Best Hot Desserts In The North Bay

Sausalito's waterfront Barrel House Tavern lies in a historic building which once served as San Francisco's main ferry building. Today, the structure serves as a restaurant known for dishing up locally sourced comfort food. On the dessert menu, the tavern offers a variety of warm treats, including a classic crème brulee and warmed cookies served with organic milk. Most highly sought after, though, is likely the chocolate bread pudding which is served with whipped cream, chocolate sauce and a scoop of salted caramel ice cream.

Located in the West End Village of San Rafael, Whipper Snapper is a Latin American restaurant and sangria bar. Best known for fish tacos, the eatery has a surprisingly diverse and delicious dessert menu. Diners rave about the warm bread pudding, replete with bittersweet chocolate chunks, caramel sauce and vanilla custard. Another hot dessert option is the seasonal fruit cobbler with a brown sugar and oatmeal topping and vanilla ice cream. Fruit contents fluctuate throughout the year based on what is freshest and locally available.

Ristorante Allegria is one of the Napa Valley's top Italian restaurants. With a focus on Northern Italian cuisine, Allegria is open seven days a week and dishes up everything from pesto gnocchi to veal piccata. The dessert menu includes a number of hot options in addition to a selection of ports. Dessert lovers can choose from the refreshing lavender orange crème brulee, apple-berry fruit crisp or bread pudding with maple brandy sauce.

Located in Novato just off the freeway at the Inn Marin, Rickey's restaurant dishes up affordable old-school American food like BBQ ribs and grilled filet mignon. The restaurant's dinner menu includes a several hot dessert options, such as chocolate banana bread pudding and apple crisp with ice cream. Options may change according to what produce is freshest and in season. For those with sensitivities, many of the menu items at Rickey's can accommodate gluten-free diners.

Napa Valley's Mustards Grill has been serving up wine country California cuisine for over 30 years. Mustards is home to a two-acre organic garden which provides a majority of the restaurant's fresh produce including herbs, fruits, vegetables and flowers. The dessert menu offers a tantalizing lemon-time tart and butterscotch pot de crème. For a hot option, do not miss the ultra-rich warm chocolate hazelnut truffle tart.