Food Stuff

We have our concerns about that chrome horse cluttering up the otherwise-wonderful R Street Market development, but we here at “Food stuff” don’t know much about art. We’re more interested in things we send down the gullet. On that basis, we tip our hat to the November 1 opening of Peet’s Coffee & Tea located a stone’s throw away from that darned horse. Established in Berkeley in 1966, Peet’s has set the gold standard for its fanatical devotion to quality and freshness. Just one cup of its near-espresso-strength coffee will make one a follower of the Peet’s cult. Equally impressive is the proper treatment of tea at Peet’s: Carefully selected leaves are brewed in a preheated pot and poured in a preheated cup. A purchase of a bag of beans or a tea tin is rewarded with a complimentary cup. One might say that the arrival of Peet’s reflects an increasingly sophisticated Sacramento—even if that chrome horse suggests we still have a way to go. 1800 19th Street, (916) 266-2400, www.peets.com.