Frisco Fried, San Francisco

After years of dreaming about owning their own restaurant, Marcel Banks and his uncle Gregory Banks finally opened the doors at Frisco Fried in 2010. Within months, SF Weekly declared that "the Bayview soul-food restaurant felt like the kind of place that defines a neighborhood," nodding to the Giants-inspired black-and-orange décor, the finger-licking fare, and the framed Webster's definitions of "neighborhood" at each table. The menu's fried chicken, seafood entrees, and Southern-style sides seem deceptively simple, but in reality, chefs pride themselves on innovative seasonings and impeccable pairings, such as the caramelized garlic butter and garlic noodles that accompany the crab. When not paying homage to soul-food staples including chicken and waffles, Frisco Fried's culinary architects reveal a flair for invention with their hybridized and hunger-busting burger dogs.