Cal staple restaurants Intermezzo and Raleigh’s return to Berkeley

The last time Intermezzo salad and Raleigh’s Bar and Grill stood in Berkeley, Jeff Tedford was not on the hot seat, Mike Montgomery was leading Cal on another run toward a prospective conference title, and Tosh Lupoi was being heardled as the coach who would bring the Bears into the 21st century of recruiting.

A lot has changed since then, but Intermezzo and Raleigh’s haven’t stood for quite some time. The fire that took down the building that housed the two restaurant and bar fixtures left that corner of Telegraph and Haste barren for over five and a half years.

Thankfully, that wait is coming to an end. Both restaurants are back in action, with a few new changes. More from Sarah Han at Berkeleyside:

The two restaurants have separate ordering and seating areas — with Mezzo on the left and Raleigh’s on the right — but are connected inside. They also share a back courtyard and bathrooms. Visitors to either establishment will be able to freely flow back and forth between the two.

Intermezzo is reopening as Mezzo due primarily to (a) trademarks from another Cafe Intermezzo and (b) rebranding for a new generation. Its menu remains mostly the same. Hello poppy seed dressing!

There are more changes at Raleigh’s.

Raleigh’s, on the other hand, has streamlined its menu, focusing on food that pairs well with beer. One of its main specialties will be thin-crust pizza, made in brand new pizza ovens recently installed in the kitchen just behind the bar. Speaking of the bar, Raleigh’s suds will all be craft beers from mostly local breweries. It will boast 36 rotating taps at the bar inside and 24 outside.

What were your favorite memories of these places? What are the drinks and dishes from Intermezzo and Raleigh’s that you’ll be happy to enjoy once again on Gamedays?