Saul’s Restaurant & Delicatessen has historically been a landmark Hanukkah meal restaurant for the Berkeley community during the winter holidays, and this year is no exception. In the weeks leading up to the holiday, the block outside the restaurant fills with the smell of latkes frying, the sound of live music, and the communal energy that regulars say defines Saul’s. What began years ago under former owners Peter Levitt and Karen Adelman, who first introduced musicians and open-door celebrations into the space, has continued to thrive under current owners Sam Tobis and Jesus Mendoza, who have carried the tradition forward with the same warmth and openness. “They’ve really kept the torch lit,” musician and programming organizer Mike Perlmutter, who has performed at Saul’s since 2008, said.
For Tobis, Hanukkah meals at Saul’s are rooted in the holiday’s history. He explained the story of the miracle of oil — how a small amount lasted eight days — lives on through foods cooked in oil at Saul’s. “We offer latkes every day of the year, but during Hanukkah we build a special latke tent out front so people can get one hot from the fryer,” Tobis said. Inside the restaurant, menorahs are placed on every table, something Tobis said he is especially proud of. “It brings people into the spirit of the holiday and makes a really warm, bright environment where you have all these candles on the table and it's beautiful,” Tobis said.
Live music is one of the biggest attractions, which Perlmutter describes as essential to the feeling Saul’s cultivates each year. He reflected on how the Christmas Day performances in Saul’s used to pack the block with lines wrapped around the corner and how the informal music gatherings under Luna Houser, a former staff member, eventually grew into full klezmer — a genre of instrumental Jewish music for celebration — street parties. He now helps organize the Hanukkah lineup, which includes everything from upbeat klezmer to cello-violin duos, fusion music, and traditional Jewish folk music. “We always hope to bring a good feeling that might be a connection to some past, a kind of historical sound from generations back that people can resonate with,” Perlmutter said.
Behind the scenes, the celebration is a logistical marathon. Manager Angelica Lopez, who oversees the week’s operations, said the biggest challenge is coordinating complicated orders from multiple parts of the menu: the regular items, the expanded Hanukkah offerings, and the catering selections. “The hardest orders are the ones that have a little of everything,” Lopez said. Staffing is another hurdle because everyone must work extended hours, and an entirely separate team is required for the latke tent, demanding its own kitchen crew and cashiers. Keeping the operation running smoothly necessitates precise communication between the kitchen, floor, and tent staff. Lopez explained that the team relies heavily on experienced leaders: kitchen managers and senior servers, who already have strong communication skills. “It’s really about pre-planning and being honest, these are times where we have to tell the customer, ‘Your order got lost - but don't worry - we're gonna find it.’ It is just about being an open book with everybody involved,” Lopez said.
Despite the intensity, Lopez said the atmosphere makes it more than worthwhile. “Seeing everybody gather together, the families, the smiles, and music makes everything feel worth it,” she said. Tobis also mentioned that the celebration welcomes everyone, regardless of whether they are Jewish, non-observant, of a different faith, or none at all! “It’s an opportunity for anyone who’s interested to participate,” Tobis said. This year, the festivities are expanding even further with a Joy Village Bazaar in the vacant space next door and Saul’s first off-site catering party, where the team will bring their fryer directly to a customer’s backyard.
Even as the event gets bigger, the heart of it remains the same: flickering lights on every table, hot latkes served straight from the fryer, and music drifting out through Shattuck Ave. “The annual Hanukkah meal is still a very beautiful thing … it’s just taken a different shape,” Perlmutter said.