The East Bay boasts the foodie scene of San Francisco, only with often-better prices, a focus on ethnic food, more parking and generally larger spaces, which means less wait time for a table. If you want to dine student-style, eat on campus Monday through Friday. Buy something at a sidewalk stand or in the building directly behind the Student Union. All the university eateries have both indoor and outdoor seating. Telegraph Avenue has an array of small ethnic restaurants, cafes, and sandwich shops. Follow the students: If the place is crowded, it’s good, super cheap, or both.

You can’t get more “Bay Area” than opting for a farm-to-table dining experience. Go for the restaurant that shaped an entire generation of chefs with Alice Waters’s Chez Panisse 1517 Shattuck Ave. (tel. 510/548-5525 for restaurant and tel. 510/548-5049 for café; www.chezpanisse.com); try to reserve a few weeks ahead. Carnivores will love Café Rouge (1782 Fourth St., tel. 510/525-1440; www.caferouge.net), the Mediterranean darling of chef-owner, Marsha McBride, formerly of Zuni Café.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.