📍 Added in June: This Chinatown hotspot is the rare trendy restaurant that lives up to the hype, both in terms of the vibes (a mix of down-to-earth service and ’90s Cantopop nostalgia) and the food. Every dish on the menu sounds so appealing, it’s easy to over-order. But at Four Kings, you want to be excessive—to cover the table with plates of sinus-clearing hot mustard jellyfish salad, “typhoon”-style soft-shell crab bedecked with crispy garlic, and the most succulent fried squab in the Bay.

📍 Added in June: The Bay Area’s only soft-serve ice cream drive-thru is easy to spot: Just look for the line of cars queued up underneath a glowing “MILK” sign, or the dozens of customers standing under a series of colorful umbrellas suspended in the air. What I love about Meadowlark is basically everything: the richness of the soft serve, the brisk efficiency of the teen workers, that a small cone costs $3.50. My favorite flavor? The tangy, refreshing vanilla-pineapple swirl.

📍 Added in June: Middle East Market is worth visiting just for its baklava, jarred pickles, and giant sheaves of puffy Afghan bread. Its biggest selling point, however, is that it doubles as one of the area’s most comforting Persian restaurants. The kebabs, served over perfect saffron rice, always hit the spot—especially the juicy, well-seasoned koobideh. And I adore the homey, slow-simmered stews, including a tangy, herbaceous beef ghormeh sabzi I find impossible to stop eating.

📍 Added in June: Mujiri made a name for itself during the dismal early days of pandemic lockdown, when its cheerful, tidily packaged nigiri bento boxes became my treat-yourself staple. These days, the tiny sushi counter also offers fun daily specials (like negi-toro hand rolls) for dine-in customers. But at $25 for seven supremely fresh-tasting nigiri and six maki, those bentos remain a luxurious bargain—especially since you can choose premium cuts, like toro or amberjack, for no up-charge.

📍 Added in June: The best-kept secret in Marin County is a windowless, anonymous-looking card room and sports bar in San Rafael. Inside, amid the felt-lined poker tables and Dubs fans throwing back cold PBRs, you’ll find some of the best bar food around. The headliner is the Thursday prime rib special—a succulent, well-marbled bargain at $26. But other dishes are just as tasty: flawlessly crunchy buffalo wings, top-tier onion rings, and a Juicy Lucy burger that oozes blue cheese.

If you rated Bay Area restaurants on the ratio between culinary ambition and effort put into self-marketing, one of the top spots would have to go to this little takeout lunch spot with no signage and nearly no social media presence — even its name is just the street address. But the quality of 2207’s fried chicken, patty melt, and yakiniku-inspired ribeye donburi speaks for itself. My go-to order? An impeccably fresh grain salad topped with crisp-skinned harissa chicken.

What’s not to love about a friendly, family-run Thai Chinese spot that cranks out solid renditions of at least three different cuisines and stays open until 1 a.m. to boot? Located across the street from a casino and just minutes away from the airport, A One is the ideal late-night restaurant, known for flavorful Thai curries and stir-fries spiked with Malaysian shrimp paste. Mostly, I come for one of the most addictingly savory, decadent versions of garlic-butter crab around.

A thousand times tastier than a sad desk salad, the bento boxes from this little fermented foods shop are the most wholesome lunch option within walking distance of my office. I love the colorful array: the raw, cooked, and pickled veggies; the fluffy rolled omelet; the sweet bite to finish. Marinated in shio koji, the protein options (I love the salmon) are extra tender and savory. And the cup of homestyle miso soup on the side? The best part of the whole meal.

My favorite Eritrean breakfast spot is this humble coffee shop locally famous for its shihan ful, a garlicky, olive oil–slicked fava bean dip that you scoop up with hunks of warm, crusty French bread. It’s a rich dish, spiked with enough berbere and fresh jalapeño heat to leave your tongue tingling. In fact, Alem’s dominates the entire category of foods you can mop up with crusty bread: The Eritrean-style egg scramble and the fata (a spicy bread salad) are also outstanding.

The family that runs Antojitos Guatemaltecos got their start selling tamales from the trunk of their car, so it’s no surprise that exquisitely tender, banana leaf–wrapped renditions of this Central American staple are the star of their new restaurant. This is a rare destination for homestyle Guatemalan cooking in the Bay Area: seared steak and plantains over rice, hot mugs of atole de elote, and perfectly seasoned Pollo Campero–style fried chicken.

The joys of this 24-hour Indian market include its sweets displays, tidy produce bins, and free chai while you shop. But the biggest selling point? The hot food counter, featuring a dazzling array of vegetarian curries and chaat that hit the spot at any time (literally). The vibes are especially immaculate around midnight, when the outdoor tables throng with hungry night owls stuffing themselves with generous thali platters, bite-size puri puffs, and fat, well-spiced samosas.

This old-timey market in coastal Pescadero is the ideal pit stop for beach-day picnic supplies—thick deli sandwiches, artichoke salsa, artichoke cream cheese, and artichoke sausages. (Notice a theme?) The showstopper is the crunchy-tender garlic-herb artichoke bread, which has big chunks of artichoke heart baked in. Rip into the loaf while it’s still warm or, even more decadent, buy a half-bake and smear the whole outside with garlic butter before finishing it in the oven.

Generic strip mall vibes notwithstanding, Ari is one of the only Bay Area spots specializing in tempura—tendon (“ten-dōn”) tempura rice bowls, specifically. A luxe version features soft-shell crab and a soft-boiled egg, but even the basic bowls are a treat: sublimely crunchy tempura (I love the eggplant and shishito pepper) that’s an ideal match for rice, soy sauce, and various pickled things. If you’re feeling flush, round out the meal with a plate of thickly sliced sashimi.

Pastry wonks have long flocked to the original Arsicault in the Inner Richmond for its immaculately flaky butter croissants and melty, still-warm chocolate croissants. The bakery’s newer Civic Center location is superior in a couple of key ways: Instead of a 30-minute wait, you’ll often find no line whatsoever. Even more important, this shop is the only one that sells the bakery’s best item: the Parisian-style ham sandwich on crusty, butter-slathered baguette. Sublime.

Picturesque Half Moon Bay is dotted with quaint seafood shacks, but where Barbara’s sets itself apart is the cooks’ skillful hands with the deep fryer: The tempura batter on the fish and chips is some of the lightest and crispiest I’ve had, and the fish comes out impeccably moist. Even better: the hot, juicy fried artichoke hearts, served with a side of ranch. The line gets intense during peak hours, but the pretty beach right outside makes for an easy way to pass the wait.

This Daly City staple is my favorite kind of hidden treasure: a takeout counter tucked inside an anonymous-looking convenience store on a quiet residential street, slinging food that’s 100 times better than it has any business being. Homestyle Korean barbecue is Bart Grocery’s claim to fame, and dollar for dollar, the generous—and outrageously delicious—galbi (beef short rib) plate, packed in a tidy bento box with japchae and white rice, might be the best deal in town.

A San Francisco classic since 1962, this retro burger shack is as good as ever—better, actually, since a menu revamp a decade ago. First-timers can follow the lead of the swarms of teens who hang out in the parking lot at all hours of the night, going to town on the juicy, well-charred cheeseburgers (one of the city’s best in the no-nonsense fast-food style) and thick chocolate shakes. But it’s all good here: Even the chicken nuggets are fried to an immaculate crunch.

For the best handmade pasta in the East Bay, you can try snagging a reservation at Belotti’s beloved main restaurant—or, failing that, you can do as I do: stroll into its casual sister “bottega,” a cozy pasta deli on Piedmont Ave. Grab a window stool and, minutes later, dive into a bowl of world-class spaghetti with burrata or plump, postage-stamp-shaped agnolotti, which come glossed with a velvety beef reduction. The smell alone is enough to drive you wild.

The fact that Ben’s isn’t recognized as one of Oakland’s best Chinese restaurants is probably a product of its offbeat location in the Jack London produce district. But the area’s stevedores and warehouse workers adore the short and sweet menu of Cantonese take-out standards. The David Special is my desert-island lunch: a wok-cooked shrimp-and-beef omelet over rice that’s pitch-perfect delicious, topped with the most addicting black bean chili sauce in town. Cash only.

Bluebird has the rare distinction of being both universally beloved by everyone in its immediate community and criminally underrated—rarely mentioned in media roundups of top pizza spots. But if you grew up, as I did, on East Coast slice-shop pizza, Bluebird’s New Jersey–inflected pies are second to none: tangy-sweet red sauce, A1 toppings, and deeply flavorful, crunchy-bottomed crust. Try the rectangular, basil-and-ricotta-topped grandma pie, and save room for the cannoli.

The enigmatic sign above this strip-mall liquor store just says “Bottles,” revealing nothing of the treasures hidden within. Yes, it’s a wine and craft beer shop, but it also sells Indian groceries and custom-fitted saris, and the bustling sports bar in back serves some of the East Bay’s tastiest Punjabi food: rich, intricately spiced lamb biryani; tongue-scorching saag paneer; and thick, fluffy rounds of naan. Add a cold microbrew, and you’ve got an elite game-day spread.

Don’t be fooled by the white tablecloths: This Concord churrasco house is the East Bay’s foremost temple of unbridled carnivorous hedonism. Amid the parade of affable meat carvers, the tastiest cuts are the garlic steak and the picanha (the beefy, well-marbled king of Brazilian barbecue). Like any other all-you-can-eat spot, the salad bar is a danger zone to the value-conscious—but you won’t be able to resist the feijoada and the bouncy cheese bread known as pão de queijo.

For anyone under the delusion that Brazilian food is all açaí bowls and barbecue buffets, I submit Brasil Bistro. The sunny El Cerrito café’s savory pastries and homestyle lunch specials (say, Brazilian-style pot roast or sausage-studded feijoada) are my go-to mid-workday treat. It’s also home to maybe the best $20 steak plate in the East Bay: two slabs of well-charred picanha with a thick, luxurious fat cap—plus rice, plantains, toasted cassava flour, and soupy stewed beans.

This 24-hour Filipino diner tucked inside the Lucky Chances casino is one of the Bay Area’s most nostalgic spots. Part of the charm is that it gets more crowded and chaotic the later past midnight you go. But the food isn’t just good enough for 2 a.m.: Café Colma’s rich oxtail kare-kare, crackly skinned crispy pata, and buttery garlic rice plates can all go toe-to-toe with any version in the Bay. Whatever the time of day, save room for the decadent, bright purple halo-halo.

Modeled after the little Western-style breakfast stalls found in nearly every neighborhood in Taiwan, Cafe Mei is the Bay Area’s only spot for Taiwanese breakfast sandwiches—tidy triple- and quadruple-decker sandos stacked, variously, with pork floss, tomato, sliced cucumber, sweet mayo, fried egg, and marinated pork patty. For homesick Taiwanese, one of these beauties (or, just as good, the egg-topped breakfast burger), washed down with sweet soy milk, is pure nostalgia.

If there’s no such thing as a perfect restaurant, explain this gem of a strip mall Viet-Cajun spot that serves the freshest crawfish boil in town until 4am every night. Cajun Bistro has that bare-bones, “hanging out in your mom’s basement” vibe I happen to love, but it’s the pristine head-on shrimp and crawfish and the creamy, addictively garlicky “Sweet California” sauce that keep me coming back. Add some of the tastiest crab-infused bun rieu in town, and you’ve got a winner.

The most micro shop in a complex of chic microbakeries, this cozy hideaway is tucked away in an alley and open just three days a week. The specialty here is chonky, elegant, soft-centered cookies: black sesame “Oreos,” Earl Grey cookies crowned with Meyer lemon curd. Each one I try becomes my new favorite—though it’s hard to top the toasty, brown-buttery goodness of the walnut chocolate chip. Planning a posh wedding? These are the cookies to order in bulk for the goodie bags.

Ever since Saigon Harbor closed, I’ve been looking for a go-to everyday dim sum house in the East Bay—one that nails the standards without the hourlong waits (and steep prices) of the most famous options. Enter Creek House, a family-run spot that hits it out of the park with tender rice rolls, sugar-crusted roast pork buns, and plump, bouncy har gow. No pushcart service, but fun chef’s specials like the addicting salt-and-pepper fried eggplant more than make up the difference.

Michelin-starred tasting menus are fine and all, but what I really love is the deliciousness you stumble upon at the liquor store at 11 p.m.—say, the soul food plates at this joint in a corner store. Come for the succulent, well-seasoned wings and pork chops smothered in brown gravy so savory it makes you want to scarf down a boatload of rice. Stay for the even better sides: golden-brown mac ’n’ cheese; potent, potlikker-soaked greens; and gloriously liver-flecked dirty rice.

Is there a restaurant in the Bay Area that smells more like Taiwan than this Cupertino noodle shop? The moment I walked in, the smell of lu wei five-spice braised appetizers hit me like a tidal wave of nostalgia—and that was before I’d bitten into the soft tendon in the signature 18-hour beef noodle soup. Duan Chun Zhen is all about options: three types of house-made noodles, a multitude of broth styles. Whatever you do, don’t sleep on the homey pork chop fried rice.

One of just a handful of real-deal Mongolian restaurants in the Bay, Dumpling House excels in the cuisine’s hearty, wheat-based classics—tsuivan, or handmade noodles stir-fried until they go crispy at the edges, and the juicy, rustic soup dumplings known as buuz. You won’t find buffet-style teppanyaki here. Instead, call a couple hours ahead and order the khorkhog, a.k.a. the real Mongolian barbecue: a hunk of lamb pressure-cooked over hot rocks in its own meaty juices.

E Plus serves the best Hong Kong–style Cantonese food in the vicinity of SFO, but you aren’t allowed to dine inside—that is, unless you’ve booked a session in one of their private karaoke rooms. Singing the night away has never been this delicious, especially if you’re fond of fried pork cutlets over spaghetti and well-charred beef chow fun. My favorite is the fried chicken cartilage (like crispy five-spice-dusted popcorn chicken, with a bit of extra texture as a bonus).

Lots of restaurants rate spicy dishes on a five-chili scale, but Egglicious’ menu is the first I’ve seen that has a five-egg scale. Drawing on Western Indian street food traditions, the Bay Area’s first “eggetarian” Indian restaurant’s most audacious dishes are miracles of creative egg cookery: the garlicky four-egg Chef Special, with its multiple yolk-thickened gravies, or the three-egg gotala, in which hard-boiled eggs are grated so thinly they resemble shredded cheese.

Eggy’s might be the most popular of the five or six trendy brunch spots that opened in Berkeley the last couple of years, with hourlong lines that wrap around its outdoor courtyard every weekend, rain or shine. The food is worth it, especially if you lean into the Mexican American fusion dishes like the birria dip or the tres leches French toast. My go-to is the fried chicken Benedict—the perfect union of crisp waffle, juicy thigh meat, and tangy-hot buffalo hollandaise.

Some eight years after I first wrote about this Fruitvale staple, El Paisa remains my platonic ideal of a taqueria—the kind of no-frills spot that only cares about cooking every meat to juicy, chin-dripping perfection. There are no bad tacos here, but El Paisa is an especially great place to luxuriate in the less-common offal cuts like tripa (beef tripe) and buche (pig stomach). If you can take the heat, doctor up your plate—carefully, though—at one of the spiciest salsa bars in town.

Emmy’s is everyone’s favorite old-school red-sauce joint in the Mission, with its dive bar ambience, kids-eat-free Tuesdays, and outlandishly delicious meatballs. I especially love those meatballs nestled inside a Parm hero on the weekend late-night menu—a marvel of vodka sauce, pesto, stretchy cheese, and toasty sesame bread. To complete your classic night at Emmy’s, don’t forget the oozy, mozzarella-stuffed cauliflower balls and a side of the saucy, comforting spaghetti.

Wild cross-cultural mashups are a hallmark of Bay Area food, and this weekend-only barbecue spot is among the tastiest, most audacious examples. Maybe the only restaurant in the world specializing in “Indo-Tex” cooking, Fikscue slings jiggly, smoke-kissed brisket and beef ribs that are pure Texas, then pairs them with Indonesian sides like nasi goreng and creamed-kale curry. The combination is ingenious—and also feels like the most natural thing in the world.

There are few pleasures more rewarding than a stack of pork and chicken skewers from Fil-Am Cuisine, Daly City’s people’s choice for Filipino barbecue for more than 20 years. The line often stretches halfway around the block, everyone drawn in by the intoxicating smell of well-charred meat. It’s for good reason Fil-Am’s grilled meat sticks are a staple at picnics and potlucks: The portions are generous, the tender meat is saucy without being too sweet, and the prices can’t be beat. Cash only.

This classic Sonoma coast seafood shack serves the perfect beach day lunch: a dozen sweet, plump Tomales Bay oysters on the half shell and a generous, aioli-slicked Dungeness crab sandwich. Fisherman’s Cove doubles as a bait-and-tackle shop, with few amenities beyond a couple of outdoor picnic tables. Still, I make a point of bundling up to visit during wintertime, when the local crabs are fresh and sweet and the creamy, bacon-studded clam chowder is especially satisfying.

Fox and Lion is your prototypical Bay Area indie bakery, with its vegan-friendly, vaguely punk-rock vibe. It’s also the rare SF lunch spot where you can get a sandwich, drink, and giant cookie for $15. The sandwiches are like what you’d find at a Paris boulangerie—good, chewy baguette, high-quality deli meats, and, often, some off-beat veggie component (e.g., tapenade or marinated artichokes). As for the enormous, crunchy-soft chocolate chip cookies? They’re simply perfect.

Freddie’s doesn’t make it into the tourist guidebooks, but for the two years I worked down the street from this North Beach institution, it was my most indispensable lunchtime staple. Mind you, this isn’t the kind of trend-conscious delicatessen where the sandwiches have cutesy names. But I could never tire of the shop’s unimpeachable egg salad sandwich and its decadently meat-packed old-school Italian combo—both available on high-quality San Francisco–style Dutch crunch.

Just blocks from the trendy boutiques of Valencia Street, Gallardo’s is a relic of a mostly bygone era of the Mission: a laid-back, inexpensive spot catering to local Latino families. The restaurant is king of the old-school Mexican combo plate: flautas or chiles rellenos piled onto huge portions of rice and refried beans. But the real stars are the soups—menudo, lamb birria, and my rainy-day special of choice: hearty, steaming-hot caldo de res with all the fixins. Cash only.

Everyone needs a good all-purpose Korean restaurant in their rotation, equally fluent in “KFC,” banchan, barbecue, and bone-intensive soups. For me, Gangnam Tofu is that versatile, reliable friend. I’ve never had a bad dish here, but the fried chicken (especially the soy-garlic popcorn chicken) and crisp-bottomed seafood pancakes are particularly tasty and generous. And I crave the cozy, bubbling-hot soft tofu stews anytime I’m slightly under the weather.

A solo lunch at the shiny new Bernal Heights outpost of my favorite Chinatown butcher shop yielded some of the tastiest Cantonese barbecue I’ve ever eaten. Did the elegant dining room and sweet, attentive waitstaff help elevate the experience? Maybe. But I credit the power of old-school cooking mastery—for the pork belly’s flawless, crackly skin and the lusciousness of the deboned roast duck, served with a drizzle of warm au jus. The taste has lingered in my memory for months.

Golden Boy’s idiosyncratic, crunchy-bottomed focaccia pizza is a San Francisco treasure, especially if you find yourself hungry and slightly intoxicated in North Beach at 10 o’clock on a Friday night. The stupendously garlicky clam-and-garlic slices are Bay Area pizza canon, but don’t sleep on the plain cheese or pepperoni, whose simplicity accentuates a Golden Boy pie’s deepest virtues: its robust red sauce and the lightest, airiest crust in all the land. Take-out only.

Good to Eat’s first claim to fame is its delicate and crisp-bottomed pot stickers, which are always worth ordering. But as the Bay Area’s most audacious ambassador for regional Taiwanese cooking, the restaurant has evolved to become much more than a dumpling joint. I can’t resist the funky, fermented tofu–tossed Fu-Ru Fried Chicken, and the seasonal specials list is full of surprises, like whole eggplants that have been butterflied, lightly fried, and glazed with sweet soy paste.

Peking duck at Great China has been my daughter’s birthday dinner of choice for years running, and for good reason: The duck’s crispy skin and succulent flesh are second to none. Even beyond the one standout dish, this is a first-ballot hall of fame Chinese spot for its whole lineup of elegant Shandong fare: earthy cumin lamb; slippery, wasabi-spiked “double skin” noodles; and one of my favorite Korean-Chinese jjajangmyeon. The legendary Burgundy collection is the cherry on top.

As a connoisseur of fine gas station eats, I’m happy to report that this Yemeni take-out window is the near pinnacle of the form. While Halal King grills up perfectly tasty kebabs and shawarma, the kitchen’s real strength lies in the soupy, herbaceous stews of Yemeni home cooking—soul-warming, fenugreek-infused salta and well-spiced fava bean dip (a.k.a. foul). My favorite is the chicken mendi: half a spectacularly succulent and crisp-skinned roast chicken over rice.

A hidden gem of the Bay Area’s small but mighty West African food scene, this little Nigerian takeout spot is known for its smoky, tomato-tinged jollof rice—a spicy-savory version that’s exceedingly difficult to stop eating, whether you order it with stewed oxtails, fried fish, or even plain sautéed kale. I also have a soft spot for the pressed tiger nut juice and the Indomie jollof, a super-comforting plate of spice-tossed instant noodles topped with eggs and fried plantains.

The only problem with Jubba, the Bay Area’s only Somali restaurant, is that it serves too many delicious things for a single diner to eat, starting with the immaculately crispy, spice-forward sambusas. For your entrée, get any of the suqaars (I favor the goat cutlet)—an absurdly delicious tamarind-based stir-fry with onions, peppers, water chestnuts, and baby corn. They’ll ask if you want it with chapati or herbed rice. Go ahead and get both: Jubba leftovers are spectacular.

This adorable market-deli not only stocks a well-curated selection of snacks and prepared foods (ramyun kits, kimbap, and all kinds of banchan), but it also low-key has one of the East Bay’s prettiest tree-lined patios. The best time to come is weekday lunch, when they offer a luxurious bapsang set menu: rice, side dishes, and your choice of both entree and soup—say, two crisp, grilled whole Spanish mackerels and a wonderfully rustic, veggie-laden beef doenjang stew.

Whenever I pass through Santa Clara’s sprawling, suburban-strip-mall Koreatown, Kunjip’s laser-focused menu calls out to me like a siren’s song: only about a dozen dishes total, almost all of them soups or stews. The spicy-sweet galbi jjim is unspeakably unctuous, loaded with potatoes, carrots, and huge chunks of meltingly tender short rib. And the slow-simmered ox bone seolleongtang—wholesome and milky white—might be the most effective hangover cure in the Bay.

Located in a beautiful old Mexican adobe brick house, La Cheve might be my favorite brunch in wine country. The headliners are the housemade pan dulce, which are uniformly delicious and just plain fun: horchata scones, churro cronuts, and every imaginable flavor of concha (even conchas for your dog!). Add to that a full menu of hybridized creations like concha French toast and chile verde eggs Benedict, and it’s no wonder weekend lines stretch as long as two hours. Go early!

La Michoacana sells a little of everything: fresh-baked breads and pan dulce in the mornings, gigantic tortas overflowing with meats and queso fresco, and an assortment of fancy custom cakes. But what I come for almost exclusively, on a hot summer afternoon, is their specialty: paletas, or Mexican ice pops, made with an assortment of fresh fruits. The most stunning popsicles are as gorgeous as they are refreshing, with jewel-like strawberries or kiwi slices suspended inside.

Two words: Turkish breakfast. In a city where techies treat waiting in line for Sunday morning pancakes like a competitive sport, Lokma is the one brunch spot I’m willing to brave bridge traffic and indeterminate wait times for. I always get the aforementioned Turkish breakfast set, a shareable feast of dips and dip-adjacent things. Highlights include the super-savory sujuk (Turkish sausage) scrambled eggs and the clotted cream with honey. Everything tastes amazing scooped up with hot pita.

When this scrappy, graffiti-bedecked turo-turo joint first opened in East Oakland 11 years ago, it served as my introduction to homestyle Filipino cooking: juicy adobos, fragrant garlic rice, and “XXL” lumpia as long as my forearm. To this day, the restaurant still holds up as an OG of the East Bay Filipino scene. While the G Fire wings are crowd favorites, I ride hardest for the oxtail dishes—especially the unctuous peanut-sauce kare-kare, when it’s available. Cash only.

Lulu is best known for its immaculate brunch mezze boards—as dainty as any British tea room’s three-tiered stands, except with fluffy pita and carefully tweezered mini falafels instead of scones, and hummus and muhammara instead of clotted cream. Newly ensconced in a larger space on Solano Ave, the stylish Cal-Palestinian spot has a dinner menu also worth exploring: I loved the pan-seared lamb soup dumplings and the deliciously garlicky toum “Caesar” topped with a jammy egg.

Anytime I’m in the Richmond (say, after Turkish brunch at Lokma, practically next door), I’ll stock up at one of my favorite Chinese bakeries. Lung Fung’s pillowy, generously meaty baked barbecue pork buns are a thing of beauty—one of the city’s best, and most affordable, handheld snacks. The egg tarts here are also S-tier, with the ideal balance of flaky crust and quivery custard filling. Be sure to eat one while it’s still warm. Cash only.

The Bay’s three-decade Burmese restaurant boom has made tea leaf salad a quintessential dish of our region. But even if you’ve had a dozen renditions, Mandalay’s old-school version remains a paradigm-altering thrill. Uncut by lettuce or cabbage, the salad allows the fermented tea leaves to shine—a pungent counterpoint to fresh tomato, lemon juice, and a panoply of crunchy nuts and seeds. Other winners here: the rich, cumin-forward samusa soup and the flaky balada flatbread.

Located a couple miles from the boardwalk (look for the red building with the crowded parking lot), this old-timey scoop shop subscribes to a maximalist approach to ice cream, with more than 100 flavors, many of them original creations. My favorites include Koffee Krunch (coffee ice cream flecked with crackly toffee bits) and Heaven, which has swirls of chocolate, peanut butter, and fudgy brownies. Whatever you choose, the ice cream’s dense, ultra-creamy texture is hard to top.

Watching the short-order cooks at Marvin’s work the line with brisk, nimble efficiency fills me with as much awe as any fine-dining balletics I’ve seen. This is the kind of old-school greasy spoon you hit up for comforting classics executed just right: the crispiest hash browns, the fluffiest pancakes, the most decadent chicken-fried steak. My favorite is the Julia’s Benedict, in which a crisp-edged corned beef hash patty serves as the perfect counterpoint to a runny yolk and tangy hollandaise.

Masa Ramen is a Hawaiian-themed ramen shop, which sounds like a gimmick until you realize the Oahu-born chef puts as much love into his island-style butter shrimp as he does his Japanese tonkotsu ramen. What to get, then—Hawaiian or ramen?—is my eternal dilemma. Soul-warming oxtail soup or Parmesan-dusted Broke Da Mouth ramen? Vegan tantanmen or my all-time favorite loco moco, with its rich gravy and crisp-edged burger patties? Good news: There are no wrong answers here.

Messob serves maybe the most thrilling Ethiopian veggie combo in all the Bay. Each little pile of stew or sauté on the injera-lined platter is so distinctive—not just in color but in seasoning and spice—that it makes you realize how bland so many of America’s Ethiopian restaurants are. Be sure to get the optional add-ons: fiery, berbere-tinged mushroom wot and, best of all, the cool, garlicky buticha. Meat lovers, don’t miss the shatteringly crisp, well-spiced beef sambussas.

For anyone who loves Benihana-style teppanyaki but wishes it were just a little more Mexican, this family-run fusion spot was made for you. The specialty here is big plates of sizzling steak and shrimp served over spicy udon, buttery fried rice, or garlic noodles—all delicious. But what gives the food extra swagger is the drizzle of creamy, bright-orange diablo sauce, like you’d get at a local taqueria, and the option to get your entire hibachi meal stuffed inside a burrito.

The only Bay Area outpost of a swanky wagyu beef restaurant conglomerate, Mikiya is our region’s fanciest Asian buffet. Behold the sparklingly maintained self-serve stations—the Assam milk tea dispenser, unlimited individual Häagen-Dazs cartons, and, yes, all the wagyu beef you can eat. And the shabu-shabu–style hot pot is delicious: paper-thin wagyu poached for just seconds in your choice of broth (I love the sukiyaki) to yield the butteriest, most decadently tender bite.

Mitchell’s is a 70-plus-year-old hard-scoop ice cream shop with a secret weapon: its selection of rare tropical flavors. Made with fresh fruit imported from the Philippines, fan favorites like mango, ube, and avocado are a pure distillation of peak-ripe tropical goodness—and have made the shop an icon among the Bay Area’s diverse, multicultural communities. This might also be the best place in SF to order a sundae: a classic banana split, say, or a Filipino-style halo-halo.

A newcomer to Oakland Chinatown, this Chongqing noodle specialist is winning hearts and minds with friendly service and warm, soulful cooking. The “special original” beef noodle soup is a bull’s-eye shot to my brain’s comfort food synapses: A+ broth, tender beef, slurpable wheat noodles, and a hit of tongue-tingling mala spice. Spicy wontons, some of the best I’ve had, come topped with peanuts and a slick of the shop’s fragrant, smoky, utterly addicting house chili oil.

West Contra Costa has never had this kind of Korean hotspot that slings trendy dishes like cheese-topped galbijjim and creamy rosé tteokbokki. No wonder the lines are out the door. But what surprised me is how wholesome the food is—the rustic flavors of the kimchis and other banchan; the invigorating, bone-rich broth of the seolleongtang. A nice bonus: The excellent soups and stews can come as combo sets, adding a sizzling plate of KBBQ with all the fixins for just $15 more.

If there’s a better bowl of gumbo in the Bay Area than the version served at this cozy San Leandro soul food spot, I haven’t had it yet. I would happily devour this one every week: It’s dark, velvety, and a little smoky, with a briny undercurrent (from crab legs) and the deep savoriness that only comes with slow cooking. Really, everything here is great—the airy-light fried fish; oozy, jalapeño-spiked mac ’n’ cheese; and moist, not-too-sweet banana pudding cake.

Boiled dumplings might be the humblest Chinese takeout staple, but so few places get them right: The dough is too thick, the fillings too salty or too bland. Hence my devotion to New Dumpling, where each handmade dumpling is perfectly balanced and compact. Classics like pork-and-napa-cabbage are as tasty as you’d expect, but my favorites are slightly idiosyncratic—like the shrimp, zucchini, and scrambled egg. Bonus points for spicy pig ears and extra-flaky scallion pancakes.

No beach day is complete without a lunch plan. If you’re spending the afternoon at Rockaway Beach (a picturesque, low-key spot on the peninsula coast), you’ll want to stop at this old-fashioned chowder shack and cocktail lounge for the area’s best crab sandwiches and clam chowder. The sammies are gorgeous in their simplicity: a generous mound of cold Dungeness, a tomato slice, and buttery grilled sourdough. You could eat in, but this food is made for a beach blanket picnic.

Arguments about whether it’s okay to charge $20 for ramen are rendered moot by this intimate Inner Richmond counter spot, where Clint and Yoko Tan reimagine the Japanese ramen experience as an elaborate, geek-out-worthy, $185 multicourse tasting menu. Yeah, I was skeptical, too—until I tasted their umami-charged deviled eggs, their absurdly juicy fried pork belly, and, best of all, their luxuriously fat-slicked wagyu beef abura soba. It might be the tastiest bowl of ramen I’ve had in the U.S.

While some fanboys might follow a favorite drummer from band to band, I’ve spent the past three years tracking my favorite juice counter from one unobtrusive Vietnam Town mall storefront to the next (including a stint inside a bun rieu shop). The newly reopened Nước Mía Viễn Đông 2 might not have the fastest service or the most English-friendly menu. But it still serves the most refreshing fresh-pressed sugarcane juice in the Bay—and the crispiest, most delightfully chewy pandan waffles.

Like the combination Pizza Hut/KFC from your wildest dreams, this double storefront comes courtesy of the folks behind Oakland’s Ohgane and an upstart chicken chain from L.A. On one side of the menu: crispy and lacy-edged smash burgers with a Korean twist, including a bulgogi burger whose smoky sauce amplifies the charred flavor of the beef. On the other side: the crispiest, juiciest Korean fried chicken in the East Bay right now. (The honey butter flavor is my fave.)

The greatest of the East Bay’s new, ambitious sandwich shops, Ok’s has reimagined the friendly neighborhood deli through an Asian American lens—katsu-style crab sammies, bánh mì smeared with rich pâté, and Filipino-inspired sisig bolillos that combine caramelized onions with the chewy, gelatinous bits of a slow-cooked pig’s face. The cold tuna sandwich, my favorite, is a souped-up version of the Japanese convenience store classic, served on squishy, house-baked milk bread.

If you love the Korean delicacy of spicy raw marinated crabs, and especially if you like devouring large quantities of them past midnight, Ondam is your spot. The place serves drinking food classics like army stew, but the menu is also chock-full of rarities: briny clam kalguksu with handmade noodles and several luxurious varieties of the one-pot rice dish known as sotbap. And those raw crabs? Smooshing their sweet, sauce-soaked flesh over hot rice is a decadent treat.

A Daly City classic since 1956, when it was known as “Joe’s of Westlake,” Original Joe’s is my Platonic ideal restaurant for a multigenerational celebration meal, with its plush leather booths, elegant old-world service, and crowd-pleasing menu of steaks and red-sauce Italian. Get the buttery 24-ounce bone-in porterhouse if someone else is picking up the tab, or the (equally tender) Steak à la Bruno for a casual bite at the bar. And—always—the meat-sauce ravioli as your side.

On a suburban stretch of San Pablo Ave, across from a car rental and an assisted-living facility, sits what is probably the East Bay’s Frenchiest French bakery, in the best possible way. The croissants are perfect—sweetly buttery and somehow light enough to eat three or four in one sitting. Rotha’s weekend lines are famously long, but on a Thursday morning you can snag a crisp, custardy canelé or, my favorite, the decadent chocolate almond croissant, with no wait at all.

Pho Ha Noi’s growing restaurant empire is rooted in the deliciousness of its namesake dish—probably the best northern Vietnamese–style pho in the Bay, with its deeply flavorful clear broth, characteristically light touch with herbs, and fresh housemade noodles. Really, though, the whole menu is pretty great, especially at the original San Jose shop. I’m a fan of the grilled pork fresh spring rolls and the roast chicken plate served with extra-savory, red-tinged tomato rice.

In San Jose, where even run-of-the-mill pho joints run circles around almost anywhere else in the U.S., this was one of the first spots to popularize a now-trendy local specialty: pho with a giant bone-in short rib on the side—for people who like their beefy soup to come with…even more beef. It’s amazing. But what I love about Pho Papa is more basic: The thick, fresh noodles (available by request) are a delight to slurp, and the soul-invigorating broth is simply the best.

If SF’s hottest restaurant trend is the slick Asian American lounge slinging cheffy comfort food, Piglet & Co. might just top the genre, with its moody paper lanterns, looping kung fu flicks, and snackable menu of honey walnut shrimp toast and pork belly lettuce wraps. The best dishes are the coziest ones: scrambled eggs and roasted cherry tomatoes over furikake rice, or a whipped tofu and sesame brittle dessert that tasted like my most nostalgic Lunar New Year memories.

This cheery little Thai café has quickly become one of my favorite spots in the city for a casual bite. The sneaky-deep menu features hard-to-find dishes like juicy Thai-style omelets and pork jowl pad see ew, all prepared with a home cook’s light touch. Even better, Ping Yang doubles as a lavish, pan-Asian dessert spot, offering ube toast boxes and refreshing, extravagantly sculptural watermelon bingsu until midnight every day—perfect for after-hours sweet tooth cravings.

For my money, San Francisco’s greatest homegrown food invention isn’t the It’s-It or the Mission burrito. Instead, give me a whole roast Dungeness crab drowning in a lake of garlicky butter—and, for good measure, throw in a side of equally buttery, umami-drenched garlic noodles. PPQ is king among the Vietnamese American crab joints that specialize in these delicacies, and it’s my favorite splurge every winter, when the local crabs are at their peak-season sweetest.

This unassuming Peruvian restaurant is a master class in the art of citrus-marinated raw fish. On a hot day, I’ll make a whole meal of their cebiches, each one a showcase for a different variety of chile and chilled seafood—say, the bright, zippy cebiche de pescado, which jolts you with ají limo heat, or the brinily elegant cebiche de trucha, which shows off the trout’s sweet flesh, crispy skin, and marinated roe. Still hungry? The tender, gravy-soaked lomo saltado is a can’t-miss dish.

Marin County isn’t known for being a bastion of Salvadoran street food, but this cheery San Rafael storefront holds its own against the best grandma-operated driveway pupusa stands (aka my gold standard). Whether you get the classic revueltas, oozy zucchini-and-cheese, or a more idiosyncratic filling, Blankita’s pupusas are sublime—toasty and balanced, with a wonderful crisp-edged texture. Equally tasty: piping-hot chicken (or sweet plantain!) empanadas fresh out of the fryer.

In the “go big or go home” category, Ramen Champ’s signature Buta MAX Ramen is nothing short of a masterpiece. Every part verges on the extreme: the giant, eye-catching mountain of bean sprouts on top; the thick pork belly and nubs of soft-simmered pork fat that infuse the shoyu broth with an extra layer of richness; and the pile of pungent raw garlic for good measure. Intimidated by the large portion size? The shop’s more standard tonkotsu and mazesoba are just as tasty.

A proper New York–style pizzeria has got to have some swagger, like this skater-owned Point Richmond spot with its nonstop loop of Rambo flicks and killer East Coast–inspired pies: the garlicky McMushroom topped with fluffy ricotta starbursts and the excellent, grease-slicked pepperoni (aka the Happy Birthday). My favorite thing to do is sit at the counter and order a few mix-and-match slices—especially when they’ve got one of their crunchy-edged square grandma pies in the case.

San Francisco’s first Arab bakery is a beacon of Palestinian-Syrian hospitality in the heart of the Mission. Of course, the restaurant has evolved into much more than a bakery, with its lively menu of shakshuka, falafel, and assorted spreads. (Try the Some Like It Harra, an addicting combo of labneh, chili crunch, and soft-boiled egg.) But the heart of Reem’s is the promise of hot bread—fresh pita for dipping and dunking, and the variously topped flatbreads known as mana’eesh.

This Jordanian-style shawarma shop is the master of spit-grilled meats: thin-sliced lamb and beef dripping with meaty juices, the most succulent yogurt-marinated chicken you can imagine. One of Shawarmaji’s huge, missile-like shawarma wraps is the ultimate treat-yourself meal. I’ll sometimes make a special trip just to buy a jar of the housemade toum—the supremely garlicky condiment that comes slathered inside each wrap. Complimentary breath mints for use at your discretion.

Perhaps my most persistent take-out option of the past decade, this Solano Avenue spot is a beacon of consistency, churning out the kind of classically tongue-numbing Sichuan cuisine that shows up in my dreams. I rarely stray from my standard order: water-boiled fish, bathed in its pool of Sichuan pepper–spiked red sauce. A big round of sesame bread for dunking in said sauce. Cumin lamb if I’m extra hungry. And always, no exceptions, the sweet, perfect, wok-charred cabbage.

Anytime the weather creeps over 75 degrees in the Bay Area, I declare it COLD NOODLE SEASON and refuse to eat anything touched by the flame of a stove. If I’m feeling fancy, I head to Soba Ichi, the region’s only soba shop that makes its buckwheat noodles in-house, for the ten seiro: springy, supremely slurpable cold soba served with a refreshing, dashi-based dipping sauce and an assortment of crisp tempura. For dessert, cool down further with gelato made with buckwheat tea.

This hole-in-the-wall is Berkeley’s king of Thai-style fried chicken, which comes in many forms: succulent thigh-oyster nuggets; spicy-tangy wings dusted with rice powder for enduring crunch; and one of the heftiest fried chicken sandwiches in town, featuring two thick, juicy thighs and papaya slaw on buttery brioche. My go-tos are the big, takeout- and tailgate-friendly family combo sets, which come with Southside’s savory garlic noodles—the perfect side for fried chicken.

Soyful is the glorious love child of the Asian diaspora’s most refreshing, icy-sweet treats. It’s best known for soy pudding (aka tofu pudding), which it serves cold and jiggly soft, doused in gingery syrup. But the best item is the kitchen-sink #8 combination, which blends the best parts of Hong Kong tofu desserts, Taiwanese boba, and Vietnamese chè: The mix of pudding, shaved ice, and assorted chewy toppings (pandan, grass jelly, red beans, and more) is delightful.

If you’ve ever wanted to be a real-life hero, bring a box of Starbread señorita bread to your next potluck or picnic. Those yeasty, pillowy rolls are everybody’s favorite. The first bite of the piping hot bread—when its sweet, buttery innards gush into your mouth—is a moment of unadulterated bliss. You can find Starbreads anywhere a lot of Filipinos live, but the original bakery, located in a Vallejo strip mall, also doubles as a tropical doughnut shop (try an ube malasada).

This little Italian market and deli is the perfect place to pick up a picnic on your way out to Point Reyes or the Sonoma Coast, with its well-curated selection of tinned fish, cured meats, wines, and prepared foods (including a fab beet-and-gorgonzola salad). It’s also cute enough for an impromptu lunch date. Either way, the sandwiches, served on springy focaccia, are the star. My favorite? The Il Capo, which features tuna, potatoes, capers, and juicy housemade roast beef.

Three words: AYCE crab legs. If that doesn’t get your butt out the door, add the fact that Supreme Crab is open late, costs about $30 a head, and serves tastier seafood than you’d ever expect to find at a buffet table. All the shellfish is pretty great: garlicky, butter-drenched clams, Cajun-style crawfish, cheesy mussels, and at least six preparations of shrimp. As for those crab legs, be vigilant! Those buffet aunties are ruthless and will clear a fresh tray in minutes.

T’chaka’s stated goal is to prove to Bay Area diners that Haitian food is one of the world’s greatest cuisines. Consider that mission accomplished, between the savory saltfish and ackee, the zingy Scotch bonnet pepper sauce, and the unspeakably tender braised oxtails I couldn’t stop sucking off the bone. While I’ve eaten thousands of crispy pork dishes in my life, only a few have made me swoon the way T’chaka’s griot did: an uncommonly succulent, texturally perfect dish.

One of just a handful of restaurants in San Francisco Chinatown specializing in Taishan (a.k.a. Toisanese) cooking, this family-run gem is the place to go if you’re craving hot, rib-sticking comfort food at 2 a.m. Must-orders include any of the crunchy-bottomed claypot rice dishes, especially the wonderfully fragrant yellow eel rice. Also amazing: the juicy, golden-skinned roast chicken and the cauliflower tossed with preserved sausage and a metric ton of chopped garlic.

At this classic Taiwanese porridge house, every table orders a big pot of silky sweet-potato congee—a mild, soothing blank canvas for the dozens of hot and cold small plates laid out on the giant steam table. Most everything is delicious, so just aim for a good mix: crunchy cold lotus root salad; peanuts tossed with dried anchovies; a saucy, mapo-like stir-fry of tofu and pig’s blood; and, my favorite, the preserved radish omelet, juicy and golden right out of the hot wok.

Takahashi Market is more cozy Japanese Hawaiian grocer than restaurant—a place to stock up on shrimp chips, fresh tofu, and six packs of Hawaiian Sun. During lunchtime, though, the kitchen churns out some of the finest Hawaiian food on the mainland: hefty plate lunches; legit poke; and, best of all, fresh, hot musubi. The Spam musubi is a comforting classic, but it’s the less common seafood musubis—including one with salmon, crawfish, and tobiko—that I find irresistible.

Tanzie’s is your quintessential Berkeley fusion-brunch spot, with its farmers market produce and Thai-inspired twists on American breakfast fare. (The Thai beignets, served with condensed milk, are a must.) What sets the place apart is its cultural specificity, drawing on the chef’s Chiang Mai roots. Stunners include the khanom krok (street-style coconut pancakes) and the omurice-like “lava eggs,” served with crisp-edged grilled pork jowl or spicy sai oua (sausage).

Filipino barbecue is a Bay Area staple, but this is the only place I know with a big communal grill where everyone lines up shoulder to shoulder to reheat their assortment of meat skewers, bringing each one back to its well-charred, sizzling glory—all in a karaoke-fueled party atmosphere. What I love best is the selection of offal cuts: rich, earthy pork and chicken intestines, and outrageously unctuous ruffle fat. And if you’re a daring diner? Definitely don’t skip the balut.

This lime-green corner spot located in the middle of an East Oakland residential neighborhood is a treasure trove of funky and fiery Lao flavors. You can get standard Thai and Vietnamese dishes here, but the pro move is to order mostly off the Lao specials menu, where almost every dish is priced at $7 or less. My typical order: a crispy rice ball salad, mok pa (catfish steamed in a banana leaf), a bowl of umami-laden kao soy noodle soup, and the best fermented Lao sausage in the Bay.

Hunan cooking is known for its fiery heat, but while Wojia offers no shortage of chilies, in various fresh and pickled forms, the menu’s strength is in the way it shows off the range and elegance of the cuisine: decadent smoked-pork fried rice (a showpiece for Hunan charcuterie), meatball mapo tofu (a Sichuan interloper), and glutinous rice balls tossed with chilies and fermented black beans—a salty, spicy, sweet delight. Even the simplest stir-fried vegetable dishes sing.

In the realm of Indo-Pak cuisine, Zareen’s has something for everyone. Desi burgers and naan wraps to appeal to second-gen street food snackers. Masala omelets and halwa puri for the brunch crowd. And the kind of soulful Pakistani home cooking—slow-braised stews and delicate, red-tinged biryani—that’s made it one of the Peninsula’s most beloved restaurants. Pro tip: Zareen’s has three locations, but the Palo Alto branch is open latest and has the most festive outdoor patio.