About Us

Chef/Owner Wendy Brucker and I wanted to open a restaurant together when we first met in 1986.  We wanted it to be a personal expression of us, the owners, like trattorias and bistros in Italy and France.  We married in 1991, and honeymooned on the Rue de Rivoli in Paris and thought Rivoli was a lively and lyrical name for a restaurant.  It was also the Italian town where Napolean defeated the Austrians, so there was a French-Italian connection, like the food we wanted to offer.  We had a name and an idea and with a little luck the Solano spot sort of found us.  The space was just a converted office building but we were charmed by the secret garden out back where a family of feral cats had taken residence but tolerated local skunks, raccoons and possums.  We had 25 credit cards and a few thousand dollars.  We did all the repair work ourselves (with a few friends—thanks, Pete, Will and Eli!), slapped some bright colors on the walls, opened for business and hoped for the best.

Working with very limited resources and an awkward space we opened February 1, 1994 to encouraging reviews.  We received Three Stars from the Chronicle in the Pink Section March 20th and were packed through the summer (thanks Michael Bauer!).  We received “Best Newcomer” award from Focus Magazine and “Best New Restaurant” from Bay Food Magazine, beating out Boulevard and Rubicon.  In 1995, we earned a review in Gourmet, and have also been featured as a Berkeley culinary landmark in the New York Times and L.A. Times. 

With a few years of capital under our belts we hired an interior designer to help remodel the restaurant in 1998.  We added a comfortable and sleek wine bar, a temperature-controlled red wine cellar and a contemporary design.  We’ve been selected for the “Top 100 Restaurants” list in the Chronicle every year since we’ve been open, and most gratifyingly, we’ve recently earned 27 points for food from Zagat, putting us on par with Chez Panisse.  That’s good company.

Chef/Owner Wendy Brucker has trained extensively at top restaurants in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, including the famous and influential Ernie’s, Square One and Stars.  Her formal education was completed at the California Culinary Academy.  She earned her first Chef position at City Restaurant in Los Angeles in 1990.  She was then the Executive Chef at the Shattuck Hotel’s The Dining Room in Berkeley.  In 1992, Wendy was recognized as a “Rising Star Chef” in the San Francisco Chronicle.  I oversee the front of house operations and write the wine list.  I learned service at Masa’s and wine from reading, tasting and Square One. 

Our staff is dedicated and professional.  Our Chef de Cuisine, William Weber, not only helped us build the restaurant but has been the backbone of our kitchen staff for ten years.  We have employees who opened the restaurant with us in 1994 and still tolerate us as their employers.  Most of our cooks have formal training and all are committed to the culinary arts.  The floor staff is our saving grace.  Our guests are always heartened to see the same familiar faces even when it’s been a while since they’ve last dined with us.  We are honored and humbled to have such a committed staff.

But we are only here because of our loyal customers, who’ve stuck with us through bad rooms and bad nights and always pushed us to be better.  Thank you for welcoming us into your community and hearts.

Roscoe Skipper
Owner/General Manager