The first Fort Mason Center Night Market of 2025 was a hit. There’s no other place in town where you can sit down for a feast of jollof, kimchi fried rice, bakso, empanadas, and sisig fries. Here are eight of our favorite discoveries from the evening. Thanks for coming and see you all at the next one on May 30!
Special Combo Jollof from Jollof Kitchen
The Nigerian Jollof Kitchen has won the Jollof Festival twice, so you know they mean business. Our favorite is the special combo which tops the rice with chicken, beans, and spinach allowing you to sample a bit of everything. If you prefer, try the fish, goat, or beef option.
Kimchi Fried Rice from Korean Papi’s Kitchen
This Korean fried rice gets a fresh, funky kick from kimchi, a quintessential Korean ferment. This fried rice is deeply charred on a flat top to add a touch of smokiness. It’s stacked with bulgogi, spam, and egg. If you want a challenge, bump it up to a spice level 3.
Carne Asada Vampiro from El Fuego
If you’ve never had a vampiro, imagine a fusion between a tostada and a loaded cheesy taco. The tortillas aren’t fried, but rather, grilled until crisp and smoky. El Fuego’s vampiro is incredibly fresh thanks to the addition of guacamole and salsa.
Signature Bakso from D’Grobak
Indonesian cuisine can be tricky to find in the Bay Area. Luckily, D’Grobak has a large menu specializing in Indonesian street food. If you’re only trying one thing, don’t miss the signature bakso (homemade meatballs) in a soup with tofu, wonton, tendon, New York steak, beef marrow broth, and noodles.
Ribs from Capelo’s Barbecue
Let’s be honest, the Bay Area isn’t known for its barbecue — but Capelo’s is a shining example of what great barbecue can be. We love their 8-hour smoked ribs with a side of baked beans, mac n cheese, coleslaw, and a corn muffin. We recommend sampling a bit of each of their barbecue sauces.
Vegan Loaded Fries from Señor Sisig
Señor Sisig is a Bay Area classic for good reason. Their Filipino-Mexican fusion revolutionized the game. One of our favorite ways to enjoy their vegan sisig is over fries where they’re paired with vegan sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole, and pickled chiles for brightness and freshness.
Margherita from Mozzeria
This wood-fired pizza started in Washington DC and expanded to a mobile outpost in the Bay Area. Their dough is wonderfully chewy and all of the toppings taste fresh. You can’t go wrong with the classic combination of fresh mozzarella, Grana Padano, pomodoro, and basil.
Champiñon Empanada from El Sur
These Argentinian empanadas are made with fresh flour-based dough and folded and crimped by hand. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but we recommend the champiñon empanada stuffed with sliced mushroom, shallot, creme fraiche, provolone, and chive. It’s all the familiar flavors from a creamy mushroom pasta in an easy handheld package.
