NoPa stands for North of The Panhandle and it's where you move when the Mission starts feeling too hipstery and young, but you're about as stoked on the sophisticated frenzy of downtown as you are Hippies in the Haight or babystrollers in Noe Valley. It's a neighborhood type of place, full of cool little shops, cafes, restaurants, and music. But the best part about NoPa is the tourists; there aren't any. And that's because it's just too far from BART and MUNI to walk, especially if you're visiting from Idaho and don't know squat.

Is NoPa a bad neighborhood? Is it a good neighborhood? The answer is as confusing as the name of the district, which is a misleading term itself. NoPa is actually just a tiny part of the Western Addition district, a huge swath of the city's footprint that is alternately dangerous and "nice." Furthermore, most locals shun the NoPa moniker. Too New Yorky, maybe? Too real-estatey? Too bourgeois? Who cares. Fact is, NoPa exists --it's blocked off by Divisadero, Fell, Turk, and Masonic, pretty much. A little foggy, hard to park, sometimes sketchy, but a cool place to hang out regardless. Here's a few of our favorite spots.