Nojo Ramen Tavern

This Hayes Valley spot focuses on ramen with chicken-based broth, instead of the pork-based broth more commonly seen around town. The soup is so creamy you'll wish you could shrink yourself and take a calming bath in it. The noodles are thick and bouncy. The onion-packed chicken meatballs are stunners that soak up an impressive amount of soup. And there’s more than enough umami packed into every spoonful to make you forget that it's been a terrible week, or that fog has consumed the city for nine straight days. Another reason to love Nojo: it’s easy to walk in. So use this place for “I-need-to-cry-into-a-bowl” dinners or date nights when you didn't make a reservation.

photo credit: Brit Finnegan