Adesso: The Happiest Hour on Earth

The spread of free eats during the early-evening and late-night happy hours at Adesso (4395 Piedmont, Oakland) goes far beyond anything in SF proper. For the first two hours of business (5 to 7 Monday through Saturday), and then again for the last hour (10:30 to 11:30 Monday through Wednesday, 11 to midnight Thursday through Saturday), the buffet counter at the back of the room offers platters of house-made salumi and pâtés, panini, crostini, stuffed piadine (flatbreads), deep-fried croquettes, and salads.

This isn't one of those not-so-happy-hour deals where the food comes out once and disappears. The kitchen keeps it coming, constantly bringing out new items and replenishing old ones. In the course of an hour and a half at the bar, I sampled at least 20 different items, completely stuffed myself, and paid only my $12 bar tab. Quantity doesn't trump quality, either: this food is as good as you'll get at any Italian restaurant in Bay Area. If you've eaten at Adesso's parent restaurant, Dopo, you know what to expect.

Drink options (regular prices, no happy-hour discounts) include ten artisanal cocktails for $7-8, 30 highly various, generally excellent Italian wines by the glass for $5-15, and five beers, two local drafts and three Italian bottles, for $4. The delicious and food-friendly Red Seal Ale from North Coast Brewing is a great choice for tightwads.

Unfortunately, Adesso is a fairly inconvenient destination for carless SF residents: it's about a mile walk from the Rockridge BART station. Given its popularity, though, it seems like just a matter of time before SF restaurants start offering similar deals.