Get cozy with it: East Bay dishes that will warm you from the inside out

The rainy season has arrived in the East Bay, and the holiday decorations are coming out to give us some light when the sun refuses to stay out past 4:30 pm. This all signals the time to grab every candle, blanket, and mug of piping hot liquid you have to stay warm, dry, and my personal favorite — cozy. But you don’t have to stay in your house or take a course in the Danish art of hygge to have all of your coziest desires come true. East Bay Nosh has gathered some of our go-to spots, dishes and drinks to stay comfy this winter. 

Friends and Family: “Hottie Toddy”

Soft lighting, quiet music, crayons and paper to draw on tables in the patio — these are some of the reasons that even without a hot drink, Friends and Family is the perfect spot to go get warm and snug. One of their most recent menu additions is the “hottie toddy,” back as of mid-November for another winter season. This drink has housemade apple 5 spice, amaro, lemon, and your choice of mescal, whiskey, rum, or non-alcoholic Amaro Lucano. As the Instagram post promoting the drink says, “Come get cozy ❤️‍🔥” 

Friend and Family: 468 25th St., Oakland; Monday through Saturday, 5-11 p.m.; friendsandfamilybar.com

Small Change Oyster Bar: Clam chowder

The coziest place to sit in this Temescal restaurant is the corner spot next to the window, it’s a little separated from the rest of the restaurant. If that’s already taken, try to grab a seat at the wooden stools at the raw bar to watch the oysters get shucked. Their clam chowder is served in a sturdy diner mug, an idea owner Branden Nichols had from when his mom used to give him soup in a mug when he was sick (doesn’t get much homier than that). Small Change’s chef, Peter Gutowski, described the chowder as aromatic, a cleaner style, and not very thick. “You can eat the whole mug by yourself and not feel weighed down,” Gutowski said.

Small Change Oyster Bar: 5000 Telegraph Ave., Oakland; Wednesday through Sunday, 5-9 p.m.; instagram.com/smallchangeoysterbar/

Chocolate Dragon offers a variety of hot chocolate flavors, including bittersweet, peppermint and spicy. Credit: Chocolate Dragon

Chocolate Dragon: Hot chocolate

Walking into Chocolate Dragon is like entering one of those animated cafes from a “soothing rain ambiance coffee shop” LoFi playlist on YouTube, except in real life. There’s dark brown wood everywhere, giving an almost academic library feel, and all types of chocolate line the walls, and dragon statues too. Every hot chocolate option is cozy, so you can’t go wrong, but the peppermint and spicy hot chocolates are favorites there this time of year. They also have a seasonal eggnog latte if chocolate isn’t your style. Make sure to get the homemade whipped cream that they plop into the center of your drink. Non-dairy options are available.

Chocolate Dragon: 5427 College Ave., Oakland; Tuesday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Sunday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; chocolatedragoncafe.com/

Vientian Cafe in Oakland’s Allendale neighborhood offers a range of Lao, Thai and Vietnamese soups. Credit: Vientian Cafe

Vientian Cafe: Noodle soups

Head to the family-owned Vientian Cafe to fill yourself with homie, piping hot noodle soups. The cafe has so many options such as Tom Yum, Tom Keung Nai (meat soup), or Om Kar Gai (Coconut chicken soup). Our personal favorite is the spicy Tom Zap, a Lao specialty that can be made with your choice of pork or beef. Even the façade of this restaurant is cozy, tucked into a green building on the corner of 38th and Allendale Avenue in the Laurel District, you’ll feel like you’re getting a home-cooked meal at a good friend’s house.  

Vientian Cafe: 3801 Allendale Ave., Oakland; Wednesday through Monday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; vientiancafe.com/

Homeroom: Choose your own mac & cheese

Homeroom just had to make this list. What puts people more at comfort than mac and cheese? At Homeroom, you don’t have to stick with just the plain old cheese, you can get chicken pot pie mac (which is described as having “major cozy vibes!” on the website), truffle mac, and elote mac, just to name a few of the many options which will keep you happy and full. If you want to eat it at home, you can stop by Homeroom To Go to eat it right from the comfort of your couch. 

Homeroom: 400 40th St., Oakland; Daily, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; 4007 Webster St., Oakland; Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to midnight; 1313 Ninth St., Suite 130, Berkeley; Daily, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; homeroom510.com/

El Chaparro in Richmond is known for its tender, Hidalgo-style lamb barbacoa served with consome. Credit: Joel Umanzor

El Chaparro: Lamb barbacoa with consomé

This Richmond eatery might not be the classic cozy spot with cafeteria-style seating, but the cuteness of the logo, a smiling fluffy lamb going into the pot, already adds to the comfort you’ll find inside. Some handwritten additions around the menu also add to the homey feel. Their signature Hidalgo-style lamb barbacoa served with perfectly spicy, rich consomé will be sure to give you that warm feeling that you’re searching for, even as an atmospheric river dumps buckets of rain outside. 

El Chaparro: 1087 23rd St., Richmond; Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; yelp.com/biz/el-chaparro-richmond-2