Cafe Ohlone by mak-'amham

Easily one of the most groundbreaking restaurants in the Bay Area, if not California, Cafe Ohlone, housed in the outdoor courtyard of the Hearst Museum of Anthropology at UC Berkeley is an exploration of the Bay Area’s Indigenous culture that simultaneously reckons with the trauma the Ohlone people have dealt with in the face of colonization. The restaurant showcases traditional dishes, specific to the East Bay and Monterey regions, and ingredients (think venison, chia seeds, and acorns) of the Ohlone through the modern lens of co-chefs and owners Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino, and got its start as a pop-up that was upended by the pandemic. Deciding to work with the Hearst Museum was a fraught one; the museum’s former director caused the tribe to lose federal recognition. Medina and Trevino opted to take the opportunity for healing, and using the stunning outdoor space to create an untraditional, educational dining experience. Filled with native plants and centered around sustainable redwood tables and seats, Cafe Ohlone can be experienced for tea hour, or a set lunch or brunch.
How to book: Make a reservation online.