Stop by for the ethereal Sopaipilla dessert at Nopa, accompanied by an expertly mixed digestif. The fluffy, fried pastries arrive with a little pitcher of burnt-orange caramel sauce, to be poured wantonly over (and into) the dessert, and cocktails are made with house-specialty infusions.

They say life is short, so eat dessert first. Regardless of when it’s eaten, nothing trumps Nopa’s sopapillas. A sopapilla (“sopa-PEA-ya”) is a light and pillowy fried pastry, dusted with sugar and served with a side of burnt-orange caramel sauce. Nopa’s after-dinner drinks, like the famed Blue Bottle Cocktail, pair perfectly.

In as much time as it takes to say, “You’re table is ready,” Nopa become a darling of the San Francisco restaurant scene. As a late-night stop for many industry insiders (chefs, critics, restaurant managers, etc), and an innovator in flavors, ingredients, and décor, Nopa (the name is a tribute to its North-of-the-Panhandle locale), is a destination that still manages to maintain neighborhood hominess.