Come February Berkeley residents will be welcoming a new restaurant by Michelin two-starred Chef Dominique Crenn into the neighborhood. Antoinette, a French brasserie has taken over the Paragon space inside the newly-renovated, 100-year-old Claremont Club & Spa.
The eatery will be a nod to France’s strong women and the indulgent Marie Antoinette. Although the restaurant will be operated by the hotel, Chef Crenn will still have full involvement in its furnishings and menus. Her hope is to create a chic dining destination boasting European elegance where guests can dine on oysters, sip on Champagne and view out onto the Bay. The brasserie will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Named Eater magazine's 2015 Chef of the Year, this will be Chef Crenn’s first venture outside of San Francisco proper. "I love Berkeley," Chef Crenn told Eater. "This is where it all started, with Alice Waters and Chez Panisse. I want to be a part of something special." Her other restaurants include the two-Michelin-starred Atelier Crenn, a fine dining establishment serving creative French dishes in a minimalist setting and Petit Crenn, a modern French bistro which offers all-day dining and two prix fixe menus.
