Often described as a nourishing, hearty stew, and one of San Francisco's greatest contributions to culinary history, cioppino is a fish stew that is traditionally made from the catch of the day, combined with tomatoes and wine sauce. Cioppino is often made with crabs, clams, shrimp, scallops, squid, and mussels, while the typical accompaniment might include a local favorite - toasted sourdough bread.

According to a food historian named Jean Anderson, this Italian-sounding dish was invented by the fishermen from Genoa who immigrated to the US and settled in California's Bay Area. It is most likely that cioppino originated on the fishing boats, when the fishermen made use of what was readily available to make their dinner, similar to the French bouillabaisse. 

Burrito is a dish consisting of a wheat flour tortilla that is wrapped in such a way that it is possible to fully enclose the flavorful filling on the interior. The filling consists of a combination of various ingredients such as meat, beans, rice, lettuce, guacamole, and cheese, among others.

Its name means little donkey in Spanish, and a popular theory suggests that it stems from the way the bedrolls and packs appeared on the donkeys that carried them. Some claim that the dish originated in the 19th century by either the vaqueros in Northern Mexico, farmers in California, or the miners from Sonora. 

The first Mission burrito was made either at El Faro taqueria in San Francisco's Mission District on September 26, 1961 or at La Cumbre taqueria on September 29, 1969. The burrito is quite large and consists of a big, press-steamed tortilla that is usually filled with baked beans, rice, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, shredded lettuce, and jalapeños.

It should always be served wrapped in tin foil, ensuring that the tortilla doesn't break due to its size. There is also a popular practice of adding some salsa to the burrito in between bites to make it even juicier.

These flavorful tacos originate from San Francisco's Mission district, famous for its Latin community and great burritos. Mission-style tacos are typically filled with carne asada meat, cooked beans, refried beans, lettuce, cheese, and a variety of different salsas.

It is recommended to serve them with radish slices and lime wedges on the side for the best eating experience.

Ever since California's days of gold mining around 1849, sourdough has been an iconic bread and a staple of the Western cuisine. It is the oldest and the most original form of leavened bread, with the oldest recorded use of sourdough dating back to the ancient Egyptians.

During the gold rush period, the Boudin family (well-known bakers from France) came to San Francisco and became famous for their unique sourdough bread. It was a hugely popular food, especially for the hungry miners who flocked into the bakery every morning, appreciating the bread for its taste and durability. 

Popover is a traditional variation on English Yorkshire pudding. It's usually associated with the cuisine of New England. The popovers are a type of bread or muffin made with a combination of milk, flour, eggs, and butter. The flour, milk, and eggs are poured into heated butter that's placed in a muffin pan.

Once baked, the popovers will puff up and develop a crisp crust and tender, moist center. These puffs are often served with butter and jam or stuffed with various savory fillings.

One of the earliest and quintessential American dishes, New England-style clam chowder is a creamy stew made with briny clams, chunks of salt pork, sweet onions, potatoes, and milk. The dish was invented by the Pilgrims who had landed near Plymouth Rock in 1620.

Hungry and with nothing to eat, they turned to delicious clams that are commonly found on New England's shores and cooked them in pots filled with water over an open flame. As for the word chowder, some claim it stems from the French chaudiére, denoting an iron cooking pot, while others claim it stems from chaudeau, meaning hot water. 

Crab Louie is an American salad dating back to the beginning of the 20th century. The salad is prepared with a combination of Dungeness crab meat, tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, asparagus, hard-boiled eggs, and Louie dressing (based on chili sauce and mayo), while olives, green onions, and bell peppers are optional, but can be added if desired.

The origins of the dish are quite murky, but many sources claim that the dish was served as early as 1914 in a San Francisco restaurant called Solari's. This tasty salad is mostly served as an appetizer.

Following in the footsteps of the classic New England-style clam chowder, Californian clam chowder is a creamy stew containing clams, potatoes, and onions. The key to making it Californian-style is to carefully tuck the chowder inside a sourdough bread bowl, which is the Californian way to enjoy this iconic American dish.

Clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl is believed to have originated in 1849, in the San Francisco restaurant called Boudin, and has since become the signature dish of the city.