Green Chile Kitchen & Market, San Francisco

Native to New Mexico, the green chile is packed with vitamin C and produces an endorphin high with each bite, so it's no wonder that it's the starring ingredient at Green Chile Kitchen. Along with red chile, the all-purpose veggie makes its journey from Bueno Foods, a half-century old food company that's also native to the state, directly to Green Chile Kitchen's made-from-scratch dishes. It then casts its capsaicin spells from menu items including green-chile pork quesadillas and stuffed poblanos. These pepper-laden meals share the billing with other New Mexican dishes such as tamales, red chile chicken posole, and enchiladas.