6 Best Restaurants in Japantown, San Francisco

As soon as the large door swings open to this happening two-level space, diners are greeted with bright colors, a lively bar, and the smell of spices in the air. This is the second location of the popular Dosa on Valencia, but it's definitely the glamorous younger sister, with an expanded menu and much more room. The menu entices with savory fish dishes, tender chicken dum korma, and papery dosas. The restaurant handles group dining often. At lunch, indulge in the Indian street-food selections, and the famed pani puri (little crisp puffs you fill with mint and tamarind water and pop all at once into your mouth).

In the lobby of the New People building, this mini tea shop looks like a little girl's fantasy, with pretty flowered and polka-dotted tablecloths, fancy settings, and nods to the British royal family. Most guests opt for high tea with scones, crumpets, and finger sandwiches, or you can stop in for a sandwich or salad.

This ever-popular specialist in kalbijjim, a Korean braised beef short rib soup, is set in an industrial-feeling space, with serene images of mountains on the walls. Each soup is large enough to feed a small family and comes with a choice of toppings, like rice cakes or oozing cheese (melted tableside, it's an Instagram sensation). Be prepared to wait at peak times.

Hakata-style tonkotsu (pork) and extra-intense chicken paitan ramen are the specialties of this modern-looking Japan Center restaurant that serves what many consider the city's finest bowl of ramen. As a result, long lines can be daunting, but tables move pretty quickly inside the bustling yet relaxed space decorated with wood design elements and dangling Edison bulbs. A few izakaya small bites, rice bowls, beer, and both Japanese and locally made sake round out the menu.

Homemade thin soba and thick udon, served either hot or cold with various toppings, are the stars of this low-key, charming restaurant with a wooden facade that looks like it was imported directly from the countryside. Seating is at wooden tables, where diners of every age can be heard slurping down big bowls of traditional Japanese combinations.

Japantown has a host of sushi options at all price points, but this longtime staple on the second floor of the Japan Center stands out for its excellent rolls, nigiri, and sashimi. The omakase menu, with eight pieces of sushi and nigiri, is a fraction of the cost of its downtown peers, but close to equal in quality and diner satisfaction. The mellow, wood-paneled space is a striking contrast to the constant chatter and mall activity outside.