The area is pleasant, with its central boulevard, Shattuck Avenue, bordered by trees. Many businesses have sidewalk tables, and a casual, leisurely mood prevails. You could wander for hours in the morning, just sampling coffee and pastries here and there, without even starting on the places that offer a full breakfast. Food is a lot of what the area's about, but it isn't the only reason to go there. A mile west of the actual Gourmet Ghetto, there's a corner outpost you could call the Gourmet Ghetto West.
Olive trees line the parking lot, giving it a Mediterranean feel.
Exactly what the area needed, a fun, sophisticated place open late for high-quality snacking and drinking. Delicious and unusual martinis. Really nice design, with a beautiful simple bar, wooden tables and mesmerizing tiles. Open 3-midnight daily. A very well-beloved Thai restaurant perched above Shattuck in a wooden building that feels like a tree house.