BERKELEY’s BEST ●Restaurants
Jupiter 2181 Shattuck Ave./Center St.; downtown. Operating within a former livery stable dating from the 1890s, this brewpub features natural brick walls, dramatic bronze-hued pressed-tin wall paneling, and antique church pews recycled as bar seats. Little lights are strung across the bar room, mimicking an outdoor beer garden, and you can see pizza dough being tossed in the tiny corner oven area. Its design is inspired by Berlin’s oldest bar. The dining area is spread over two stories, and a large, two-level outdoor beer garden with heaters and a fire pit is in the back. House brews are available--my fave is the pilsner--along with tasty soft, chewy-crust pizzas cooked in a wood-fired oven and a variety of salads and sandwiches. For two, sharing a regular pizza and a large salad is the way to go. When the wait is long, seats at the shiny copper-topped bar can often be had immediately. Live jazz is scheduled some evenings. Jupiter Jam, the largest outdoor music event held in Berkeley, is scheduled every August.

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