Cafe Gratitude

Two longtime local staples — vegan restaurant Herbivore and candy store Michelle’s Yogurt and Sweets — have closed in Berkeley.

Agrodolce, a new Sicilian-style restaurant, is under construction and expected to open in early September at the former location of Cafe Gratitude at 1730 Shattuck Ave., in Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto.

Agrodolce, a new Sicilian-style restaurant, is under construction and expected to open in early September on 1730 Shattuck Ave. at the former location of Cafe Gratitude, in Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto.

The Butcher’s Son, a new vegan deli, opened its doors Monday on University Avenue for its soft opening, despite some setbacks in its preparations.

After nearly a decade of service, Cafe Gratitude, a restaurant on Shattuck Avenue known for its all-vegan menu, will be closing at the end of the year.

Berkeley — city of hippies, protesters and counter-culturalists — is also a site of pilgrimage for foodies as the cradle of the American slow-food movement. Here, even the eats are quintessentially Berkeley: That cup of coffee, too, was designed to resist oppressive hegemons and change the world.