Sam’s Pizza & Burgers • 1966

In North Beach, Mike Shawa earned the nickname "Sam" after his uncle opened this no-frills burger counter in 1966, and for decades he charbroiled patties beneath faded photos and autographs on wood-paneled walls. Anthony Bourdain declared the cheeseburger one of the top three in the world on The Layover, cementing its cult status. The burgundy stools and divey late-night energy remain untouched since the beginning.