There’s no place like Noodle In A Haystack in the city. It’s run by a ridiculously charming husband and wife duo that’ll gladly swap Tokyo recs as you dig into chawanmushi from across the counter. Throughout the night, eight to 10 Japanese-inspired courses ($195) land in front of you like they were dropped into this mortal dimension from the pearly gates. The two standout bowls of ramen rotate, but they’re always made with twists you won’t see on any other tonkotsu bowls around town.

San Ho Won’s galbi is capable of inducing epiphanies. It’s glistening, charred around the edges, and every bite of the melty meat comes with the realization that you’ll probably never eat short ribs this good again. But there's more to this upscale Korean restaurant than galbi—like the crispy scallion pancakes, honey butter-topped grilled corn, and light and fluffy egg soufflé that slowly deflates when you dive in with a spoon.

If you’re wondering where we eat on our “nights off,” look no further than Mandalay’s sunshine yellow dining room. The Richmond spot opened in 1984 as SF’s first Burmese restaurant. And even though plenty of new ones have joined since then, it’s held onto its icon status. The homestyle entrees are funky, saucy, and firing on all cylinders—so fill a table with velvety curries, juicy mango chicken, and chili tofu that’s sauteed until smoky and golden brown.

The Mission spot is an institution of flawlessly seasoned meats, which you’ll smell sizzling away on the plancha before you even walk through the door (or more realistically, get into the line that always stretches down the sidewalk). Their charred-to-perfection carne asada is one reason we give when trying to convince friends to move to the city, with the nice and crispy al pastor a close second. A visit here is never complete without getting either a super burrito or a quesadilla suiza.

The so-small-you-might-miss-it spot in Lower Haight is an intimate dinner—there’s just a six-seat counter that’s so snug you’ll probably end up exchanging dog walker recommendations with whoever’s sitting next to you. The host for the night is the eponymous chef Ken, who will break the ice with jokes about cod milt virgins while serving 14 courses of outstanding nigiri, glossy chawanmushi, and a bowl of ume and rock sugar broth filled with poached ikura.

For the most dramatic tasting experience in the city, go to Californios. You’ll feel like you’ve scored VIP tickets to your favorite band every time you go here—which might not be often, since the 16-course menu is $267. Chicharrones are covered in a cloud-like bed of truffle shavings that dissolve in your mouth like snow, a caviar-topped grilled banana is served in a pool of slightly salty dulce de leche, and the chilapita has a fat swirl of sturgeon cream and sturgeon caviar.

Saigon Sandwich makes the best banh mi in the city. The roast chicken and pork are always perfectly marinated. The soft baguettes are crackly on the outside and airy inside. And no matter what filling route you take, your banh mi will be loaded with heaps of carrots, pickled daikon, cilantro, and a heavy swath of mayo that oozes out when you bite in. At $5-ish per sandwich, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better deal in town—so always expect a crowd.

If a Pasta Hall of Fame existed, Flour + Water would be its forever MVP. That’s because the city’s most iconic Cal-Ital restaurant (est. 2009) makes pastas out of ingredient combinations you’ve probably never seen before (much less thought to put on a pasta dish), and pulls them off with flair. Think veal tortellini with horseradish, corn-and-cheese-stuffed pasta topped with mint, and cocoa and rutabaga casoncelli.

This Mission izakaya is serene—there’s a courtyard filled with plants and twinkling string lights, and private booths under arched wood beams inside. It's also where you'll find the best Japanese small plates in the city. You’re treated to a parade of tare-glazed tsukune you’ll want to clone, juicy pork gyoza leveled up with gorgeous lacy skirts, and impossibly creamy soft tofu drizzled with shiitake shoyu.

At Bodega SF, Northern Vietnamese dishes are amped up with fun twists—you’ll see little mounds of caviar atop bánh khọt, truffle butter in the shaking beef, and yuzu coconut foam atop oysters on the half shell. This fancy spot in Union Square, decked out with funky geometric lights and a full bar, is a special occasion restaurant disguised as a nước chấm-drenched dinner party.