Karen Palmer

A warm-up spot in the Haight.

When the winter chill rolls into Golden Gate Park, head to the Alembic, from the owners of the nearby Magnolia Pub & Brewery, for a little warmth. The bar was made from bleachers from the original Kezar Stadium (with seat numbers still visible), and the walls and floor were constructed from recycled materials (a 160-year-old Wisconsin barn and a 100-year-old Pennsylvania barn, respectively). The menu of small plates exudes homeyness too, with such “nibbles” as a crunchy risotto cake with shredded duck, and fried goat-cheese fritters.

Lately tea has appeared in everything from liqueur to ice cream to chocolate, but a few new eateries haven’t forgotten the simple pleasure of a steaming cup.

Lately it seems that tea is infused into everything, from liqueur and ice cream to chocolate, but a few new eateries haven’t forgotten the simple pleasure of sitting down to a steaming cup. Samovar Tea Lounge has opened a second location in Yerba Buena Gardens, with a menu that has traditional “queen’s” tea sandwiches. Poleng will wear the dual hats of daytime tea cafe and nighttime restaurant-cum–performance space in the Western Addition. At Hayes Valley’s Modern Tea, servers pair teas from around the globe with the mostly vegetarian, homey menu.

The best Pakistani lunch.On-a-budget, bare-bones Indian/Pakistani joints in the Tenderloin aren’t a novelty, but lunch at Punjab Kabab House is a godsend for indecisive diners. Punjab’s list of midday specials combines perennial favorites on one plate for hassle-free ordering: Select from the vegetarian (two vegetables of the day, such as spiced garbanzo beans and spinach with cubed farmer’s cheese), the “chef’s” (chicken tikka masala and a veggie) or the tandoori (a grilled tandoori chicken leg, a beef seekh kebab and, yes, a vegetable) combinations, among others.

Low-key Mexican in the Mission.At the “comida corrida,” or Mexican workers’ lunch, served Tuesday through Friday at Mission newcomer Regalito Rosticeria, working stiffs and dilettantes alike can enjoy an agua fresca, an entrée (we suggest the superlative roast chicken flavored with cumin, lime and chiles or the spice-rubbed pork cutlet) and a coffee or dessert for just $9.95. No matter what your post-lunch plans may be, it’s a solid way to refuel without draining your earnings.

More Pan-Asian in Cow Hollow.Cow Hollow’s fine-dining options continue to grow, thanks to Sustainable Restaurants (the partnership between Stryker Scales, Sam Josi and Vintage 415 that brought Mamacita to the Marina). Their second venture, pan-Asian boîte Umami, hits a sultry note with a low-lit bar stocked with sakes and curving rock gardens lining the upstairs dining room. The menu takes a something-for-everyone approach: There’s a well-edited selection of sushi, robata-grilled items (such as addictive wok-tossed spare ribs) and dim sum (the untraditional galangal duck okonomiyaki is a must) to start.

A recent spate of restaurant openings has made the Presidio more than just a place to jog or make movies.A recent spate of restaurant openings has made the Presidio more than just a place to jog or make movies. One of Lucasfilm’s buildings now houses Pres a Vi, an eclectic small-plates restaurant from the owners of Va de Vi in Walnut Creek; at the bottom of the Parade Ground, Laurent Katgely of Chez Spencer has opened the bistro La Terrasse. And in Building 563, a former barracks near the Lombard Gate, the Presidio Social Club has just opened, featuring an all-American-with-a-twist menu, a dining room with large palms and dark-brown leather banquettes and outdoor seating on the veranda.

Racking ’em up in the Richmond.

When someone mentions barbecue in the Richmond, spicy Korean pork bulgogi usually comes to mind. But with the opening of Roadside BBQ, locals can get a Southern-style fix. Joining Memphis Minnie’s as one of the few good old south-of-the-Mason-Dixon barbecue joints in town, Roadside serves up a fork-tender sliced Texas brisket, juicy Memphis-style pulled pork and rubbed-and-glazed baby-back ribs—all smoked over a combination of apple, hickory and mesquite woods for a strong smoky flavor.

Something's fishy in the Mission.With a name like Weird Fish, you’d expect this new Mission spot to have a wacky interior and an even wackier menu. Instead, the cozy restaurant is tame: A mermaid beckons from the door, and the narrow, dimly lit dining room is decked out with mirrors in heavy frames, chandeliers and a dark wooden bench running along one side. As for the menu, think New England. There’s clam chowder, as well as mini cocktails of Dungeness crab to start.