Did you know that January is National Soup Month? Yeah, neither did I. I was on board for National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day, but didn't have any idea we had a whole month dedicated to soup. Luckily, and coincidentally, I've been celebrating it all month long.

Whether you're cooking at home or enjoying it at a restaurant, soup is the perfect winter food. Warm and soothing, it'll chase away a cold or help you defrost after a long day of sledding.

If you're making it at home, soup can be as complicated or as simple as you want to make it. Lately I've been experimenting with variations on a Thai soup called Tom Kha Gai, a delicious broth and coconut milk-based soup. Another favorite obsession has been my attempts to copy Grizzly Peak's Cheddar Ale soup. That quest has suddenly become much easier, as they have made their recipe available online.

No time/interest/inclination to make your own soup? Stuck downtown and looking for a warm bowl to get you through the day? Lucky for you, Ann Arbor is a town chock-full of soupy goodness.

Here's a down and dirty, totally incomplete, and somewhat biased list of downtown restaurants where I love to get my soup fix:

Le Dog - Don't let the name fool you. Jules Van Dyck-Dobos' carry-out restaurant does carry hot dogs, but he's truly all about the soup. Thursdays and Fridays are when you can find his legendary lobster bisque, but he's always got a broad selection of homemade soups ready to serve your lunch needs.

Jerusalem Garden - My coworkers here at AnnArbor.com positively swoon for J-Garden's lentil soup. Jen Eyer has discovered that it gets even better when you add Frank's Red Hot.

Grizzly Peak - Cheddar Ale soup. Do they have other soups? Maybe. But why would I ever go to Grizzly Peak and not order their Cheddar Ale soup?

Sava's - When researching this guide, I dropped by and talked to Sava's resident "soup connoisseur" Evan, who told me that they always have tomato bisque (which friends tell me is "velvetty") and one or two others, available to go or to eat in.

Seva - Another regular destination for my AnnArbor.com coworkers, and not just because of proximity. Cindy Heflin regularly raves about the creamy tomato soup, and suggests that readers also look out for their sweet potato-pear soup. "It's like dessert!" Their soup offerings change regularly, so it's good to call ahead and see what's cooking that day.

Prickly Pear - Three Mushroom Bisque might not fit in with their southwest cuisine theme, but the Prickly Pear has long been a lunchtime draw for me because of it. Rich and cheesy, it's a meal all by itself.

Café Verde - Wholesome, hearty, deliciousness. Soups from Cafe Verde get the Edward Vielmetti stamp of approval.

Café Japon - You can always find their miso soup and usually another rotating soup of the day. Do yourself a favor and try the cauliflower soup when it's on offer, and pair it with one of their baguettes. Heaven!

Marnee Thai - There are several soups on the menu, but by far my favorite is the Tom Kha Gai. You can get it with chicken or tofu and as spicy - or not - as you want. It's available a la carte or as a lunch special with a salad and spring roll.

Amer's Deli - You can choose from a rotating menu of soups, and usually at least half of the four choices are vegetarian.

Zingerman's Deli - Zingerman's offers a traditional Jewish chicken broth, to which you can add matzo balls, egg noodles or rice. They also make a delicious creamy tomato soup.

Café Zola - Another local restaurant whose creamy tomato soup is enthusiastically heralded by fans. I haven't sampled it yet, but have been urged - repeatedly - by friends to check it out.

Monahan's Seafood Market - Seafood chowder that will make your knees weak. Follow them on twitter to keep up with their daily specials.

Afternoon Delight - The default lunch choice for many of us at AnnArbor.com, Afternoon Delight always has a handful of homemade soups on offer, which you can pair with their salad bar if you're a little hungrier.

Red Hawk - The place to get your seafood gumbo fix downtown.

Even though I qualified this list by saying these were only downtown restaurants, I'd be remiss in not mentioning the excellent soups produced daily at Beezy's in Ypsilanti. You can check their Facebook updates, website, or Twitter feed for their soup offerings.

Chime in below with your favorite soup destinations. I'm still plotting out my lunch plans for the rest of the week, and am definitely in the mood to celebrate a little soup.

Jessica Webster oversees Food & Drink coverage on the Community Team for AnnArbor.com. Contact her at JessicaWebster@AnnArbor.com.