 A healthy blend of restaurants, shops, and greenspace, NoPa is a favorite to locals and visitors alike.
San Francisco's hidden enclaves often evolve from a well-kept secret to uber-chic seemingly overnight. One such enclave - NoPa - has recently acquired celebrity status. NoPa stands for North of the Panhandle - that tree-lined strip of Golden Gate Park from Stanyan to Masonic. A year ago, no one had heard of NoPa, but now the word is out.
Try authentic gourmet New Mexican cuisine at Green Chile Kitchen offering organic free-range ground beef blue corn enchiladas, organic chicken posole, or made-to-order burritos. Can't decide which salsa you want? Ask for 'christmas' and you get both red and green (601 Baker/Fulton, 614-9411, www.greenchilekitchen.com, meal: $5 - 10 per person).
For classic Mediterranean dining, check out Ziryab, serving a variety of grilled entrees, including the free range organic summak chicken, traditional slow-cooked tagines, and grilled kebabs (528 Divisadero/Fulton, 522-0800, www.ziryabgrill.com, meal: $10 - 20 per person).
For a more upscale dining experience, why not try NoPa, named for the 'hood. Elegant, and exceptionally sustainable, NoPa's Modern American cuisine draws discerning diners from all over Northern California and beyond (560 Divisadero/Hayes, 864-8643, www.nopasf.com, meals: $30 per person).
 "I love my neighborhood," says Peter Max Lawrence, a long-time resident of an historic NoPa Edwardian. As a local artist and curator of Tornado Gallery (1903 Golden Gate/Baker, 346-1838), Lawrence welcomes the recent attention. "I think people are looking for something less touristy than The Haight. They want something more real - and that's definitely what's going on here."
At Cafe Abir you're bound to rub elbows with the local literati and artist crowd that has lined up for lattes here for over a decade. (1300 Fulton/Divisadero, 567-6503) Other cafe hangouts in NoPa include the infinitely charming Sacred Grounds with poetry evenings on Wednesdays (2095 Hayes/ Cole, 387-3859) and Cafe Neon with a full dining menu in a relaxed atmosphere (1801 Mcallister/Baker, 567-8478).
 Musicians won't want to miss Panhandle Guitars, a friendly locally-owned guitar shop with a great selection of axes and amps (1221 Fell/Divisidero, 522-1302). For unique designer clothing, stop into Free Gold Watch for handmade silkscreen t-shirts with an urban edge (1798 Mcallister/Baker, www.freegoldwatch.com, 346-9415).
If you're in NoPa after dark, check out who's playing live at The Independent (628 Divisadero/Grove, 771-1422, www.theindependentsf.com) or grab a handcrafted cocktail at Madrone Lounge (500 Divisadero/Fell, www.madronelounge.com, 241-0202).
 And while you're in NoPa, don't neglect the green space. Take a stroll down the Panhandle or wind your way north through spacious residential lanes of colorful Victorians.
So where is NoPa? Technically it is a thirty block area starting at Divisadero and reaching as far west as Masonic. Its southern border is the Panhandle, of course, and it stretches as far north as Turk Street. How do you get there? The 43 and 24 buses wind through NoPa.It's a short walk north across the park from the Haight-Ashbury District. Or, if you're in Alamo Square, head west across Divisadero.
 
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