Chefs Embrace Prickly Nettles for Spring Dishes

The stinging plant adds a 'deeply herbal and slightly nutty flavor' to soups, risottos, and more at restaurants in Northern California.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 8:54pm

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A highly stylized, abstract silkscreen print featuring a single nettle leaf repeated in a grid pattern, rendered in bold, neon-like colors and heavy black outlines, conceptually representing the vibrant and versatile use of this seasonal ingredient in local cuisine.Chefs in Northern California are embracing the prickly nettle plant to add a unique 'deeply herbal and slightly nutty flavor' to their spring dishes.Bolinas Today

Chefs in Northern California, including those at renowned restaurants like Chez Panisse and Cotogna, are turning to nettles - a prickly plant that can grow up to six and a half feet tall - to add a unique flavor profile to their spring dishes. The leaves have a 'deeply herbal and slightly nutty flavor' when cooked, and chefs are using them in soups, risottos, pestos, and even pastries. While the plant's sting can be a hassle to work with, the chefs agree that the effort is worth it to capture the flavors of early spring.

Why it matters

Nettles are a seasonal ingredient that signal the arrival of spring for many chefs in Northern California. The plant's unique flavor profile and versatility allow chefs to create vibrant, flavorful dishes that celebrate the changing of the seasons. The popularity of nettles among these acclaimed restaurants also highlights the region's commitment to sourcing local, sustainable ingredients.

The details

Chefs like Amy Dencler at Chez Panisse and Michael Tusk at Cotogna are incorporating nettles into a variety of spring dishes. Dencler blends the tender leaves into a silky soup with onion and green garlic, or uses them in a verdant risotto with steamed clams and English peas. Tusk tops pizza with a nettle pesto made with green garlic, pine nuts, and Parmesan. The chefs source the nettles from local farms like Star Route and Fresh Run Farms. While the plant's tiny, hollow hairs can deliver a sting, the chefs say the 'peppery, grassy' flavor is worth the effort of working around the prickles, often by smashing or cooking the leaves to break down the hairs.

  • Nettle season is in the spring in Northern California.
  • Chefs start incorporating nettles into their menus as the weather warms up.

The players

Annabelle Lenderink

One of the farmers behind Star Route in Bolinas, California, who supplies nettles to nearby restaurants.

Amy Dencler

The chef at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California, who uses nettles in soups and risottos.

Melissa Perello

The chef at Octavia in San Francisco, who has layered sautéed nettles into Danishes for a bake sale.

Michael Tusk

The chef at Cotogna in San Francisco, who tops pizza with a nettle pesto.

Kim Alter

The chef of Nightbird in San Francisco, who folds nettle purée into milk bread dough.

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What they’re saying

“'Every time we work up a piece of ground, they come.'”

— Annabelle Lenderink, Farmer, Star Route

“'Nettles spark the beginning of spring for me — I'm tired of winter.'”

— Kim Alter, Chef, Nightbird

The takeaway

The embrace of nettles by acclaimed chefs in Northern California highlights the region's commitment to sourcing local, seasonal ingredients and celebrating the flavors of spring. The plant's unique taste profile and versatility allow chefs to create vibrant, flavorful dishes that capture the changing of the seasons.