Jupiter

Jupiter Restaurant Review:

The founder of Berkeley's Triple Rock Brewery adds fresh air and wood-fired pizza to the brewpub equation at Jupiter. Two floors of indoor seating and an enormous patio complete with fragrant fire pit accommodate the lunch rush, when students and downtowners feast on large salads and Mediterranean-inspired sandwiches. But in the evenings, when the live music is going and house-made brew flows, finding a seat under a cozy heat lamp can be even harder than finding parking nearby. Pizza is the perfect companion for a glass of Jupiter Pilsner, Helles Lager, Hefeweizen or Red Spot ale (served in generous twenty-ounce ultras), and the crispy-crusted pies here --- named for Roman gods --- are California style: hand-tossed, wood-oven baked and topped with piles of creative ingredients. Xanthia features potatoes and bacon; Cassiopeia comes with a Pollock-esque swirl of barbecue sauce; the simplest pies, such as the wild mushroom and Fontina Odysseus, are some of the best. Tasty appetizers, including a crispy-topped artichoke and spinach dip, hold over hungry diners until the pies are ready and the overworked waitstaff can make it back to the table. There's no dessert at Jupiter, but who needs it when there are two dozen beers on tap?