Berkeley Restaurant Guide

It's been a local favorite for affordable breakfast and lunch since it opened in 1972 a couple of doors from the original Peet's Coffee and Tea in North Berkeley's Walnut Square.But a little over a year ago, Chester's morphed into a three-meals-a-dayoperation by taking over an adjacent space and adding a cozy, full-servicetapas bar.Even before this expansion, dark wood, windows opening to Walnut Square,an open staircase to a small second-floor seating area and the charmingdeck with a bay view across the roofs of the Gourmet Ghetto gaveChester's the aura of a cheery British village pub. Soccer on the bar'sbig screen reinforces the aura.The tapas menu, served throughout the bar and restaurant, is extensive,with small plates big enough to share: house-smoked salmon, coconutshrimp, buffalo wings with blue cheese, fish tacos and excellent French fries.You can also order generously portioned, house-made entrees: pizza, vegetarian penne, fish and chips, mac and cheese, carne asada enchiladas with Spanish rice and black beans,cheeseburger with fries or a sizzling iron platter of chickenfajitas with all the trimmings.Feel like splurging? Start with a cocktail from the long bar list or a glass of wine. Beer on tap is $3 before 7 p.m. And if it's Wednesday or Friday, live music turns this into a reasonably pricednight out.