take-out

Restaurant Website: http://www.showdogssf.comGoogle Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=1020+market+st.,+san+francisco&sll=37.758923,-122.412185&sspn=0.006608,0.009484&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=1020+Market+St,+San+Francisco,+California+94102&z=17

The owners of Foreign Cinema have established this temple of the dogs—hot dogs, that is, along with sausages, French fries and onion rings. The triangular space, with its oversized glass windows, is a prime spot for witnessing some of the “local color” on that stretch of Market Street. It’s convenient location near the Warfield makes  it a good spot for a quick pre-show bite.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>With a menu of sausages and hot dogs sourced from some of the area’s best purveyors—4505 Meats, Fatted Calf and more—this is no pedestrian hot dog stand. Though selections change frequently, look for a lamb merguez topped with fig chutney, corn dogs and fiery Louisiana hot links. The fries (regular and barbecue) and lacy onion rings are well-above average, and a good selection of draft beers, all available in eight-ounce pours perfect for midday tippling, rounds out the experience.</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=1639+Irving+St.+San+Francisco&sll=37.738498,-122.463806&sspn=0.009282,0.013304&ie=UTF8&ll=37.764456,-122.475715&spn=0.009279,0.013304&z=16&iwloc=A

Painted a shocking yellow, aggressively lit and furnished with only Formica tables and utilitarian chairs, this below-ground spot (sister restaurant to nearby Kingdom of Dumplings) is easy to overlook—but find it and you’re in for a fine Chinese meal.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>As the name suggests, the main draw here is the noodles, hand-pulled to order by a recent immigrant from Shandong who has decades of experience in the magical art of stretching a ball of dough into yard-long strands. The nubby noodles, their variable thickness a charming hallmark, are the perfect vehicles for hearty sauces. We particularly like the house special, a combination of scrambled eggs, mushrooms and bits of roast pork, and the whole wheat noodles topped with bean paste, ground pork and tofu.</p>

Restaurant Website: http://www.tropisueno.com

There’s not a whole lot of Latin flavor to be found right next to the Four Seasons, but this Mexican restaurant is straight from Central Casting, with heavy wooden furniture, punched tin lanterns, woven curtains and colorful bouquets of paper flowers. By day, the restaurant operates as a taqueria, while at night it puts on its finer-dining hat, with a full menu and table service.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>At lunch, choose from the usual suspects—tacos, quesadillas and burritos among them, all a good notch above average. Come dinner, choices expand to include ceviche, albondigas (meatball soup), a superb chicken mole and other substantial plates, many of which are served with rice and beans. Margaritas here are made with fresh juices and rimmed in spicy salt.</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=1801+Alemany+Blvd.+San+Francisco&sll=37.752971,-122.420461&sspn=0.00928,0.013304&ie=UTF8&ll=37.723886,-122.437456&spn=0.009284,0.013304&z=16&iwloc=A

This restaurant is located at the center of a busy intersection, far out in the Excelsior with nary another Chinese restaurant in sight. The most significant design element is the enormous flatscreen television, which shows all manner of bizarre and spectacular Chinese pageants. If you can’t stomach the Formica tables and bright lights, you can always get take-out, but then you’d miss out on recommendations from the sweet staff.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Though you’ll find a handful of familiar Chinese-American dishes on this large menu, far more exciting are the Northern Chinese specialties, from glutinous flour balls—small round dumplings stir-fried with vegetables and meat—to fried crepe-like pancakes filled with ground pork and vegetables. A long list of dumplings (including an unusual fennel-filled variety) and hot pots tempt, as does a pungent, love-it-or-leave it dish of lamb showered with cumin seeds.</p>

Restaurant Website: http://www.phatphilly.comGoogle Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=3388+24th+St.+San+Francisco&sll=37.792456,-122.400312&sspn=0.009275,0.013304&ie=UTF8&ll=37.752971,-122.420461&spn=0.00928,0.013304&z=16&iwloc=A

A former Mediterranean restaurant in the Mission has been reborn as a spot to get the most renowned of Philadelphia’s culinary offerings: the cheesesteak. The stainless counters and tables and bright lighting give this little space a squeaky-clean feel.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Phat Philly makes a reasonable facsimile of the prized sandwich that put the city of brotherly love on the map—a length of soft bread flown in from Amoroso's bakery, American Kobe beef and your choice of cheese (Whiz is the classic, but they also offer a cheddar-beer sauce). Go ahead and gussy it up with grilled onions or mushrooms, then anoint with hot peppers from the self-serve condiment bar.</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=560+larkin+St.+San+Francisco&sll=37.787946,-122.410312&sspn=0.009276,0.013304&ie=UTF8&ll=37.787335,-122.41396&spn=0.009276,0.013304&z=16&iwloc=A

This closet-sized to-go spot, devoted almost solely to cheap and cheerful Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, is one of the city’s great gems. Be ready to order when the no-nonsense counter lady turns her attention to you; the line of hungry regulars waiting for their fix suffers no fools.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Banh mi here are assembled on lengths of crusty toasted baguette made in part with rice flour, then split, spread with mayo and hot sauce and filled with your choice of fillings (such as grilled pork, grilled chicken, meatballs, paté or tofu) and a zippy salad of shredded pickled carrot and daikon, plus sliced jalapeno and loads of fresh cilantro.</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=430+Geary+St.+San+Francisco&sll=37.753242,-122.411921&sspn=0.00928,0.013304&ie=UTF8&ll=37.787946,-122.410312&spn=0.009276,0.013304&z=16&iwloc=A

Though Union Square can feel like a culinary wasteland, this hole-in-the-wall stands as a significant bright spot. Duck through the Japanese curtain and grab a table—they all put you in very close proximity to your neighbor, but no matter. Open late, the Japanese joint makes for a great cheap eat, post-theater; A.C.T. is right across the street.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Although Katana-ya serves far more than ramen, most people here go straight for the excellent noodles. Choose your broth (we like miso, soy or salt) and your add-ins (roast pork being our favorite, but fried chicken and spicy tofu are great too), then slurp to your heart’s content. Drink cold beer now—lots of it.<br /></p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=3611+18th+St.,+San+Francisco&sll=37.793581,-122.399328&sspn=0.011836,0.019312&g=230+California+St.,+San+Francisco&ie=UTF8&z=16&iwloc=addr

The little sister to the ever-booked Delfina next door, this is where you’ll find some of SF’s top Italian-style pizza. Because it’s tiny and doesn’t take reservations, the best strategy is to go with no more than one friend, put your name on the chalkboard, order a glass of wine from the strictly Italian list and plant yourself under the heat lamp until your name is called. A second location, on California at Fillmore, is just as busy—weekday lunch is one way to beat the crowds.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Yes, there’s a clam pie and a salsiccia (fennel sausage) one, but it goes without saying that a margherita sets the pizza standard, and this one does not fail: The sauce is tangy and topped with creamy, house-pulled mozzarella, and the crust is chewy, crisp and blistered. One could live off of this alone, but the veggie antipasti are also worth trying, particularly the garlicky broccoli di ciccio or the green beans with pickled shallots.</p> <p>MUST ORDER: Arancini (when they have them) and Meatballs</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=1713+Taraval+St.++sf&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=27.089481,54.316406&ie=UTF8&ll=37.74481,-122.484598&spn=0.006583,0.013261&z=16&iwloc=addr

This small restaurant looks a bit like the waiting room of a doctor’s office, except every table is covered with bamboo steamers filled with dumplings—before long, the lone picture window is fogged up, obscuring your view of Taraval Street. The warm welcome from the owner makes even first-timers feel like regulars.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>As the name suggests, dumplings are the thing to order here: Shanghai soup dumplings, chicken-and-corn dumplings and lamb-and-Chinese-vegetable dumplings are just some of the 30-odd options, all made by hand. Start with the boiled peanuts and the tofu-noodle salad (spaghetti-like noodles made from soy, slicked with sesame oil and tossed with cilantro), and supplement your selection of dumplings with one of the specials listed on the whiteboard, such as garlic eggplant with shrimp. Note: You can also pick up bags of frozen dumplings to take home.</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=won-ton+house+sf&sll=37.781027,-122.457733&sspn=0.052641,0.106087&gl=us&ie=UTF8&ll=37.785368,-122.477989&spn=0.105277,0.212173&z=12&iwloc=A

Walk in on a quiet night, and you might stumble onto a gaggle of servers watching Chinese soap operas on the television. They’ll quickly jump into action, though, delivering your meal in record time. But don’t expect loads of atmosphere: The red pendant lamps hanging above cast bright, harsh light on diners.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>College-age couples seeking shelter from the fog flock here: Apparently, huddling over a bowl of the place’s signature soup (swimming with pork-and-shrimp wontons gently seasoned with Chinese Five Spice) is like the Sunset equivalent of ordering a chocolate malt with two straws—a no-fail recipe for love. The rice porridge with shrimp is bland, in a good, comforting, feed-a-fever kind of way, and the red-bean drink is a sweet thirst quencher.</p>