The Bay Area’s Essential Cozy Locales

The comforting multi-layered lasagnette at Collina, the younger sibling to Seven Hills on Hyde Street, is as delicious as it is ‘grammable. There are 50 alternating layers of a rich meaty Bolognese ragu sauce, toothsome housemade pasta, and a luscious béchamel sauce. It’s seared, so it’s crispy and served over a spinach cream sauce. This one’s a platelicker.

What does a Californian take on Japanese ramen look like? Let the Chez Panisse alums at Ramen Shop in Oakland show you. Specifically, go with the veggie meyer lemon shoyu ramen, which features a lighter broth base that satisfies yet won’t weigh you down. There’re plenty of hearty greens and vegetables to fill your bowl and stomach like zucchini, kale, and swiss chard, and know that the excellent noodles are made in-house.

There’s something about hitting up Schroeder’s after a long day at the office — being surrounded by fellow workers ready to end their day with a nice big boot of beer. It’s a collective energy. The move is to pair said boot with the jager schnitzel, a fried pork cutlet smothered with mushroom gravy, served with smashed potatoes along with sauerkraut and lingonberry jam perfect to cut through the richness.

You already know about the delicious duck at The Morris, but did you know they have a special off-menu burger Wednesdays only? It features a big thick eight-ounce patty made from beef ground in house, and is topped with a melty cheese raclette along with a creamy slightly oceanic lobster bearnaise sauce. Mop up the sauce that drips down with their excellent hand-cut fries.

Any of the oden dishes at Rintaro are wonderful, especially while sitting in the courtyard during a crisp fall night. A bowl comes with the steaming hot seasoned dashi along with your choice of items to fill out the bowl. But don’t miss the furofuki “bathing” daikon. It soaks up the delicate broth nicely and has a wonderful and pleasing soft yet firm texture when you bite into it.

There’s nothing quite like the fiery fare from Pim Techamuanvivit. Go during lunch, and get the big bowl of khao soi: it’s creamy, it’s coconut-y, it’s spicy, and has got that pop from pickled mustard greens and lime. Cool yourself down with a nice ice-cold cocktail.

Lolo has forever had some of our favorite chicken tinga. It’s smoky, savory and usually served as a tostada. But recently, they introduced it in quesadilla form (tingadilla?), just when you think a dish couldn’t get any better. Ask for a side of habanero salsa to really punch it up.

The lighting. The music. The playlist. There’s an unmistakable vibe at the Mission District pasta palace that is Flour + Water: It’s just got that magic, that special je ne sais quoi. Go with the pasta tasting menu and let the chefs take care of you. The only decision you’ll have to make is whether you will walk or roll home.

Beautifully blistered, leopard-spotted Neapolitan-style pies with that signature soft dough with a sour touch is what we love about Del Popolo. Sit at the counter surrounding the pizza oven and watch the pizzaiolo work their magic. That bright burst of goat horn peppers complements the savory salami piccante so nicely.

Oh how we do love that beautiful wooden bar at Brenda’s where we prop up both elbows, and go to town on some crispy fried chicken. Can’t go wrong with any of the sides, but may we suggest mac & cheese, collared greens, and red beans and rice to really round it all out?

Nothing warms the soul more than a bowl of seafood chowder at Bar Crudo. This is one of our favorite dishes in San Francisco — flakey fish, plump little pieces of shrimp, chewy squid, creamy potato, smoky bacon, and lots of cream — this is a heavenly marriage that soothes the soul.

Rustic yet modern farmhouse vibes permeate the space at Rich Table. We adore this restaurant so much for so many reasons, but these porcini doughnuts are hands-down one of our favorite dishes in San Francisco. The fluffy umami-forward doughnuts, the raclette dipping sauce. Any questions?

Can a salad provide coziness and comfort? Surely, especially when its topped with coins of warm baked goat cheese from Andante in Petaluma. This salad is iconic, as is the beautiful upstairs dining room at farm-to-table pioneer Chez Panisse.