Exploring the Bay Area

Sara’s Southern Kitchen Coffee Shop Sara’s Southern Kitchen Coffee Shop is the most indulgent breakfast I’ve ever enjoyed. With bold, sweet, and savory flavors, it will make a trip to Los Gatos feel justified. If you’re nearby, I would stop in because it offers the type of blissfully sweet and buttery Southern breakfast that just needs to be devoured, alongside traditional savory options that bring about a certain type of nostalgia and longing for a faraway place. Owned by Sara Williams, this is a high-end take on a classic Southern breakfast/brunch. The food is uniquely decadent, delicious, and satisfying, making it one of the only places in the Bay Area to truly master the art of a classic Southern meal. Pay no attention to calories or health; this restaurant specializes in traditional, authentic Southern food served in massive portions. This is a culinary adventure that takes you to a different part of the country, and it should not be confused for a simple meal. The food here is ve...

Nola Located in the heart of downtown Palo Alto, Nola is a cozy Cajun-style restaurant with a thoughtfully curated menu of interesting food, drink, and dessert options that appeal to a wide variety of people. Sit inside the brick-lined dining room or outside on the sunny patio, and choose from New Orleans specialties like Cajun pasta, Southern comfort food like fried chicken and waffles, or common dishes like tacos, salads, and burgers. The food comes out looking beautiful. Each dish is masterfully crafted to embody sophistication, style, and taste. The result is a meal that is not only satisfying but also memorable. The dining area is dimly lit, giving off den-like vibes. The outdoor seating feels like downtown Palo Alto, California, in all its glory; it’s sunny and pleasant, surrounded by Californian businesses with Californian customers. But stepping inside, you find yourself feeling as though you’ve travelled far, far away. It’s a dim and cozy place with brick trimming and a firepl...

Homemade Cafe The Homemade Cafe is a small, charming, no-frills American diner in Berkeley where the food is simple and indulgent, reminiscent of old-fashioned Southern hospitality. Sitting at one of its tables, you can bite into the food, close your eyes, listen to the chatter of the other patrons and the clanking in the kitchen, and forget that you are, in fact, in an urban area in California; the vibes of a traditional small-town country eatery are that strong. It's not what you expect in this area, and yet it has a loyal following that keeps coming back for more. In my opinion, the members of this following have discovered something very valuable: a perfect homey cafe to dine in!  The menu is posted on the door on the way in. You will see a variety of dishes offered for relatively low prices. The Homemade Cafe has appealing sandwiches and salads, all made in that signature American country style. But the specialty is breakfast: eggs, waffles, pancakes, French toast, bagels, and...