West Berkeley’s warehouse district has long been known for high-end lumberyards, tile shops and other stores serving creative homeowners, a kind of D.I.Y. answer to the upscale showrooms of San Francisco’s Design District. Recently, the area’s large, relatively affordable spaces have begun attracting a different creative crowd: innovative culinary entrepreneurs looking to spread their wings. Even some big boys are jumping in. Last June, the Bay Area-based specialty chocolatier TCHO moved its headquarters to a 49,000-square-foot facility here. This new wave of good food purveyors is making the neighborhood a draw for foodies as well as design lovers.

Iyasare

The chef Shotaro Kamio opened this intimate spot in late 2013, inspired by the cuisines of Japan’s mountainous Tohoku region, where he grew up. The cod poached in sweet miso artfully balances buttery and delicate flavors.

1830 Fourth Street; 510-845-8100; iyasare-berkeley.com.

The Rare Barrel

In a warehouse fronted by a tasting room done up in white subway tile, this three-year-old brewery is one of a handful in the country dedicated solely to sour beer. The dry tartness serves as a backdrop for unusual flavorings like zesty lemon peel, grassy green tea or fresh raspberries, which come through with stunning clarity.