Sea Salt

On Friday evening, after seeing the excellent Up in the Air, we were eager to get a bite to eat. Our problem: it was after 10 o’clock.

As much as I love the many food choices in Berkeley, it’s a decidedly early town. It’s mystifying to me that there are people happy to go to good restaurants at 5:30 in the afternoon. Even 7 p.m. feels early to me, but I’ve adapted to local mores. It may be that the paucity of places to have a meal after 10 is a direct response to the market, but it does put a damper on a Friday or Saturday night.

So what are the choices? Sea Salt on San Pablo offers a late-night menu from 10 to midnight. Wood Tavern, just across the Oakland border on College, seats until 10:15 and the kitchen closes at 10:30. T-Rex on Gilman is open until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The Paragon at the Claremont (with a Berkeley mailing address, but actually just over the Oakland border) is also open until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

You can, of course, get pizza if that’s what your heart desires. Zachary’s is open until 10:30 on Fridays and Saturdays and Jupiter takes the prize by opening until 1 a.m. weekdays and 1:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Any place that should be added to the list for those that like to eat late?

Photo by E.T. from Flickr

Lance Knobel (Berkeleyside co-founder) has been a journalist for nearly 40 years. Much of his career was in business journalism. He was editor-in-chief of both Management Today, the leading business magazine...