Rich Table

After working at some of the best restaurants in New York and San Francisco (Bouley, Mas, Michael Mina and Quince among them), husband and wife team Rich and Sarah Evans opened their own place in trendy Hayes Valley—and quickly attracted an avid following.

The Evanses sought an earthy look to suggest dining in their home, and the resulting cozy space welcomes with coarse hardwood walls and exposed industrial lighting. The food, made with locally sourced ingredients, mixes comforting flavors with a sophisticated touch. Highlights of a recent dinner there were warm olives with the tangy lightness of preserved lemons, irresistible truffle pasta, and a slow-cooked pork belly with spring asparagus. The sugared donuts with bourbon cream were not as flavorful as I’d hoped, but the caramelized olive oil cake with fresh strawberries will keep me coming back for more.