Eight Off-the-Beaten-Path South Bay Eats for Super Bowl Week

"The competition for the best ramen spot in the Bay is fierce, but Ramen Hajime is without a doubt a top contender. Both the thin, straight noodles and the thick, wavy noodles are made in house. To sample a bit of everything, try the kiwami tonkotsu that features two types of pork chashu, a jammy boiled egg, black mushrooms and a black garlic sauce. Keep a close eye on their social media page for limited-time specials like ramen bowls topped with chocolate, crab or scallops."

"Pre-Hispanic started as a food truck that roamed South Bay breweries and farmers markets. In September, they opened their first physical location in downtown Morgan Hill. The menu boasts a large selection of specialties from Yucatan including cochinita pibil, al pastor negro and xnipec salsa. If you're only trying one dish, let it be the chorizo and octopus taco assembled on heirloom corn tortillas with a crispy cheese skirt."

"This fast-casual Mediterranean spot started as a stall in the downtown San Jose food hall and has since opened a standalone location in a quiet neighborhood a few minutes from the airport. They are best known for their pillowy Levantine flatbread (manakish) that comes with toppings such as whipped kefir, za'atar and tomato-cucumber salad. If you're looking to pick up a meal to dig into while you watch the game, go for the tri tip or chicken shawarma fries loaded with gooey cheese and garlic sauce."

South Bay's food scene has expanded with greater culinary diversity, attracting visitors and game attendees. Ramen Hajime serves house-made thin and thick noodles and a kiwami tonkotsu with two types of pork chashu, a jammy boiled egg, black mushrooms, and black garlic sauce, with occasional limited-time bowls topped with chocolate, crab, or scallops. Pre-Hispanic Mexican Cuisine moved from a food truck to a Morgan Hill location offering Yucatan specialties such as cochinita pibil, al pastor negro, xnipec salsa, and a chorizo-and-octopus taco on heirloom corn tortillas with a crispy cheese skirt. Manakish offers pillowy Levantine flatbread with whipped kefir, za'atar, and tomato-cucumber salad, plus shawarma fries.

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