A little bit of Belgium in the Bay Area

The Trappist

Berkeley is often overlooked by visitors to the Bay Area, since San Francisco has so much to offer. But if you head over to the East Bay, you’ll be in for a treat, and you may just move Berkeley up a notch on your travel list. As part of a long weekend in the Bay Area I headed over to Rockridge by foot from my Airbnb room in West Berkeley. Walking up the hill from Fourth Street was a pleasant walk through neighborhoods of mid-century bungalows, palm trees, and gorgeous stucco Spanish cottages. The weather is pretty consistently 70 degrees, which explains why so many people want to live here! Up on Rockridge I spotted The Trappist and quickly grabbed a seat at the small counter. The tap list was small, but provided enough choice to please most any Belgian lover. I also enjoyed a hearty cheese plate with a generous slice of aged Dutch Gouda, some crusty bread and a mostarda of dried fruits. The conversation at the bar was friendly and I will definitely make my way over to the Trappist when I head back to Berkeley.