gather patio

The Scoop on Gather #

Address: 2200 Oxford St
Between Allston/Kittredge
Berkeley, CA 94704
Website:
Phone: (510) 809-0400

Background: Gather is a celebrated farm-to-table restaurant located right in downtown Berkeley in an open, appealing, large corner space. Fresh ingredients are definitely on the menu, with a variety of sandwich, salad, pizza, and grain bowl options. Dinner adds starters and entrees. Care is taken to make sure food allergies and special diets are accommodated.

The Vibe: The inside feels like a cabin with lots of reclaimed wood, and the outdoors patio is covered to keep warm and flowing with plants. It’s quite inviting.

I went at lunch, and it wasn’t immediately apparent that ordering at the register is how lunch operates as a podium with “wait to be seated” was stationed right at the entrance. Dinner is, indeed, seated with waitstaff.

My Take on Gather #

gather soup

The Food: My friend ordered the soup of the day, which was white bean and potato. She thought it absolutely delicious, savoring each bite. I ordered the BBQ pulled pork sandwich, topped with a slaw and dill-cucumber yogurt and served up with fries.

gather pulled pork

The coleslaw crunch made clear the quality of Gather’s ingredients, but I was surprised that the dish ended up tasting closer to a sloppy joe than I what I’d expected—this may partially be due to my eight years spent in North Carolina, where vinegar sauces on pork reign supreme. Or it may partially be that the tomato in the sauce was so bright, it simply dominated the flavor profile.

I was disappointed that the dill-cucumber sauce contributed little. I love dill, so I was looking forward to it, but alas, it barely waved its tendrils. The fries were solid.

Would I Go Back? Of course! I haven’t tried a cocktail yet. I’d probably steer clear of the pulled pork sandwich as it wasn’t to my taste, but I’m certain plenty on Gather’s menu is.

Reviewed February 2024.