If you’re looking to impress your date, venture away from the main stretch to Meso, where the owner’s intention is to make you feel like you’re enjoying a meal along the shores of the Mediterranean. Expect a flatbread laden with artichokes, kasseri cheese, and tahini; creamy hummus studded with garbanzos alongside disks of fluffy, fresh-baked pita; and succulent lamb shank laid on a bed of couscous, all served on speckled ceramic dishes in a room with ocean-blue accents, mosaic tile floors and tabletops, and intricate latticework.

Travelers and locals alike find their way to Ozumo, nestled beside the grand Hotel Valencia. This creative dining concept (think sushi bar meets sake lounge and robata grill) offers a number of izakaya specialties (a.k.a. Japanese pub food) like yakitori chicken skewers and okonomiyaki (savory green onion pancakes) as well as a wide range of nigiri and sashimi options. Don’t forget to accompany your meal with a sake tasting or one of the establishment’s inventive signature cocktails like the Giddy Geisha or the Tokyo Old Fashioned.

For brisket and baked beans, stop by Sauced BBQ, a trendy industrial joint with intentionally “rusty” corrugated metal siding, weathered wood, metal chairs, and neon signage. Make sure to accompany your sauce-saturated ribs with deep-fried delights like jalapeño poppers stuffed with pulled pork, sharp cheddar, and cream cheese (playfully referred to as hand grenades)—and for dessert, deep fried Oreos.

For those dressier special occasions, book a reservation at LB Steak, a classy venue serving prime and bone-in steaks with naturally-raised beef. There’s an air of gravitas about the rooms with their dark wood paneling, low lighting, and wine rack wall displays—while the cowhide chairs add a cheeky touch. Outdoors seating areas are sectioned-off by rich red curtains. The menu ranges from carpaccio and fillet mignon to tomahawk rib eye and several kinds of Japanese wagyu beef.

This gourmet Mexican rosticeria delves into the nuances of chicken through fritters, fajitas, burritos, and bowls. It’s a quirky establishment. Their mascot is a rooster with long lady legs. Their patron saint is a 1960s woman who drank men under the table and wrote recipes on the back of casino matchbooks (“in immaculate handwriting, of course. Right next to some of her favorite dirty jokes,” their website informs us.) Their menu doesn’t fool around though. One of the fan favorites is a wet burrito, generously loaded with rotisserie chicken, beans, corn, queso oaxaca, fried kale, and your choice of quinoa or cilantro rice—all drizzled in a spicy creamy morita sauce. They also offer a killer lemon coconut cheese flan, some solid cocktails, and the best chips and guac on the Row.

Stores have come and gone from the street, but Cocola is one of the OGs. This iconic French-style patisserie at the heart of the Row has been a faithful standby over the years. It’s the perfect way to indulge in a little decadence—whether you choose to order a mocha and macaroons or a chai and cheesecake. Finding it is relatively easy. Keep an out for the storefront with the dapper couple painted across the entrance. A 19th-century lady in a puff-sleeved gown and a mustachioed young gentlemen flank the doorway as if inviting guests into their tea-time ritual.

If you’re craving Southeast Asian fusion make a beeline for Straights. To achieve intricate flavor profiles, this modern Singaporean establishment combines elements of Malaysian, Indonesian, Chinese, Nonya, and Indian cuisine. The house favorite is the roti prata, a traditional Indian flatbread crowned with scallions and served with a mouth-watering yellow coconut curry dip. But there are plenty of noteworthy options on the menu. Make sure to load up on spicy basil chicken, curried vegetables, and lemon grass beef. The lychee martinis are also a must. Heads up: Straights opens its dance floor and notches up its music in the evenings. So if you’re hoping for a lowkey kind of meal, stop by for lunch instead.

One of the long-reigning North Indian cuisine options here in the South Bay, Amber India is a must. It might be tempting to fill up on their stuffed naan, but make sure to pace yourself. You’ll want to save room for the butter chicken and tandoori sea bass. Here, vegetarians are well taken care of too. The pleasing blend of spices in the eggplant masala and aloo asparagus is enough to convert the carnivores.

As far as ambiance is concerned, El Jardin can’t be beat. Offering light bites and cocktails in a tiled garden patio flush with leafy green plants and string lights, it’s the perfect way to kill time before your dinner plans or draw out the evening after your meal. So order tacos and tequila, then settle in to enjoy the live music because this open-air venue hosts contemporary Latin pop singers and traditional mariachi bands.

Located on the edge of the Plaza de Valencia with its cow-sized chameleon statues, Smitten Ice Cream offers some of the best people-watching views of Santana Row. Not your run-of-the-mill parlour, Smitten serves ice cream churned to order ensuring fresh flavor and silky smooth texture. The Brr Machine, an invention by the shop’s founder Robyn Sue Fisher, turns locally-sourced ingredients into pure creamy goodness in 90 seconds flat. In the early days, Robyn placed her device in a little red wagon and wheeled it up and down the streets of San Francisco—but after growing a cult-like following, her operation got a whole lot less barebones. Today, her handful of brick-and-mortar operations serve exploratory flavors like earl grey with chocolate chips, cheesecake, and American pie to dessert foodies across the Bay.