In the East Bay, Sichuan Style sets the standard for classic, tongue-numbingly spicy Sichuan fare. Standard orders include the fragrant, chile-topped fish fillet soup; the wok-charred cabbage; and the water-boiled fish, which comes swimming in a pool of spicy bright red sauce. Whatever you do, make sure you order one of the big, puffy rounds of sesame bread and plenty of white rice.

A pair of Chez Panisse alums opened a tiny lunch counter spot just around the corner from the mothership in Berkeley. Yes, the aesthetic is there; but so is the flavor. Dine on flatbread sandwiches filled with spicy chicken, herbs, cabbage, yogurt, and harissa; pints of soup; and beautiful salads made with the Bay Area’s best produce, perfectly arranged. There’s nowhere to sit, really, so this is best eaten as a picnic in a Berkeley park.

This “new generation Thai” restaurant from former Hawker Fare chef Supasit Puttikaew has become a neighborhood comfort food staple in the Gilman Street corridor, serving up excellent (and quite spicy) pad Thai; “Thai-spicy” party wings; a legit version of khao mun gai (Thai-style poached chicken and rice); and some of the tastiest fried Brussels sprouts in town.

Since 2012, this pint-sized cafe has served some of Berkeley’s best daytime dishes: bountiful avocado toast, deeply comforting savory porridge, tomato toast in the summer, and jammy eggs topped with good olive oil and Marash pepper. There are also some lovely little baguette sandwiches on the menu too, though you’ll have to show up early to snag one.

As one the East Bay’s premier practitioners of the art of plant-based faux meat, the Butcher’s Son has built up a huge following for its lineup of “meaty” sandwiches — takes on everything from a classic all-American cheesesteak to a Reuben to chicken parm, all made with faux meat products developed and produced in-house. Expect the longest lines during weekend brunch, when the restaurant serves such specialties as hemp milk pancakes (with or without a vegan doughnut stuffed inside) and a tofu scramble breakfast sandwich that’s been dubbed the #Thisismyaddiction.

One of the most stylish, intimate Japanese restaurants in the Bay Area, Ippuku is mostly known for serving the East Bay’s most delicious chicken skewers and izakaya-style dishes. The yakitori specialist, with its (shoes-off) tatami-style tables, also has one of the best Japanese beer and sake lists around.

Located at Berkeley’s stylish Fourth Street shopping district, Pollara is the only restaurant in the area specializing in Roman-style pizza al taglio — long trays of crisp-bottomed, rectangular pizza that might come topped with prosciutto, or with ’nduja, onions, and potatoes. Pre-order whole or half pizzas online and reheat them in your oven at home.

All of Spain’s classic tapas can be found at this lively restaurant on San Pablo, from patatas bravas to piquillo peppers stuffed with goat cheese. The paellas are the showstoppers, however, particularly the arroz negro that includes squid ink, clams, and fennel sausage, and is topped with uni aioli and smoked trout roe. It now boasts a lovely patio with heaters, too, ideal for sipping Spanish wine on a cool Berkeley evening.

Chef-owner Anja Voth’s mostly organic, health-conscious, “slow food” approach to German cuisine has earned Gaumenkitzel a devoted following in Berkeley — which isn’t to say that the crowd favorites like the buttery spaetzle and excellent crispy pork schnitzel are light or in any way lacking in flavor. Parents will appreciate the appealing, spaetzle-focused kids’ menu.

This downtown Berkeley izakaya made a name for itself for its inventive, forward-thinking small plates: smoked mentaiko potato salad and fried black cod fish cakes that ooze with melted cheese curds. Settle into the stylish but modest dining room to enjoy sashimi, curry, and more.

The East Bay has many izakaya-style Japanese restaurants, but none that are as much rollicking fun as Kiraku, nor any that serve food that’s as consistently delightful and well executed. Must-order dishes include the corn tempura with green tea salt, the grilled whole squid, and the mini kaisen don or one of the other rice bowls to end the meal in the traditional Japanese way.

Bagel-maker-in-chief Emily Winston may be a self-taught bagel savant and as the often-long lines outside her Berkeley bakery can attest, she’s mastered the art of making New York–style bagels out on the West Coast. In addition to tightly rolled bagels, the menu also includes cream cheese spreads and slices of smoked Nova lox.

This homey, family-run Ethiopian restaurant in South Berkeley is known for its tender, buttery kitfo (a traditional raw beef dish); its tangy, all-teff injera; and its flavorful veggie combo spread. It’s also one of a handful of Bay Area spots where customers could go to enjoy a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony on the weekends.