Mission District

Taco purists are quietly obsessing over this Californian-inspired Mexican joint in Ripponlea. Mission District hits hard. Forget standard fare—this is proper West Coast flavor. Hand-fried totopos dunked in impossibly fresh guacamole. Ridiculously crunchy MD fried chicken thigh drenched in smoky BBQ and buttermilk ranch. Those in the know skip the standard weekend eggs for the Chilaquiles Benedict—beef barbacoa and poached eggs riding a wave of salsa roja and hollandaise. Vegetarians get serious love here too; the Mushroom Quesa Birria served with rich dipping consommé is an absolute knockout. Wash down a crispy cauliflower burrito with a cinnamon-laced horchata or a sharp margarita. Epic vibes. Unapologetically bold plates. Just order the pink limonada and thank me later.