Pacific Heights Specialty

You’ll be hard-pressed to find anybody who’s more passionate about ice cream than the folks behind Smitten, who actually built and patented a completely new technology to make what they claim to be the smoothest ice cream in the world. They started in San Francisco, selling ice cream out of a little red wagon (seriously), and while they’re beloved in their hometown—there are locations in Pacific Heights, Oakland, Hayes Valley, and more—they’ve just expanded to LA with a shop in El Segundo (Silver Lake is opening soon).

The décor at Jane is adorably cozy, centering on a shiny red espresso machine and quietly elegant black-and-white wallpaper. The creative eye behind these subtle touches is interior designer Ken Fulk, who's known for some of the city's most beautiful restaurants. The menu is worthy of the décor, serving up homemade baked goods and Stumptown coffee alongside a lunchtime menu of sandwiches and salads. It's a pretty popular place and the line can get long, so show up early—and while there is free Wifi and you'll see laptops, it's more of a read-the-newspaper than a write-your-thesis kind of joint.

Jane is known for venturing beyond the expected coffee-and-pastry formula and providing locals with wholesome and delicious organic breakfast and lunch. The granola, which they sell in to-go jars, is particularly memorable. Owner Amanda Michael made it a point to make each of the two locations (there's also an outpost in the Tenderloin) as comfy and welcoming as possible, which explains why both are perpetually packed.

Jane is known for venturing beyond the expected coffee-and-pastry formula and providing locals with wholesome and delicious organic breakfast and lunch. The granola, which they sell in to-go jars, is particularly memorable. Owner Amanda Michael made it a point to make each of the two locations (there's also an outpost in the Tenderloin) as comfy and welcoming as possible, which explains why both are perpetually packed.