to try this place for awhile now and finally convinced two friends to go with me last night. My parents are always raving about it, and they raised me, so I figured I would probably like it too. Well, they were right! Here is what we had: Seared Squid Mushroom Bruschetta Baby Turnip Salad Charcuterie Plate Sausage Pizza Everything was amazing! I was full and I couldn't stop eating it was so good (one of my biggest problems). All the dishes were tasty and seasoned correctly. The charcuterie plate was probably my favorite, but the pizza and mushroom bruschetta were a close second. There was an egg on the pizza, which they do in France, and generally I find kind of weird, but on this pizza it was like delicious x delicous x delicious. (I liked it in case you can't tell). I would definitely come back so I can have dessert which we were too full to order. :) read more

I've head "Gather? Pretty good!" and "Gather? Meh." from my friends and family. After my visit, I lean more toward the pretty good side. That vegan charcuterie plate was freakin' amazing. I mean, that presentation takes a lot of thought, and it was tasty too (though I am an almost-vegetarian and have no issues with those sorts of things). I also thought the pizzas were fun. I recommend the cashew butter one if you don't mind a red sauce-less pizza that's sort of more like yummy bread with dip on it. Prices are high due to the high-quality of ingredients and probably popularity. I was there on a Monday night and it was pretty packed. If you're not into the whole expensive for top ingredients/produce, don't go here. I, thankfully, am NOT in that category. I'd go back for lunch. read more

After a 40 min wait our dishes finally arrived. We had the salmon and the burger. The salmon looked pretentious but it was overcooked and as you can see from the picture minuscule. At almost $30 I was expecting a king, coho or sockeye, but it was a cheap atlantic, probably farmed (the menu said wild). The burger was medium rare but pretty bland and the fries were a joke, as you can see from the pic. I've had better burger and fries at Five Guys. This place was a huge dissapointment, especially since it was listed on the 2014 Bib Gourmand Michelin guide. read more

Gather - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Completely over priced and under whelming. The decor is uninviting and over designed. The outdoor patio looked nice. The food was forgettable. Got the salmon, $28 for a piece of salmon and some chickpeas on the plate. The description and price alluded to the thought that I'd be full after the most expensive entree on the menu. Go for the pizza if you go at all. read more

I was looking for a different scene for dinner so I hopped on the BART and went over to Berkeley to see my buddy Martin. He mentioned that he and his wife had eaten a couple of time at Gather and both of them really seemed to like it. Since he is the type that usually NEVER recommends a restaurant I figured that this place must really be something. So we hoofed it over from the BART Station (very close by the way) so that I could try it out. At first glance at the menu I was a little disappointed as the nothing seemed at all interesting and I had a split-second desire to go somewhere else but I stuck it out. We ordered the Split-Pea Soup and Lamb Chop Starter Salad. The soup was amazing, especially with seemed to be a chile oil drizzle which gave it a kick. The salad was first rate EXCEPT what's the deal with the portion size. Don't get me wrong I understand that it was a starter but really? Would it have killed them to throw just a little more on the huge plate..or better yet make the plate smaller so I don't realize just how little I am getting. I digress. We also ordered the pancetta pizza. I thought the crust was right on target, not too thick and with a slightly buttery taste and a nice crispy finish. I would suggest putting just a pinch more sauce so that the toppings and crust don't overpower the fresh tomato taste of the sauce. Finally, I although the Bee Sting was very very very good, again I have to complain about the portion size. It is not that I want to get drunk after one drink but for the price point of the drink I would like to think that it would be gone in three sips. When the Waiter bought me the drink I actually thought that the glass was one of those small plastic picnic wine glasses. I would only recommend (strongly) that the owners try hard to get a little more of the middle of the spectrum between quality and quantity. read more

Me and my friend went into Gather today and ordered two brunch pizzas, they came out pretty fast and looked beautiful. Although, our egg on the pizza was extremely runny. When we asked a young man with fluffy hair to throw it into the oven a little while longer he was quite polite about it. When the pizzas came back the egg was perfectly how we wanted it and the pizzas were delicious. Everyone working there seemed very nice and welcoming and added to the pleasant atmosphere. Highly recommend! Will definitely be going back to this beautiful and delicious urban restaurant! read more

Okay food, very poor service, a loud and stressed-out atmosphere. While Gather makes an admirable attempt at fine-dining for vegetarians, it could use a more balanced menu (if you're going to offer a hamburger, at least offer a few other non-meat mains). Mixed quality: the squash ricotta starter was good, the tofu-skin pasta was pretty chewy and bad. We would have more to report on but the waiter *forgot an entire course.* That's right, skipped the soup and salad we ordered. The service at this place is very stressed out and hectic, the environment is loud, and the staff clearly is not well-trained. There are other East Bay options that are far better. read more

WOW. $20 for three measly pieces of lettuce, a few roasted peas, and fennel? PASS. A child-sized bowl of buttery mushroom soup for $26? PASS. I'm all for bourgeois gourmet food, but next time I pay that much for dinky pieces of lettuce, it better be damned good. Unfortunately, Gather, yours was not. Waiter was terrible. The bus boy was more responsive and helpful than the actual waiter. It wasn't even a busy night.. You are seriously better off ordering one of their pizzas. Or going somewhere else. Otherwise, you'll be ordering the whole menu. read more

SOmetimes sustainability and professionalism do not go hand in hand. I ate at Gather last night and found the two cozy in a corner, smiling through the veneer of a figs and shittake. I went there once before and thought it was good. Last night made me glad it was a local option. I will go back here instead of trying the litany of new underwhelming ghetto gougers.... Very Good food. Very good service. Thanks for that. read more

Avoid!!! GO ACROSS THE STREET TO EAST BAY SPICE CO! was so excited to come here. My friend and I walked in and immediately the vibe was super off and weird. The hostess was just confused it seemed? She didn't know where to seat us, and then looked around and said she could seat us elsewhere if we waited a few minutes? It was just a very strange introduction right at the beginning. We just wanted a drink + app, so we walked toward the bar area after the weird intro. The bartender said "hey welcome! Did the hostess tell you to sit in here?" We were so confused. The hostess came in a few minutes later and said, " if you want to sit in here.. it's going to be a while." And walked away, ??? And she wasn't lying. We sat for 10-15 minutes while the bartender danced, laughed to himself, and then said "sorry for the wait" but still NEVER ONCE tried to come over or ever asked for our order. We eventually got up and left... and as we did the bartender said "BYE LADIES HAVE A GREAT DAY" LOL. It was mind boggling. We got treated terribly from the minute we stepped into the place- it was absolutely TERRIBLE, and then to be sarcastic. We walked across the street to East Bay Spice Co and got served right away, not only with food + drinks but also kindness and actual service. read more

Congratulations on being one of 2018's top 15 farm to table restaurants in the world!!!! Voted by American Express Sooooo.... I've been wanting to come here for brunch for quite some time. The food looks divine, instead I came for dinner with a friend and chose to get the mindful meats burger that was ever so tasty. I'm actually craving another as I type this. It came with kennebec fries, that were hot and fresh. I had such a great time I kind of don't know where to start my review. Ok, Outside there's music playing with heating lamps in what appears to be a tropical oasis kind of setting smack dab in the middle of downtown Berkeley. The space is equip with comfortable lounge or patio style chairs. We decided to dine at the bar because we weren't planning on being long or having multiple courses. The bar tenders were so helpful and attentative (we did sit before the dinner rush). I ordered the deviled eggs which were DELICIOUS and plated beautifully. 2 whole eggs cut in half and filled with mousse topped with fried capers and olive oil and I'm guessing shaved cured egg yolk? Almost ordered a second round but we all know eggs aren't the best smelling after being digested. I opted for a shot of the well vodka to get going followed by the Golden Ale that they have on tap which was pretty decent. I'm not too fluent on beer terminology so I can't describe it per se but it wasn't heavy and it had a smooth finish. Shared some good laughs with the lovely bartenders as my friend seemed to be trying to hit on them both (eye roll emoji). The space was nice and bright from the natural sunlight, there were vines hanging from the ceiling, an assortment of pickled things on display and even facts about the furniture through out the space. They really repurpose a lot of things here, the bench along side the windows is a combination of a few hundred belts sewn together, the bar counter top is repurposed, the tables are old wine barrels. The hanging light fixtures are repurposed, the glass that they serve water out of are recycled milk containers. I will be returning to venture out onto the menu a bit more maybe bring a date. The restaurant was clean, people seemed to be happy, it was really elegant. Some of the food is prepared in front of the customers so watching the chefs make the dishes gives it a little open kitchen kind of feel. I was pleased with the time it took to get my food, and pleased with the service. Like I stated before I want to try brunch here..... CAN'T WAIT!!! read more

THEE BEST SERVICE YOU CAN RECEIVE ON A JAM PACKED SATURDAY NIGHT EVER!! Seriously, I walked in with my cousins to find out the wait would be about an hour (of course we called and tried to make a reservation, but they were booked) but we said no problem lets wait. As we sat and had small talk both the host and hostess walked over to us and said they could seat us at a table near the bar area (it had only been about 15 mins) the only down side was it was close to a door. Again not a problem for us ladies, give us a couple drinks and we will be warm, LoL. So sure enough we get our lovely table and wanted to order everything. But instead settled for a nice glass of wine and a couple ginger sodas that were all so so yum. As for the food, we had a pizza and and a nice salad, both were so so so so good, not even good, they were superb. You can taste the freshness of all the ingrediants, and come to find out they actually buy some of their veggies right down the street at the Berkeley Farmers Market. This place has fantastic service and is well worth a visit if you have never been. Great date night spot or even girls night. :D read more

Plus: Patio! Greenery hanging from the ceiling. Option of still or sparkling. House-made sodas. Locally sourced, super seasonal. Brunch cocktails. I'm a sucker for places that dish it up before noon. The Update: Service was on the ball this go 'round. Lemon-lime soda was refreshing and not overly sweet or tart. Burger was solid throughout. Fries were improved, but no longer curly. Not sure the chutney works, but the effort is appreciated. Cherry gazpacho (umeboshi plum, shiso, olive oil) - Impressive. Mature, balanced flavor combination and a gorgeous dish overall. Egg, chard and corn scramble. Solid portion, lacked zing. Potato wedges beneath lacked character. Verdict: Fresh, locally sourced approach is good enough to lure me in, but will not be enough to keep me coming back. $12 for the gazpacho seemed outright offensive. Upon seeing and tasting it, I took that thought back, but you have to make that decision to order a twelve dollar bowl of gazpacho first and it's a tough call. Menu options for vegan, vegetarian and/or gluten-free folks makes ordering easy. Brunch dishes are filling, but leave something to be desired. Understanding the whole local/sustainable sourcing, I get what drives some of the cost, but $5 for a side of potatoes and some other menu items seemed outrageous to me. *shrug* *Note* Online menu is CLOSE, but not exactly what they're serving. Additionally, expect the costs to be a smidge higher than the online menu as well. read more

Gather is an interesting place. I love how they have daily menus that change every season, giving a fresh look on the season's produce and what one can cook with them. I shared a Vegan Charcuterie and a black truffle pizza with a friend, and I applaud the flavors presented on the Charcuterie, as well as the taste of the pizza. The pricing can be a bit high, but is decently worth it, as everything is really fresh and organic. I cannot make a recommendation on a specific order, as the menu changes, but if you have the chance the Vegan Charcuterie is a must, despite the absence of meat! I am probably reiterating what everyone's been saying, but if you have a large group, you should definitely reserve a spot, as seating above 2 or 3 gets difficult fast! At least with a 2 or 3 party, you could sit at the bar of the "food" bar. The ambiance of the place is really nice, and going there for dinner, I enjoyed the semi-dark lighting with the homey wood furniture. read more

Such a cute and upscale brunch place! Came here once over memorial day weekend and was pleasantly surprised with my meal. Ambiance: Very upscale and rather hipster environment. There are cool paper lamps on the wall as decorations and the restaurant has interesting wall pieces as well. I noticed watermelons just decorated near the kitchen too, which was quirky and cute! Service: Really good service! Our waitress came back very quickly with our food and drinks and didn't forget us once. Food: We ordered an breakfast sandwich, which was a small english bun with an egg white, spinach, and avocado. It was delicious! Simple recipe but so very tasty. My only complaint was that it was too small for the price that I think we paid. The second thing we ordered was a potato pizza. This was delicious! Thin crust, not too oily, and I surprisingly enjoyed the potato, which I thought might be weird going into the restaurant. Verdict: I will probably return sometime soon! It's definitely pricy, so consider that when ordering your dishes especially since they dishes are not necessarily too filling or large, which is unfortunate. Despite that, the food is fantastic for being such basic, homey, breakfast type food. Definitely a fantastic change from the usual egg scrambles for breakfast! read more

Aaron's Big Eat East Bay: 100 Things to Try Before You Die http://www.yelp.com/list/the-big-eat-east-bay-100-things-to-try-before-you-die-oakland #23 - The Vegan Charcuterie Plate from Gather read more

I was unsure of what to expect going here, with a quasi-pretentious name like Gather and all (get it? They GATHER their own ingredients, and people GATHER there!). Before I get into the details, here's my bottom line where service and atmosphere are concerned: these things should blend into the background of a dining experience. Ideal service is not overly-attentive, but not uncomfortably absent. Ideal atmosphere is pleasant, but not intrusive. So when all I can remember about a restaurant is the service and the atmosphere, then something must be off. Granted, I've only been to Gather once and I think I enjoyed the food...maybe? Let's see. I remember arriving on time for our reservation for four people, only to have to wait 20 minutes. I remember the hostess' dismissive attitude. I remember finally being seated at a crowded table smashed between two other crowed tables. I remember our flustered server taking our order hurriedly, only to have to return 15 minutes later, apologize for having lost track of our order, and having to take it again. I remember trying to have a conversation, but being unable to hear any of my other table mates and eventually resigning to eating in lonely silence. I remember feeling guilty for suggesting Gather as a place for a birthday dinner. Which isn't to say the food didn't have a voice at all. I seem to recall everyone was happy with their meals. We mistakenly tried to split the Vegan "Charcuterie" four ways, so we effectively got half a mouthful of each selection. Heh. It was an interesting sampling, though, and creatively done. That was probably my favorite part of the meal; the food that followed was also good, just not as memorable. However, it was obviously the experience outside of the food that stuck most clearly in my mind. It's too bad, because maybe the food really is a revelation--- I just...can't remember. And I'm not too strongly motivated to return any time soon. read more

Went last night. The place is pretty big, but was almost full when we walked in around 8:45, and was still maybe half-full when they locked the doors at 10. Three menus: main, daily specials, and drinks. Here's a new one: "Ask to see our source book." The vegan "charcuterie" (i.e., antipasto platter) was really good: eight items including salads, a crostino, a fritter, I forget what all. Everything was well seasoned. One saladish item was a bit overdressed. The spiel for the platter goes on and on. I'd say it would not be easily shareable by more than two people, a party of four should get two. Comes with a plate of grilled Acme levain. Special pizza of the day ($16) was a bianca with Savoy cabbage and ... pancetta? guanciale? Great and new-to-me combination. Crust was OK, I'd have liked it slightly thinner and a darker bake. 12", eight slices, ample for two to share as a main course or 4-8 as an appetizer. Got the greens ($5) with the pizza, escarole or something like that, tart and well seasoned. Cheese plate ($10), two pieces each of three cheeses, nicely selected though a bit cold. Came with a few excellent spiced pecans, a dollop of spiced apple butter, what the waiter said was a spiced apple gumdrop but tasted more like persimmon, and a too-small piece of a great salty cheese cracker, plus a plate of Acme. Service was kind of scattered, especially given the seemingly ample staff-to-customer ratio, e.g. we didn't get knives with the pizza or any utensils with the cheese plate. I'd upgrade to four stars if they get that together. The all-California wine list is thoughtful but not to my non-mainstream taste. Only one of the wines sold by the glass (a pinot blanc) was my kind of thing. I'll go back. Good addition to the downtown scene, especially with Downtown closed. read more

i took my wife to gather for our 83rd monthversary. we went during lunch. we brought our 5.5.month old son. he loved how the restaurant was so bright with all the big windows and view of the busy berkeley street, right across the street from the campus. i really liked gather, and it made me miss living in berkeley. i wish they had a location in the south bay. my wife ordered the kale salad with chicken, and i ordered the spicy young chicken. both were _so_ good! the spicy young chicken had such a nicely, browned, crispy skin. it was well plated with dandelion greens and polenta. the kale in the kale salad was more tender than kale i usually get. the pine nutes and shredded cheese went very well with it. i also ordered a glass of kombucha. i wish i could get a big gulp of that stuff. we also had a peach bread pudding dessert and decaf coffee. all the food was great. the service was also very attentive and polite. they made it very easy to bring our baby to the dining table and enjoy our lunch as part of a totally fun day in berkeley. i don't give out 5.star yelps to restaurants that often, but i'm totally giving gather all 5 stars. read more

Gather - peach bread pudding: deliciously crisp on the outside, yet moist on the inside! - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

I think this place is decidedly overrated and perhaps slightly overpriced, but it is still quite inventive and a unique experience for out-of-town-guests which it earns it four stars from me. The menu changes seasonally - a big "Berkeley" food trend that seems to have been adopted wholeheartedly by a number of other foodie cities - and prominently features those weird vegetables you didn't realize you could eat. (Picture kale, watermelon rind and all those types of squash that are hard to track down at the store.) The ideal number to come here with is three people - enough that you can share dishes and try different things among friends, but few enough that everybody actually gets some of everything without feeling guilty about taking the "last bite." (We all know how that goes.) One thing that is absolutely great about this place in restaurant selection is its ability to appeal to weird diets; if you have a friend that is vegan, gluten intolerant, lactose intolerant, etc. - and almost everyone does these days - this place has items on the menu that cater to all restriction sets without needing to get inventive yourself. In any case Gather makes for a reliable choice if you're looking to show someone Berkeley in a food nutshell without spending Chez Panisse prices or having to adjust to all the compromises of going to Cheeseboard. read more

Gather has set the bar VERY high, leading the edge in the continuing trend of sustainable cuisine. Amazing and impressive in so many ways, hard to know where to start. The food is incredible, so many flavors, such variety. The Vegan Charcouterie is the one dish not to miss. It's ~ 5 different very small portions of appetizers, so unique you won't quite know how to describe them. Constantly changing, we've ordered this all 4 times we've been to Gather, and it's blown us away every time. It's astonishing the range of rich delectable flavors and textures they can concoct all while keeping this dish completely vegan. They should write an entire cookbook just on the Vegan Charcouterie. And of course, everything on the menu is organic, locally-sourced, seasonal produce, meats and fish. Each night, they list the exact farms that their ingredients are from. Portions are small, but perfectly so. We left full and very fully satisfied, and without any leftovers. The service is excellent. The wait staff has a lot of info to remember about every ingredient in every dish, and they do a remarkable job being ready to tell you even more than you might have wanted to know. Even more impressively, the entire restaurant's construction and design features reclaimed, recycled, and refurbished materials. Even the artwork on the walls is made from shredding the packaging that their refurbished chairs were delivered in. My only complaint is that it's a tad upscale and hence expensive. We paid ~$45 per person, including drinks/desserts. Oh, did I mention their drinks and desserts are INCREDIBLE. Potent ginger-somethings, and a so-smooth and perfectly sweet Pisco sour. And the varied desserts were exploding with flavors, even the fruits seemed unusually tasty. read more

Can Gather open up another location in the south bay, please? I just love how they use fresh ingredients from local farms. Initially I was looking at the host weird when he brought us to a table for two when we have a 5.5 month old in the carseat. I think he wasn't too sure how to handle an infant guest. When that was resolved, I had a great time here. I ordered the kale salad with grilled chicken, which rocked! I didn't realize how good kale can be. The dressing was more like marinade for the steamed kale. The kale was tender! The thinly grated cheese was the perfect compliment on the salad. The salad also had these yellow roots, which I forgot to ask for the name. The roots were SO tasty - mildly sweet almost like taro. My husand had the spicy young chicken with verde polenta, which kicked @$$. The skin was crispy with meat that was well marinated and seasoned. The kombucha tasted fresh, light, and floral without being too alcoholic. If I wasn't breastfeeding, I think I could've drank 2 glasses of this elixir! The peach bread pudding was warm and comforting with a glass of fresh decaf coffee. Yum! I really liked the service. Our server was polite and attentive. I would definitely like to return again and try dinner perhaps. read more

This restaurant had so much hype coming with it, but I really do appreciate the sourcing sensibilities. The "bee sting" cocktail was recommended to the wife, who wanted something "sweet". It turned out to be quite good. The kale salad was a huge mound of kale and unfortunately overly sour. The vegan charcuterie plate was pretty good, but not as amazing as the hype would have you believe. Service was a little odd but maybe they are still getting into the groove. read more

On Sat nite we went here for a cool dinner. Didnt have much of a wait to get our table or our choice of sparkling or still water. BUT it took for ever for our food to come. Im not a 12 year old kid but I started playing with that pizza stand thing. I thought the pizza was a little small for the price but it was tasty and filling. I would come back here again. Id just expect a wait. Wait one more thing.. I think if the waiter dosent come with the check within 5 min after you tell him your finished your meal should be free Im just saying. read more

Pros: This place is awesome. This is the future of restaurants everywhere (hopefully), or at least in California: healthy (reflecting the latest research on health, not just an old vision of "iceberg lettuce and old tomato salad is healthy"), very tasty, delicious vegan options that are not just deep fried, and great/hip ambiance. ***The vegan "charcuterie" plate is the standout, must have dish on the menu. The kale salad (recommended to me by yelp) was also pretty good, and the honey pine nut pie with ice cream dessert was great. Cons: Pizza was underwhelming; the first pizza on the menu (tomato) had this creamy sauce all over that really killed the flavor. Pizza especially has a high bar since it was one of the least healthy things on the menu, so I would expect super-tasty. They would probably do better just to not have it on the menu at all as a distraction from all the other wonderful items we could have ordered. Fun: Here is the definition of charcuterie for your reading pleasure; I am much more happy with Gather's vegan take on the dish: "Charcuterie (pronounced /rkutri/, /rkutri/; French: [akyti], from chair 'flesh' and cuit 'cooked') is the branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products such as bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, galantines, pâtés, and confit, primarily from pork.[1] Charcuterie is part of the garde manger chef's repertoire. Originally intended as a way to preserve meats before the advent of refrigeration, they are prepared today for their flavors derived from the preservation processes. read more

Gather is a beautiful restaurant and a great concept, but sadly a concept that doesn't quite work with me. We came here for my birthday dinner as the group was comprised of omnivores, a vegetarian, and a vegan; however, no one really enjoyed their food, except for the Brussels sprouts and the apple streusel dessert. My chickpea panisse was good but an overpriced 24 dollars - a dish I could've made at home, and probably with more flavor. Two burgers were ordered, and no one liked those either (I did steal some fries which were quite good). The chicken seemed to be the highlight and a cheese pizza was reportedly good as well- but pizzas always good, right? I really wanted to make this a regular place as it would be so convenient, but I think the best thing about Gather is the drinks: I highly recommend the Last Word and their Rose's are delicious as well. read more

I love the small plates at Gather. I have been eating there for many years, and it just keeps getting better. The pizza is sensational too! Jennifer K. read more