Slurp: These 7 Bay Area restaurant soups are getting us through winter

Tender vegetables, golden broth, maybe some chicken.

A good bowl of soup is one of the most satisfying eating experiences, especially on these chillier winter days. And these seven bowls of comfort — from Noodle Theory’s kicky beef udon to Wise Sons Deli’s classic matzo ball — keep calling us back. So we thought we’d share.

Happy February.

Tofu Noodle Soup, Onigilly: This silky, shiitake-based soup may sound less exciting than the Japanese eatery’s zosui, a miso-based brown rice soup, but trust us: The low-carb former is a surprisingly complex slurper. Thin, slippery ribbons of tofu shirataki noodles are nestled in a light miso broth that gets its sweet-ish umami flavor from minced mushrooms, wakame seaweed, kizami nori, sesame and green onion. You can add chicken or spicy bacon, but why? Details: $8.50. Locations in Walnut Creek, Palo Alto, San Mateo, Santa Clara and San Francisco; www.onigilly.com

Caldo Tlalpeño, La Piñata: If you’re craving a homemade chicken-vegetable soup but you’d like a little kick with it, give this chipotle chicken version a try. The classic recipe originated in Tlalpan, just outside Mexico City. La Piñata’s meal-in-a-bowl is packed with all-white chicken meat, zucchini, garbanzos, carrots and potatoes and served with a side of rice and avocado slices. They call the bowl sizes “small” and “large” but they are really “huge” and “huger.” Details: Prices vary by location; ours was $10.99 in Fremont. Other locations in Hayward, San Leandro, Concord and Pittsburg. www.lapinatarestaurants.com

Seafood Chowders, Scott’s Chowder House: The Scott’s Seafood folks in San Jose decided to spin off their creamy, popular Boston Style Clam Chowder into a casual cafe concept, adding Manhattan Style, Smoked Salmon Chowder, Lobster Bisque and Seafood Gumbo — all made with seafood sourced from Today’s Catch or the Monterey Fish Co. Try the salmon one, with a hint of Cajun spice, or the tomato-y Manhattan, with clams, carrots and celery. Details: $11 cups, $13-$15 bowls. Two San Jose locations, 200 S. First St. and 111 W. St. John St., and in San Francisco at 334 Grant Ave. www.scottschowderhouse.com

Beef Udon, Noodle Theory: If the turmeric-yellow hue of this elevated udon soup doesn’t wake you up, the lip-smacking housemade coconut lime curry broth definitely will. Chef-owner Louis Kao’s spicy, simmered broth, perfectly grilled meat and snappy bok choy make for a very satisfying wintery meal. Best part? The Moraga location sells this and four other take-home broths, including chicken pho and pork miso, to play with. Just add noodles and slurp away. Details: $17. Locations at 376 Park St., Moraga, and 6099 Claremont Ave., Oakland; www.noodletheory.com

Ramen, Hiroshi Ramen: We won’t tell you what to order — ramen is a very personal thing — but  this rapidly-expanding little East Bay ramen shop excels at every style, from shoyu to yuzu. All bowls are made with organic free-range chicken, pasteurized Jidori eggs, local produce and noodles made in house. The signature Hiroshi Tonkotsu Ramen has pork bone broth simmered for 16 hours and topped with braised Berkshire pork belly slices, marinated soft-boiled egg, lotus root, black mushroom, bamboo shoot and pickled red ginger. Perfection Details: $14-$16. Locations in San Ramon, Alameda and Walnut Creek; https://ramenhiroshi.com

Matzo Ball Soup, Wise Sons Jewish Deli: The OG of Bay Area Jewish deli food readily admits that its matzo ball soup is not as good as your Bubbe’s. But it’s pretty close: Light golden broth  made from chicken bones, onions, carrots, celery ribs, garlic, bay leaves, parsley, thyme and peppercorns. And there are just four ingredients in that baseball-sized matzo ball: Schmaltz, seltzer, eggs and Streitz’s matzo meal. We even have the recipe here. Details: $9.50 for a bowl. Locations in Oakland, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Francisco and Lafayette; www.wisesonsdeli.com

Beef Pho, Pho Huynh Hiep (Kevin’s Noodle House): Like ramen, Vietnamese pho is a deeply personal experience. Your favorite pho likely comes from the restaurant around the corner. This Bay Area shop, with six locations from Daly City to Concord, consistently nails the deeply aromatic broth, accompanied by mounds of fresh produce, perfectly sliced brisket and flank steak. Customize as you like, and choose from three sizes: Small, medium and large. Details: Starts at $9. Locations in Daly City, Walnut Creek, Concord, Oakland and San Francisco. https://kevinsnoodlehouse.com