Matt And Izzys Pub And Grub, Berkeley

As an establishment inspired by and named for the owners' children, Matt and Izzy's cooks up comfort food that many of its patrons grew up with. But those patrons don't necessarily have to hail from Berkeley to relate to the menu, because the restaurant also serves up Asian-style fare and American-household staples from Boston to Hawaii.

For its Asian food, it counts Korean-style chicken wings and crispy pork belly among its snacks, along with garlic noodles and shrimp fried rice among its greens and bowls. For its stateside cuisine, it whips up down-home sides like mashed potatoes, in addition to Cajun gumbo, seafood chowder, and fried chicken, a Southern favorite. It even pulls inspiration from far off the US mainland, creating its own version of locco mocco, a Hawaiian classic composed of a gravy-smothered hamburger patty and fried egg atop white rice—a dish which just might fuse together everyone's idea of a hearty homestyle meal.