Julia's Restaurant

French Technique in a Morgan Masterpiece

The Berkeley City Club was designed by Julia Morgan — the first woman licensed as an architect in California and the mind behind Hearst Castle — and completed in 1930. It is one of the finest examples of Morgan's mature Romanesque-influenced style: high ceilings, arched windows, intricate tilework, a swimming pool that Esther Williams herself swam in, and a dining room that feels simultaneously intimate and grand. The restaurant named in Morgan's honour occupies this space with the appropriate sense of ceremony.

Chef Fabrice's kitchen draws on classical French technique and weaves it through the California ingredient philosophy that has defined Berkeley dining since Chez Panisse set the standard. Organic produce, local sourcing, and an honest relationship with seasonal availability inform every menu. The result is food that is French in its craftsmanship and Californian in its soul — a combination that makes particularly good sense in a city where both traditions are taken seriously.

Signature preparations include classically structured French fish and meat courses built from the finest available local ingredients, a cheese programme that showcases both French and California artisan producers, and desserts with the precision and restraint that the continental tradition demands. The wine list, appropriately, spans both French classics and California's finest producers.

The dining room itself deserves its own credit as the evening's main attraction. The architecture creates an atmosphere of settled, gracious elegance that few Berkeley restaurants can match — a sense that the room has hosted important moments and is ready to host yours. Private dining options within the Club make this an ideal choice for small group celebrations that require both discretion and beauty.