We had lunch upstairs at Chez Panisse, in their cafe. It was a gloomy, rainy day, but inside it was warm and cozy. We had decided that we were going to splurge on this lunch, so we had both wine and dessert, which we don't usually do in the middle of the day. They have a very good list of wines by the glass. They have both a prix-fixe menu and an ala carte menu. We both opted for ala carte, but I feel terrible that I don't remember exactly what I had, except that it was all very, very good, and the service was fabulous. I would definitely go there again!

Wood building, looks a bit crude, especially considering it's next to a post office (Clinton famously greeted the customers in line on his way to the restaurant).

Reserve up to a month in advance; for restaurant reservations, you must make a $25 credit card deposit. For the upstairs cafe, you have the option of a la carte, whereas the downstairs menu is set each night (see this site for featured menus). You could try waiting it out at the cafe if you don't have a reservation.

My roommate splurged and took me out for a special occasion. In surprising luck, we got a table in the cafe on the same day, due to a cancellation. I was slightly puzzled as to what "California cusine" entailed - fresh, local, organic stuff? I ordered a white fish with a strange vegetable. Everything was beautifully arranged and tasted fresh, full of new flavors. We felt out of our element, as students, but the staff treated us courteously. A worthwhile experience, nevertheless.

Chez Panisse is the birthplace of 'California Cuisine,' which uses the fresh flavors of in season local ingredients, preferably organic. At Chez Panisse, you can choose from the downstairs restaurant, which has a daily fixed-price menu, or the more moderately priced upstairs cafe. Either way you'll be treated to the clean flavors of seasonal produce, meats, pizza, or pasta, prepared without a lot of fuss but with a maximum of flavor.