Bistro Ember

Bistro Ember is best for a special date night, birthday, or an “I can’t do this anymore, I need something nice” meal. This upscale Turkish spot in Noe Valley has a dark, sultry vibe with small table lamps, barely lit overhead lights, and soft acoustic music playing over the speaker. What else makes this place special are the stellar dishes that look like art, from the chickpea yeast bread that’s served with a side of spicy honey that comes in honeycomb-shaped butter to the kampachi crudo with melon gel and a raki perfume. The well-seasoned lamb manti is their Monet—grand and larger than life (we would dedicate a museum to these dumplings). A meal here moves slowly, not because the kitchen takes its time, but rather because you’re going to want to drag it on forever.