Meet Stephanie Stiavetti, a food writer, blogger, and social media consultant living in the San Francisco Bay Area. After spending the first half of her adult life working in the tech industry, Stephanie was passionate about food and literature, so she decided to turn her career around and combine her interests to become a food writer. On her blog, The Culinary Life, she covers a wide range of kitchen-related topics, from heart-melting comfort food to decadent desserts, with a special attention given to the gluten-free diet. Her work has been published in major outlets such as The Huffington Post, KQED, and NPR Online, and she was featured as an expert on social media management at conferences around the US. Here’s Berkeley, California, in her own words.
My Edible City
Berkeley, California. I live minutes away from Berkeley, California, a Mecca of artisan food. Berkeley is home to a proliferation of French bakeries, juice bars, gourmet pizza joints, intimate cooking schools, and some of the best international fare the Bay Area has to offer. And don’t even get me started on the farmer’s markets! The temperate California climate affords us fresh produce all year round, and I can find a market any day of the week to take advantage of the bounty. Here, cooking fresh is easier than eating out.
My Favorite Dish Place
Juice Bar Collective. Picking a favorite dish in Berkeley is difficult, because there’s so much to enjoy, but one of my favorite little treats is the Black Bean Polenta at Juice Bar Collective. A hulking square of polenta is piled with a heaping scoop of black beans and cheddar cheese, making for a hearty meal in the sub $6 range. Situated in the “Gourmet Ghetto” with some of the city’s most famous eateries – Chez Panisse and Cheese Board topping the list – Juice Bar Collective is a sadly overlooked quick stop that offers a huge selection of delectably healthy options. Organic wherever possible, Juice Bar is a Bay Area certified Green Business that takes advantage of eco-friendly and sustainable business practices. How can you get more Berkeley than that?
Useful Links
- Juice Bar Collective’s official site
- Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto
- Berkeley Farmers’ Markets
- Kitchen on Fire, a lovely intimate cooking school in Berkeley
- Wat Mongkolratanaram, Berkeley’s famous Thai temple that serves home-cooked Thai food every Sunday
Also: Follow Stephanie on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.
Next Week on Edible Cities
Next week, Chantelle Grady, a graphic designer, photographer and blogger, is taking us to Montreal. Don’t miss it!
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Photo Credits: Berkeley picture by Daniel Ramirez, Stephanie’s portrait by Stephanie Stiavetti, Juice Bar Collective picture by Juice Bar Collective.
The Cheese Board (and Chez Panisse, of course) are two places I remember the most from a summer spent in Berkeley. I’m so happy to add the Juice Bar Collective to my list!