Burdell is a fantastic soul food restaurant in Temescal that feels like an intimate family meal in the 1960s. Family photos hang by the host stand, vintage ovens are next to pews and cane-backed chairs, and groovy hits are on rotation. But at this dinner, the chef plays into nostalgia while challenging the idea of what soul food can be. There's a decadent chicken liver mousse spread over a wonderfully crispy cornmeal waffle, balanced and vinegary greens, and an impressive roast pork neck that cuts like a knife through butter. Service is unhurried, but embrace it and spend some more quality time with your tablemate over a bottle of a French white.
In the Bay Area, the word 'beignets' is synonymous with Brenda's. The soul food spot with an original location in the Tenderloin opened this bigger, brighter outpost in Temescal. The place is mobbed most weekend mornings with families devouring fried chicken on the patio and hungover friend groups debriefing over a flight of donuts. For an entree in between all of the powdered sugar and fried dough, go with the shrimp and cheddar grits, which are zhuzhed up by tomato-bacon gravy with a subtle kick.
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