Exploring the Bay Area

State Flour Pizza Walking down College Avenue in the Elmwood area, what at first appears to be a small hole-in-the wall place to grab pizza-by-the-slice turns out to have a a cozy upstairs eating area, perfect for diners wanting a restaurant environment for lunch or dinner.  My first experience with State Flour pizza was when I was looking for a mid-afternoon snack and stumbled upon a reasonably priced piece of pepperoni pizza, which I gratefully devoured. After that, I had it in my head that this was simply a place where you order at a counter in a small business and are given a small portion to eat at one of their few tables or take with you. I liked it, but I was surprised when my friends invited me there for dinner. I discovered that night that although they do offer takeout to people stopping by and those who order online, their second-story dining room upstairs offers an ideal restaurant experience.  My much-loved afternoon pizza stop turned out to become one of my favor...

Bobby G's Pizzeria  This pizzeria is a real find! I was walking by when I saw an advertisement for inexpensive pizza sold by the slice. Naturally, I decided to stop in.  The restaurant was dimly lit with lots of televisions for airing sporting events. One wall was green like part of the Italian flag, and there was some nice modern art, as well as some nice Cal regalia. The menu hung above the counter on chalkboards.  Looking at the menu, I discovered that they also sold whole pies, salads, pasta dishes, and paninis as well as a variety of alcoholic beverages. But I came to try the individual slice. I ordered and paid at the counter and then I chose a seat and waited for them to bring my pizza slice. When my slice first arrived, I was taken aback by how large it was! The price was so low that I was expecting something smaller. It was very attractive, and the server offered me parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes. It was served hot. The cheese was salty, hot and stretchy....

Caffe Chiave Caffe Chiave is a cute and homey Italian cafe overlooking San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley. The interior design has clearly been influenced by Italian style. Its design utilizes warm-colored wood and dark red trim, a color scheme that reminds the visitor that this is an Italian cafe. The cafe is not particularly large; it holds only about twenty small tables. This gives it a cozy feel. The speakers play instrumental music that sounds so Italian that it adds to the ambiance.  When you enter, you order and pay at a long wooden counter that bends slightly to conform to the shape of the room. It turns into a glass case showcasing beautiful cake, pies, and other artistically crafted sweets, and then a counter where you can get condiments and water. Behind that counter, you can see them make your order right then and there. You can hear the food sizzling as it is carefully prepared. Caffe Chiave serves as both a coffee shop and a restaurant. They sell coffee (including house dri...

Lucia's  Lucia's is a pizza joint in Berkeley known for providing an incredible dining experience. I came across it by word of mouth (a couple of my friends were crazy about the place), and when I went to check it out, I was blown away by the quality and quickly became a fan. Lucia's pizzeria is a high-end, semi-casual eatery dedicated to authentic Italian classics, like pastas and pizzas, as well as other Italian side dishes and appetizers. Even the salads are made with a signature Italian twist.  The dishes demonstrate incredible quality while adhering to traditional Italian recipes. Their culinary mastery is hard to beat. This is not your typical casual pizza joint. It is a sit-down restaurant with good service where you order off an extensive menu at your table, wait a fair bit of time for your dish to be prepared by trained chefs in the kitchen, are served at the table, and then when you are done, you pay at the table. The prices reflect that it is a high-end establish...

  Italian Homemade Few things are as enticing as warm, homemade pasta served fresh for a reasonable price. Italian Homemade has a customizable pasta experience unlike any other I've experienced in the area. You can pick your noodles, pick your sauce, and pick your add-ons.  The results are so delicious they are shocking. Every bite of pasta has recently been freshly made dough, rolled out and cooked to perfection in their own special kitchen. You can see where they roll the dough.  Meanwhile, the sauces are savory, warm, and satisfying.  They also have set menu items like lasagna, meatball platters and tortellini, which are also prepared fresh in their kitchen. If that's not your thing, they also have salads and flatbread sandwiches that are crowd pleasers.  This chain has multiple locations in the Bay Area. They do catering as well. I recommend this place because it is yummy and affordable. 

Marcella's Lasagneria Tuesday- Saturday 10 am to 2 pm 1099 Tennessee Street, San Francisco 415-920-2225 This restaurant is a place to try at least once!  Although it is a bit pricey, costing about $20 a plate, the food is definitely worth tasting, and the portions are big enough that the could be split between two diners. The menu consists of different types of.lasagna and other pasta dishes, all with a homemade and hearty flair. I have personally tied both the Abruzzo and Bolognese lasagna dishes. Served with bread and salad, these dishes were substantial, tasty, and satiating.  I can't think of many restaurants that pour that much effort into making a product that is of such high quality in terms of flavor and texture. At the same time, I have never eaten at a restaurant that served food that tasted so much like homestyle comfort food. The flavors are familiar, yet exquisite, making this restaurant a must-try.  The food is served warm, and created according to Marcella'...