The south Indian state of Goa was once a Portuguese colony, and its cuisine represents a blending of the area’s colonial past with its incredible access to seafood and love for spices. At Viva Goa, you can explore the unique combination of Hindu and Catholic cuisines through the lens of coastal India. Try the lamb Xacutti (a complex curry with white sesame seeds, coconut, and chilis), ambot tik (literally “sour hot,” a tangy, spicy curry usually made with prawns or fish), and vindaloo, one of the most iconic Goan curries. Vindaloo gets its name from the Portuguese dish carne de vinha d’alhos — meat in wine vinegar and garlic.

The name pretty much sums it up. This no-frills storefront in Nob Hill sells two things: hot sauce and fried chicken wings to go. There are no seats, no waiters, and they encourage you to bring your own water, because you might need it. If you’re feeling flirty, try the Buffalo; if you’re feeling adventurous, aim for Earl’s; and if you’re feeling reckless, try the Ghost Pepper wings, made with Carolina Reapers. The menu brags about the Reaper’s 1.4 million “scoville heat units” - a measure of spice (in comparison, Jalapeños are in the low thousands, Habañeros closer to 300,000.) You may need more than just water: Don’t say you haven’t been warned.

With Hotbird temporarily out of commission, the options for Nashville Hot Chicken are pretty limited in these parts. But Super Duper spinoff sandwich shop the Bird makes a well-loved and well-spiced fried chicken sandwich that doesn’t disappoint, using a berbere spice blend to borrow as much from East Africa as Tennessee. Nestled in a soft bun with apple slaw, pickles, and mayonnaise, this tender, juicy meat isn’t going to melt your face off, but it’s likely to warm your lips and your belly.

In the heart of the Tenderloin you’ll find Yemen Kitchen, a snug, warm spot owned by Abdul Al-Rammah. Bring a group and try everything on the menu, but for your spicy fix go for the saltah, one of the national dishes of Yemen. It’s a meat stew served bubbling hot with a float of frothy fenugreek sauce (better than any modernist foam), served with a flatbread called tawah. For some extra heat, ask for an extra bowl of sahawiq (also known as zhug or s’hoog), a hot sauce made from red or green chilies, garlic, coriander, and spices.

While the East Bay has many more options for great Ethiopian food than the city proper, Tadu Kitchen’s two locations in the Tenderloin and Mission Bay are solid choices for injera, stews, and more. To experience some East African heat, order the special kitfo — it’s either raw or rare ground beef (though you can ordered it cooked to any degree), marinated in spicy mitmita, a chili powder, and served with ayib, a mild, crumbly cheese. For vegetarians, try the firfir or vegetarian banatu — vegetables and tangy injera bread are tossed in a spicy berbere sauce.

Spicy foods are not common throughout western Europe, but Portugal is one of the exceptions: Colonialism and trade brought chilies to the country, and they’ve held on to the heat. Chef Telmo Faria’s recipes at Piri Pica (“piri” referring to a biting Brazilian chili; ‘pica’ Portuguese for sting) shows the full range of Portugal’s love for spice: order your bird “piri-piri” if you like a little heat; “pica! pica! pica!” for the full sting.

In between the birthday chants and the waiters hawking plates of today’s special, you’ll have the opportunity to try some of the spiciest dishes in the city at Farmhouse Kitchen. One in particular can earn you a ticket to Bangkok: the restaurant is currently holding its second “Thai Spicy challenge,” a no-holds barred firefight against a few wings and a plate of noodles. If you want to win, you’ll have to beat the current leader on the creepily bug-eyed wall of fame, who completed the challenge in 5 minutes, 12 seconds. But mind the rules: You must be 21+, finish the plate within 15 minutes, and there’s no “reversal” allowed — we’ll let you decipher that for yourself.

It’s not 100 percent Filipino, and it’s not 100 precent, but if you take a chance and order your burrito “hella spicy,” you’ll get something 100 percent San Franciscan and a 1,000 percent spicy. Señor Sisig has gone from one food truck to six since 2010, a meteoric success story in the competitive world of food trucks. You know you’ve done it right when your burrito is delivered with a handwritten label of “hella hella hella spicy :)” Hot news for Señor Sisig fans: a brick-and-mortar location is coming to the Mission hella soon.

The magic spice at local taqueria chain Taqueria Cancun is in the salsas, especially the salsa verde. Batches may vary (the jalapeños may be hotter or not by season and ripeness) but the overall effect of ordering your burrito or tacos with extra jalapeños and a side of salsa verde adds layers of warmth, like dressing up for a cool day out in the city. Hot tip: the recipe was published by the Cooking Channel: Make it at home and amp up the jalapeños if you like it like that.

This cozy spot in the city’s western reaches specializes in dishes from the far west of China, known for Islamic culture and halal cuisine. wYou can’t not order the dish called “Extremely Hot Pepper,” the Chinese characters for which (辣死你) literally translate as “spicy death” or “so spicy you die.” Theoretically it’s more condiment than dish — a pile of chilies dwarfs the dish’s other components, making it a perfect complement to other, less spicy dishes.