On Sept. 6, the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Berkeley Marina will be opening Berkeley Boathouse, a contemporary Californian restaurant, in the hotel. According to a press release, the restaurant is the main part of the hotel’s $8 million redesign, which includes updates to the lobby, exterior spaces, guest rooms, meetings and events spaces, and expansive patio.

The Berkeley Boathouse provides a dining experience with views of the waterfront and San Francisco’s skyline. The restaurant will feature contemporary Californian cuisine, an expansive outdoor patio, deck, fireplace and nearby bocce court.

“It’s a perfect way to relaunch the hotel for Bay Area diners, local diners and hotel guests,” said Jack Hlavac, general manager of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Berkeley Marina. “The location being right on the waterfront works with the atmosphere.”

According to the press release, the restaurant is designed by Bar Napkin Productions, a hospitality design agency, and mirrors the waterfront views with a maritime theme. The decor and interior design are supposed to make guests feel as if they are on an authentic boathouse.

The restaurant is 2,500 square feet, with the main dining room seating up to 172 guests and a bar that seats up to 25 people. The outside deck is 2,000 square feet and is open to guests for extra seating.

“The hotel’s dramatic refresh and the addition of Berkeley Boathouse, with its stunning views and delicious menu offerings, really are the key focal points of DoubleTree by Hilton Berkeley Marina and can be enjoyed by guests and our local community alike,” Hlavac said in the press release.

The restaurant’s menu is curated by Matthew Thomas, the chef de cuisine. The menu emphasizes contemporary Californian cuisine and consists of small plates, flatbreads, sides, salads and entrees.

“We are trying to do local California cuisine and make it pretty delicious,” Thomas said. “We are trying to elevate the cuisine.”

According to the press release, Thomas has created a modern and diversified menu that highlights fresh local ingredients from California and Bay Area purveyors.

The restaurant also features a beverage program, with a seasonal rotation of local craft brews and California wines by the glass, bottle and on tap. 

“We are trying to make the restaurant a spot for families, local events, a local bar, and make it a spot where the locals can come out,” Thomas said. “We want people from anywhere in the Bay Area, from the community, and people to fly in for the food, for lodging. It’ll be hyperlocal California cuisine.”