Bay Area

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Union City, Fremont   |   Website

Food Rating: 10/10

Everything we ordered was SO GOOD, but my absolute favorites were the Pork Xiao Long Bao, Honey Walnut Shrimp, and Pork Chop. All of their dumplings were so juicy and delicious. The shrimp and pork chop were perfectly crispy and took me to flavor town. Din Ding was just as good as Din Tai Fung, if not better. Plus, it was cheaper!

South San Francisco   |   Website

Food Rating: 10/10

Best Filipino restaurant in the Bay Area. My favorites are their Sisig, Bangus, and Crispy Pata!

SF   |   Website

Food Rating: 10/10

Sweet Maple is an amazing brunch spot in SF! I highly recommend the Blackstone Benedict because of the infamous Millionaire’s Bacon. That bacon is the most flavorful bacon I’ve ever had and paired so well with the eggs.

Half Moon Bay   I   Website

Food Rating: 10/10

This Seafood Paella transported me to my happy place. So many flavors bursted out of this dish and they were very generous with the seafood. Highly recommend!

Berkeley   |   Website

Food Rating: 10/10

The Beef Brisket Noodle Soup was my favorite. I loved how fatty, tender, and flavorful brisket was. The fried rice was beautifully plated and simple yet so delicious. And their portions were HUGE — very suitable for sharing. If you’re looking to try any appetizers, the Deep Fried Man Tou is a great sweet, vegetarian option and is chef’s kiss with the condensed milk. They also surprised us with a complimentary Cucumber Salad, which was the perfect combination of savory, fresh, and spicy. What an amazing Chinese restaurant in the Bay Area! 

SF, Daly City, Walnut Creek   |   Website

Food Rating: 10/10

If you’re looking for a restaurant to celebrate a special occasion or enjoy a nice dinner in the Bay Area, I highly recommend Original Joe’s Westlake. I thoroughly enjoyed the Steak Ala Bruno, which was cooked to a perfect medium rare and was so tender, juicy, and flavorful. I ordered this with a side of Joe’s House Made Ravioli, quite possibly my all-time favorite ravioli. You can’t go wrong with a beef and spinach filling and the generous serving of meat sauce had the right amount of sweetness. 

SF   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

I ordered the Nan Gyi Dok because I love chicken coconut curry. I enjoyed how all the flavors came together, especially the acidity and spice. I just wished there was more curry to go with the noodles because it was so good.

SF   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

Great brunch spot in the city! The Millionaire’s Bacon was the highlight—so thick and the perfect combination of sweet and savory.

SF   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

This hole in the wall Indian spot in SF is a hidden gem! Very reasonably priced, too.

Fremont   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

If you’re in East Bay, Sala Thai is an amazing Thai restaurant in Fremont! We had a feast and I loved all of the dishes we ordered. The Thai Chicken was the star. Its dipping sauce was so flavorful. The Drunken Noodles was a runner-up. Highly recommend!

San Francisco, Pacifica   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

I thoroughly enjoyed this bountiful feast! They serve a large variety of proteins and broths—the menu felt endless! My favorite broth was their House Spicy, which was so spicy and flavorful. I also recommend an order of the Honey Glazed Prawns; they were crispy and well-glazed. I’d definitely come back, especially for a free birthday meal, because of the variety and quality of food here. 

Pacifica   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

The Crispy Calamari was crispy and well seasoned! The crostini was baked to perfection and the toppings were fresh! I was astounded by the Seafood Medley! My favorites were the thick, juicy, and succulent prawns and soft, buttery scallops. I loved how rich and decadent the molten chocolate cake was. The caramel truffle gelato paired so well with it, too.Their Pacific Sunset is one of my new favorite cocktails. “POG” is one of my favorite juices so I was sold when I saw that it has passion fruit and guava. It was perfectly sweet and so refreshing.

Burlingame   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

I ordered Il Fornaio’s Tagliatelle Bolognese, but my favorite dish at the table ended up being the Linguine Mare Chiaro—highly recommend for seafood lovers.

San Mateo

Food Rating: 9/10

I usually go with a Tonkotsu Ramen, but I decided to go with their Miso Butter Corn. I was so happy with my decision because the flavors were on point.

SF, Campbell   I   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

I liked the Hinodeya Ramen, but my favorite at the table was the Spicy Miso Butter Corn--so flavorful.

Antioch   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

DaNang is a yummy Vietnamese restaurant in Antioch. I highly recommend their pho!

Newark, Santa Clara   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

Pocha K in Newark is a great spot for their Soju/Beer Tower and Korean food! I loved the flavor and cook of the Spicy Garlic Boneless Wings. They were savory and crispy but could’ve been a bit spicier. The Fried Rice, Corn Cheese, and Sweet Potato Fries are all excellent sides.

San Mateo, SF   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

Highly recommend New Thai Elephant! My fried chicken was cooked perfectly and the fried rice was flavorful.

San Mateo   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

If you’re looking for good Indian-Nepali food in the Bay Area, I recommend Samikcha Momo in San Mateo! This was my first time trying momo and I loved it. I preferred the Tikka Masala momo over the Chili one because the sauce was creamy and packed with flavor. The Chili had a nice spice that I wish the Tikka Masala had though.

Burlingame   I   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

Sapore is great for big portions and large parties!

San Mateo   I   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

Best food court meal I’ve ever had. I highly recommend Kuro Obi’s Black Belt ramen!

SF, Berkeley, Santa Clara   I   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

Marugame is my go-to udon spot in the Bay. I tried their Curry Udon this time. I preferred their standard Beef Udon, but it’s still worth trying.

Daly City   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

Blue Line Pizza is a great Bay Area pizza joint! I’m not usually a fan of thin crust or small pieces of meat on my pizza, but it worked so well here. I loved our Chicago Chump pizza. It had lots of toppings, perfect amount of sauce, and even a little kick!

Pacifica   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

The Viva Italiano Special was a beast of a pizza that came with sausage, salami, pepperoni, mushroom, bell peppers, and onion. It’s a great pizza, just a little pricey. Still worth trying though

SF   |   Website

Food Rating: 10/10

Great ice cream spot in Dogpatch! I’m a sucker for Cookie Butter and LOVED their Biscoff flavor. It was some high quality ice cream.

SF   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

One of the best matcha soft serves I’ve ever had!

Pacifica   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

Mazzetti’s Bakery is a Pacifica staple that serves a variety of delicious desserts and pastries. My favorite is their Derby Cake, which is a chocolate and vanilla cake with whipped cream frosting, bananas, and strawberries. I also love their focaccia bread. This time, we went with an assortment of donuts, with my favorites being the maple and chocolate raised donuts. 

SF, Burlingame, Palo Alto, San Jose   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

My favorite flavors are Cookie Dough, Snickerdoodle, and Vanilla.

San Mateo   |   Website

Food Rating: 8/10

Our first time having Japanese cheesecake and definitely not our last! I love the spongy texture.

San Carlos   |   Website

Food Rating: 8/10

Good quality gelato! The chocolate drizzle was a great touch.

SF, San Jose   |   Website

Food Rating: 7/10

Smitten isn’t one of my go-to ice cream places in the Bay, but I still enjoyed it! I had the Milk & Honey and was surprised by the floral taste. I wish the ice cream was creamier though.