Butchers? In Berkeley? It’s all part of our celebrated foodie mix, say the owners of a new meat shop in the heart of the Gourmet Ghetto.

East Bay farmers’ markets get plenty of (well-deserved) glory. But for generations, a handful of family businesses have been turning out fab fare right under our locavore noses.

If pastry artist Paul Masse’s apron is not decorated with abstract splatters of chocolate by the end of his typical 14-hour workday, something must be awry. Our writer rises before dawn to chronicle a fast-paced, fragrant Wednesday in the kitchen of Masse’s Pastries in Berkeley, detailing everything from blood-orange mousse cake to mango glaze.

While some Americans tend to stick to cereal, pancakes and eggs for breakfast, other Americans find comfort and pleasure in breakfast dishes from China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Ethiopia and India—right here in the Bay Area. Our writer wakes us up to the taste of jook, kao tom, pho and paratha.

As Jewish delis decline nationwide, Bay Area delis—including Saul’s in Berkeley and California Street in San Francisco—enjoy a renaissance of natural ingredients and lighter fare. A deli connoisseur delves into the historical and cultural context of the pastrami sandwich and leaves our mouths watering.