Best Restaurants for Spicy Food in Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness

Excellent service and great tasting curry dishes. Definitely would go back in a heart beat. Big shareable dishes.

My go-to sit down Mexican spot in the city. So consistent and delicious every time.

Made reservations. And promptly seated to the back room. Videos was playing repeatedly on loop. The video said farmhouse Thai but the foods the waitstaff attire did not match completely with the menu we were given. Some foods were spicy and some sweet. Some we needed to prefer multiple orders of appetizer so it would be appropriate for party of 6. Unfortunately the staff didn’t advise us of this. We were given plenty of time without interruptions to Chat amongst ourselves. Overall would definitely recommend this place for groups and intimate dinners.

Those who complain on the thread about spicy food perplex me—why did they go to a Sichuan restaurant? I have a lower craving/tolerance for spice than a typical Chinese person with Sichuan roots—I like the flavor but don’t seek the heat necessarily. To me, the food at Z&Y was the appropriate level of spicy and flavorful. Actually, there’s a variety of regional specialties, and our party just ordered what we felt like without regard to trying to get a typical Sichuan meal. I had meant to book a table at Z&Y Peking Duck across the street, but I didn’t mind the mistake! I don’t live in SF, and am willing to shell it out for a Michelin fine dining experience. I found Z&Y was relatively expensive and in slightly more modest proportion to what one might expect for a typical Chinatown restaurant, but worth it due to the extremely high quality and authentic food. Decor and service style are also typical Chinatown vibe. We had to get egg rolls for the youngest adult with us, and they were crisp and tasty. Tan tan noodles had spice and subtle flavor at the same time. We ordered Peking duck and I wondered if we got the tea smoked duck, but we didn’t even complain because there was a LOT of duck and the smoky flavor was unique and delicious—and there were enough thin pancakes, sauce, cucumber, and spring onions. Pea shoots and cumin beef were very tasty. We added on Dong Po Ro (Pork Shoulder) as our last dish came to the table because we needed more food. It came to the table quickly and was melt in your mouth tender. Yes, it is very fatty, but that’s the point of this cut—if you don’t like fat, don’t get Dong Po Ro! Lots of happy accidents with this meal, wouldn’t change a thing.

Great service, tasty food, fun ambiance- I would definitely come back!