Baladie Gourmet Cafe, San Francisco

At Baladie Gourmet Café, owner Nick Bazlamit channels his heritage into a gracefully simple menu that has garnered a feature on KQED's Check, Please!. Dispersing spice-steeped clouds of steam, pita-pocket sandwiches blend spinach and other garden accoutrements alongside warm platters of chickpea and eggplant dips. Gyro platters and shawarma insulate savory meats such as lamb, chicken, and beef, and arabic coffees and teas offer noontime jolts without the stress of rooming in cuckoo clocks. With a bell ringing gleefully in the background to signal that a belly dance is about to begin, patrons snag to-go platters, dodging couriers toting heaping catering orders.