Locals may not eat it much, but you can't deny that when the rest of the nation thinks "San Francisco," this is the first food that comes to mind. Sure, clam chowder is an East Coast invention, but sourdough makes it that much better, and you can't argue with warm, hearty soup on a chilly summer day by the water.

Sure, it's a tourist obsession, but the Buena Vista does make a damn good Irish coffee. Also, it combines coffee and alcohol and dark wooden bars, three things San Francisco adores.

It's hard to explain what strange alchemy goes into Liguria's focaccia, but it might be magic. In any case, it certainly compels people to get up early and stand in line for a slice or two before they sell out, and has since 1911. Eat your pizza focaccia warm from the bag, or head down the street to equally historic Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store to enjoy it in an oven-baked meatball sandwich.

Long before hipster coffee shops popped up in every neighborhood, Caffe Trieste was fueling the Beats with its buzzy wares. Later, Francis Ford Coppola wrote The Godfather in this very shop, hopped up on the same heady brew. It's certainly an argument for the creative mojo engendered by a cup of Trieste espresso.

A favorite of legendary chef Cecilia Chang, the explosive chicken is a showstopper. Deep fried chunks of chicken are presented atop a terrifying pile of dried chili peppers, indicating that this dish means business. However, the heat isn't overwhelming (don't eat the peppers though, they're for decoration) and the chicken is flavorful. Just reserve a table ahead of time — the secret is out on this one.

Sure, it'll cover your sodium intake for the week, but who can resist the juicy, carved-from-the-cart prime rib at HOPR? Accented with a mound of creamed spinach, plenty of au jus, and some Yorkshire pudding on the side, it's a ticket to meat heaven.

We know, we know: Yank Sing is expensive (much more so than Shanghai Dumpling King). But their soup dumplings are off the chain, freshly flavorful and perfectly thin-skinned. Plus, you get the interactive element of trying to consume them without scalding the interior of your mouth, which takes real finesse and some artful nibbling skills.

The ultimate old-school donut shop, Bob's provides 24-hour service to the tired, hungry, and occasionally drunk denizens of Polk. All their donuts are great, but the apple fritter, perfectly crisp-soft and laced with plenty of cinnamon and tender apples, is a standout.

It’s no secret that Belinda Leong has perfected the kouign amann (and is lovingly dubbed the queen of kouign amann) and her bakery B. Patisserie reigns as the best place to sample the sugary, crunchy shatter of the kouign amann’s beautifully laminated dough. The bakery sells a plain version, but the joy comes in exploring other flavors, such as chocolate and other seasonal flavors, such as the black sesame version which lands around Chinese New Year.

This is a legitimately famous burger a veritable urban legend to its name (can a burger really have the power to induce labor?) so there’s no question whether or not the Spruce Burger achieves icon status in San Francisco. You’ll know it when you see it by its English muffin bun; it also sports a patty made from a proprietary blend of brisket, short rib, and sirloin. Fanciful garnishes include turmeric-pickled zucchini, pickled red onion, and thrice-cooked fries on the side. Order it at the bar for a casual meal.

Since 1974, Tom Yasukochi has faithfully recreated a classic cake from his San Francisco childhood — the sticky sweet Coffee Crunch Cake sold at the erstwhile local bakery and restaurant chain Blum's. But the operator of Yasukochi's Sweet Shop inside the Super Mira store in Japantown learned to bake under deeply unhappy circumstances. He and his family were sent from San Francisco to a Japanese internment camp during World War II, and during that period, near Salt Lake City, Yasukochi recalls learning to bake as his father worked in the kitchen. After the war, he and his family returned to San Francisco. Later, he perfected the Coffee Crunch Cake with the help of a former colleague who once made candy for Blum's. It's particularly popular around Thanksgiving, so if you want a whole one, be sure to call ahead.

Mandalay in San Francisco may have the most authentic version of Burma’s tea leaf salad in San Francisco, but Burma Superstar’s adaptation (with its addition of romaine lettuce) is what transformed it into the popular, packaged version that’s seen around the Bay Area today. The fermented tea leaves remain central to the salad with its unique flavor, and is tossed with lettuce, vinaigrette and a melange of crunchy bits like toasted peanuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and fried yellow split peas to round out the salad.

Dungeness crab season is A Thing here in San Francisco, and PPQ Dungeness Island is one of San Francisco’s most celebrated spots to have crab. There’s a couple of reasons for this: there’s at least five different dungeness crab preparations to choose from (roasted, peppercorn, chili, Cajun, and curry among them) and crab is served year-round, thanks to both local crab fishing and the ability to source from Washington during the off season.

It's hard to say more about this one than has already been said. The brick-oven-roasted chicken, with its crisp skin, is fantastic, but it's the chunks of crisp bread, arugula, and currants coated in chicken jus that really makes it special. Share it with someone you love, or steal all the salad when someone you hate isn't looking.

Palm City has become a veritable sandwich destination, recognized for having some of the best hoagies this side of the Mississippi. So trek out to the ever-foggy Outer Sunset to order one of the wine shop and restaurant's super-stacked sandwiches; there’s no wrong order, perse, but you’d be wise to go with the Italian American, which is absolutely loaded with mortadella, finocchiona, mozzarella, parmesan, shaved onion, arugula and spicy n’duja sauce.

San Francisco really has become an iconic ice cream city, from Mitchell's and Swensen's to, now, Bi-Rite. The salted caramel is toasty, rich, and perfectly delicious paired with any of the creamery's other flavors. Equally iconic: the line that appears on hot days and wraps down the block. In a pinch, check out the adjacent soft-serve window for a quicker fix.

A stroll along 24th Street isn't complete without a pan dulce from this adorable Mexican bakery, in business since 1951. They've hipped things up in recent years with fancy new-school pastries and De La Paz coffee, but the original treats are the best.

Farolito, patron saint of the Mission's hungry drunks, is open late at night, which is the best time to eat their gloriously messy, greasy, flavorful, delectable carne asada super burrito — with rice, thank you very much. Waiting in line for 30 minutes for one of these is a great immersion into San Francisco's melting pot. The burrito does not discriminate, especially when you are imbibing.

Rather than risk the ire of burrito partisans by including only one of the two biggest hitters, we decided to have them both on this list. Next but equally well-loved: La Taq's world-beating carnitas, served with the perfect liquidy ratio of beans and salsa (but no rice) in a warm tortilla. There's a reason this won America's Best Burrito.