Berkeley highlight
Gourmet Ghetto
The Gourmet Ghetto, also known as North Shattuck, is Berkeley's pioneering culinary district where specialty coffee, farm-to-table dining, and artisanal foods took root in the 1960s and 1970s.
The neighborhood along North Shattuck Avenue became a culinary destination beginning in the mid-1960s, when Peet's Coffee opened on April 1, 1966 and introduced America to the concept of specialty coffee. Cheese Board Collective was founded in 1967 and in 1975 brought sourdough baguettes to the American market. Chez Panisse opened in 1971, anchoring the farm-to-table movement under Alice Waters and becoming nationally recognized for its commitment to local, seasonal ingredients.
The district expanded further in 1977 when Cocolat opened, popularizing California-style chocolate truffles. Other establishments added to the neighborhood's reputation for food innovation and quality. By the late 1970s, comedian Darryl Henriques coined the nickname "Gourmet Ghetto" for the area, referring to its unlikely location amid the rest of North Berkeley while serving as the birthplace of California cuisine. Though the business association rebranded it as North Shattuck in 2019, the neighborhood remains known worldwide for pioneering these culinary movements.
For Berkeley residents and visitors, the Gourmet Ghetto represents more than just good food—it's a statement about quality of life and making conscious choices. That same intentionality applies to life insurance: choosing term coverage that matches your actual needs, rather than settling for whatever seems standard, is how you protect what matters most to your family. A policy sized to your household's situation today provides security as your life evolves.