"You hungry?" Lydia Lee asks me, beaming in her bright pink Hello Kitty apron. "You look skinny." She stands in front of a steaming vat of fish stock, ready to scoop me a fresh bowl of udon. It's not even 11 a.m., but I can't turn her down. At Yo Yo's, which offers one of the most affordable lunches in all of San Francisco's Financial District, an order of udon noodle soup is just $9, and a six-piece tray of sushi is just $3.25.
While there are a number of different, regional styles of BBQ found across the U.S., it's safe to say that they all have a few things in common: They all make for an incredible meal, and you're probably going to make a bit of a mess eating it. But that's part of the fun, right? Truly great BBQ takes time, effort, and commitment - even though there are some great versions of pulled pork that you can make with as little as three ingredients.
El Pirata, a few steps from Shepherd's Market, black-beamed as a galleon with white walls heaving with Miro and Picasso prints as if raided from Athena, has a refreshingly non-corporate, non-Instagram atmosphere. Seating is intimate and candle-lit at small tables. If you've not booked (although to do so is wise), there are stools to sip and snack at the mirrored bar as you wait. A timbered spiral staircase drills down to a terracotta tiled basement able to host larger groups.