From pop-ups to hole-in-the-wall joints, I’ve discovered a lot of amazing places in the last year.
Since we all barely dined out in the past year and a half, the majority of my food adventures have been takeout from small businesses, taco trucks, bakeries, and pop-ups.
Let’s start with the savory goodies. Birria tacos have been all the craze and if you still haven’t tried them yet, you are seriously missing out. Birria tacos are made with beef that’s been braised until tender in a rich consommé. The meat is then shredded and stuffed inside a taco where the tortillas are dipped in that braising liquid and then griddled on a flat top. While I’ve tried a few places, hands down my favorite place is La Grana Fish in Oakland. While getting the quesabirria taco (birria with cheese) is always a MUST, their other items are not to be missed either. My second favorite item is their gobernador taco with shrimp, cheese, and poblano chili. So good. Other favorites include the fried fish taco with cabbage slaw, baked potato loaded with cheese and your choice of protein, vampiro tacos (fried tortilla with meat and cheese, I usually get adobada which is pork), aguachiles, and ceviches (get the shrimp or fresh tuna with avocado and mango). I haven’t tried their quesadillas or mulitas but I’m sure they’re fire. For dessert, you can’t miss their flan. It’s custardy, creamy, and always hits the spot (they have plain, pecan, or coconut, and all three are fantastic).

Samin’s Summer Pie and Bay Area Seoul.
By far the best deli sandwiches are from Deli Board in San Francisco, Yes, you might bitch about the price but I’m always willing to pay if flavor delivers and they do not disappoint. I’ve been there three times and every time I’m blown away by how great their sandwiches are. Chef Adam truly puts love into these creative sandwich concoctions. Below you’ll find the Zeke (turkey, avocado, bacon, cream cheese, pickled onion, sprouts, and mayo on a french roll); the Leroy Brown (Romanian pastrami, turkey, kosher salami, yellow American cheese, muenster cheese, pepperoncini blend, pickles, and board sauce on a dutch crunch); and the Pilarzle fka Carzle (Romanian pastrami, brisket, Provolone cheese, cherry peppers, pickles, coleslaw, and board sauce on a garlic french roll). I’ve also tried the Armando (not pictured) that has turkey, bacon, avocado, Cheddar cheese, sprouts, pepperoncini blend, mayo, and board sauce on a garlic french roll. I’d have to say my favorites are the Leroy Brown and the Pilarzle fka Carzle…my mouth is watering just thinking about them.
One of my favorite new finds is Hidden Spot in Emeryville serving up American food such as burgers, sandwiches, and chicken wings. While I didn’t try their burgers or sandwiches, their chicken wings were fiiiiiire. I got honey garlic butter and MVP (sweet and spicy soy glazed) and both were bomb. Super crispy and crunchy. Other chicken wing flavors include buffalo, garlic parmesan, and lemon pepper and I cannot wait to go back. The seasoned fries and onion rings were solid too.
Honey Ginger Chicken Wings, MVP Chicken Wings, Fries, and Onion Rings.
I never get sushi for takeout as I’d rather eat it fresh at a restaurant but Mujiri is an exception. This takeout only spot in Oakland has high quality, relatively affordable sushi. They offer a 7 piece nigiri set with the daily maki roll, a sashimi combo set, or you can order a la carte nigiri and hosomaki. I was pretty impressed with the quality and would definitely go back whenever I’m craving sushi.

7 Piece Nigiri Set.
Alright, now onto the sweets. Who woulda thought that I would have such a sweet tooth now after years of never wanting desserts. Oh, how times have changed…
One of the best pop-ups I’ve discovered is Pie Society by Pinkerton Confectionary. While their workshop is in Berekely, they have weekly pickups in Oakland and San Francisco. Chef Angela Pinkerton has an impressive resume, most notable being the former executive pastry chef at Eleven Madison Park and receiving a James Beard award for outstanding pastry in 2011. She now is focusing all her time and energy on making exceptional pies and cookies. She offers chicken pot pie (which I’ve never tried), various fruit pies (9″ or 5″), and cookies. Her signature passionfruit bay leaf meringue pie is not to be missed with tangy passionfruit curd with bay leaf sweet cream, graham cracker crust, and toasted Swiss meringue. I also loved her strawberry cheesecake pie with a salted graham cracker crust. All her fruit pies such as honey apple, peach cobbler, stonefruit streusel, and chocolate berry have all been outstanding. Her cookies are also a hit with flavors like strawberry red velvet, chocolate chip & sea salt, chamomile cornmeal, cherry oatmeal chocolate walnut, gianduja brownie, and family love (chocolate, peanut butter, and oatmeal).

Stonefruit Pie from Edith’s Pie and Sweet Potato Cake and German Chocolate Cake from Gregory’s Gourmet Desserts.
San Francisco has some of the best bakeries and Neighbor Bakehouse is one of them. I’ve been there a handful of times and every time I’m thoroughly impressed by the quality of their pastries and baked goods. I absolutely love the pistachio blackberry twice-baked croissant and Tommaso loves the ginger pull-apart and guava & cream cheese pastelito.

Neighbor Bakehouse Pastries.
On another occasion, we did a bakery tour where we visited three bakeries in San Francisco: Neighbor Bakehouse, Arsicault Bakery, and Jane the Bakery. Arsicault Bakery is another favorite of mine because of their impeccable kouign amann, almond croissant, and ham & cheese croissant. It was my first time visiting Jane the Bakery and we tried their pain au raisin, Nutella brioche, fluffernutter brioche, and pepperoni flatbread. While their pastries were delicious, they just didn’t hold up against Neighbor Bakehouse and Arsicault Bakery.

Assorted Mochi Donuts, Mochi Muffins, and Mochi Bread Pudding.
Now onto regular donuts where Donut Savant shines at their new location in Oakland. Their donuts are fun because they have cron’t (hybrid of a croissant and a donut) as well as raised and cake donuts. All their donuts are smaller or mini-sized meaning you can get a bunch to sample! Favorites include the salted maple cron’t, the bernie (raised donut filled with vanilla cream and maple glaze), sean pecan-ery (cinnamon roll with buttercream frosting and toasted pecans), and o.m.j. (cron’t with vanilla glaze and jam filling). Honestly, you can’t go wrong here as everything is top notch.
Another donut shop with fun flavored donuts is Donut Petit in Alameda. Their flavors change daily and can sell out so be sure to go on the earlier side. I really enjoyed the caramel apple donut, oreo donut, and the maple old fashioned donut.
Donut Petit Donuts.
Hanabi Cakes, a preorder only cake shop in San Francisco, have beautiful cakes and mini cakes. While I’ve never tried their larger celebratory cakes (prices range from $60-$100+ depending on the type of cake), their mini box cakes are very affordable and tasty. These are mini so keep that in mind as one person can easily crush a cake. We tried strawberry vanilla, chocolate sea salt oreo, honeycomb caramel, and matcha red bean.