The best eateries that locals actually go to in the Bay Area.
Favorite hotpot spot in San Mateo! AYCE good quality meat!
Mikiya Shabu House
If you love spicy things - they have the best HABANERO SALSA! Love it with their shrimp and mushroom quesadillas/tacos.
Pancho Villa Taqueria
Delicious Mediterranean food in Redwood City, CA. This place is always packed!
Mazra
Not AYCE hotpot, but their meat quality is great. This is where you go if you like having your own broth (you get your own individual pot). They also offer a good variety of broth options - if you like spicy, the sichuan broth is delicious!
Mumu Hot Pot
A fun and casual place to enjoy some wine with your friends. Their bruschetta and salads are great!
B Street & Vine
If you like novelty flavors, this is the place to visit. They have multiple locations all over the bay.
Salt & Straw
A Bay Area classic - nothing fancy, but delicious chewy honey boba. If you don’t like drinks that are overly sweet, make sure to ask for light sweetness!
Tpumps
If you love a good seafood boil, give this place a try! Jumbo, meaty, fresh shrimp + lots of other choices. They recently started offering AYCE as well. Yum!
Cajun Bowl Seafood Restaurant
Hands down one of the best Thai restaurants in the area. This place has been a Foster City staple for over a decade. My faves are the yellow curry, pompano, crab fried rice, pineapple fried rice, and pad see ew, extra spicy ;)
Sweet Basil Thai Cuisine | Authentic Delicious Thai Food | Foster City, CA
BEST MATCHA LATTE! I wish they offered it in a larger size because it’s never enough for me. Give it a try!
Good Thing Coffee
Lots of food and drink options. They have salads, sandwiches, pastries, etc. My absolute favorite is their California Sandwich, which is vegetarian friendly!
Caffe Central
One of the best boba places in town. Get the Crème Brûlée tea - you won’t regret it!
Urban Ritual
Our favorite izakaya in town! Lots of delicious skewers (yakitori). Make reservations because this place is always packed.
YAKITORI KOKKO
Great place to visit in SF for tapas. Their ribeye steak, grilled octopus (pulpo) and croquetas are a must try!!
Lolinda
One of the best Thai brunch places in the Bay Area. I love that I can get something sweet, savory, and spicy for brunch! It’s also very pretty inside - good place to catch up with your bestie :)
KAN KIIN BRUNCH & THAI EATERY
This Korean BBQ place isn’t AYCE, but their set menus are so good. The service is quick, they help grill your meat, and their banchans (side dishes) are some of the best - plus their seafood pancake is so thin and crispy. So good!
ToBang Korean BBQ
Best Malatang place in the Bay! Lots of veggie, noodles, and protein options, plus great tasting broth and dry noodles sauce. It is also one of the more affordable places in the area. Highly recommend if you like spicy noodles with customized ingredi...
Zhangliang Malatang
Delicious udon spot! The Mentai Cream sauce udon is so good.
