Mini Potstickers just opened a Nob Hill location, so now, anyone east of Van Ness can easily fill up on the tiny, adorable pan-fried pork buns with juicy fillings. This low-key spot, which is pretty bare-bones aside from a couple of neon signs on the walls, also has a much bigger menu than the original Sunset location. Load up the table with heartier Chinese entrées like chow mein and shrimp fried rice, and be sure to snag an order of the spicy version of the namesake potstickers.

Sleepy West Portal is having a moment thanks to some hot new openings, first with Elena's and now Khao Tiew. Like Elena's, this modern Thai spot is filled most days of the week, mainly with groups of friends packing into the dining room with ‘70s Thai ads and movie posters on the walls. The tom yum seafood hotpot at Khao Tiew is more than enough reason to keep coming back—it’s sour, tangy, just the right amount of creamy, and comes in a mobile hotpot that’s warmed via flame.

Minnie Bell’s is serving San Francisco’s best fried chicken. This Emeryville favorite recently made the jump across the Bay and opened a new Fillmore location with the same signature rosemary-spiced fried chicken, mac and cheese, and cornbread. And everything stacks up to the original, especially the chicken, which somehow manages to have an extra crispy breading and super juicy meat at the same time.

There aren’t many dedicated Hawaiian spots in the city, so the arrival of Little Aloha is a Big Deal for anyone who has li hing mui running through their veins. The takeout-only spot in Parkside is masterfully filling the niche—garlic shrimp gets fried until crisp, and their pineapple sausage is a revelation smeared with a breath-ruining amount of thick garlic butter sauce. The only acceptable way to round out a trip here is with a well-packed mound of syrup-soaked shave ice.

Bar Jabroni is the intimate, relaxed neighborhood spot that the Lower Haight has desperately needed for years. From the team behind Sunset favorite Palm City, this wine bar with communal seating feels like a dinner party where you can walk in uninvited. The short food menu is all over the place (in a good way), but the best way to enjoy your time is to grab a small bite like the decadent potato gnocchi, and split one bigger dish (like the tender braised wagyu beef cheeks).

Komaaj Mazze Wine Bar is your new favorite place to kick back for hours with a glass of chardonnay and marinated olives. Their Northern Iranian dishes nail the sour-sweet-salty trifecta, thanks to a heavy hand with pomegranates, walnuts, and fresh herbs on just about everything. Focus on the Rasht mazze platter, a plate the size of a car wheel loaded with beet yogurt dip, eggplant and walnut dip, pickles, and sticky smoked trout.

Elena’s is the kind of Big Night Out restaurant that’s rare in West Portal. This upscale Mexican spot is meant for sexy outfits and sipping on spicy margaritas under live trees and candlelight. Every night, big groups gather in large leather booths and belt out laughs that mingle with Latin rock classics—it’s a vibrant, rowdy dinner party you’ll want to stay at until they kick you out. Luckily, the food is just as good as the scene.

Xiao long bao enthusiasts across SF are familiar with Dumpling Home and their sister spot with an identical menu, Dumpling Story. And while the actual food at this new Mission location of Dumpling Story is just as fantastic as its predecessors, the space is what sets it apart. You’ll bite into shengjianbao from plush green booths, or gnaw on crackly chicken wings under a monkey-shaped chandelier.

Opened by Mister Jiu’s alums, Four Kings is that rare place that manages to soar above high expectations. ’90s Canto-Pop plays through the speakers and Cantonese film posters line the walls of this wooden oasis that already feels lived in despite only being open since mid-March. Cantonese classics are reimagined, like a dry-aged squab with crispy skin and XO escargot with fluffy milk bread that we now crave daily.

When the 55-degree forecast (again) has you down, you need comfort by the spoonful. And the newest place to get that is 14 Peaks, a casual spot in the Mission that serves Nepali dishes we’d take over a sputtering space heater any day. The plump momos are well-spiced and juicy. Rich curries will warm you up in no time. And the garlic naan is the fluffiest in town. It’s spacious inside with a bunch of tables, which means you won’t have a problem walking in here.