Nopa, a hit from the day it opened, has helped to both name and define its neighborhood, the area north of the Panhandle. Throngs arrive nightly at the lofty, two-storied space, restored to its original glory (it was built as a stately bank, but in recent years had been reduced to serving as a launderette), and boasting huge windows, cartoony murals, and a long, bustling bar. One sign of its success: Reservations are taken a month in advance. Diners lucky enough to score a table enjoy a rustic, organic, Mediterranean wood-fired cuisine, featuring dishes ranging from a house-ground burger with harissa aioli to a seafood stew with saffron and rouille. Stellar starters include tiny crackling fried fish served with fennel and romesco sauce, flatbread topped with sausage, broccoli de cicco, and red onions, and lamb riblets with a sticky pomegranate glaze. If the Moroccan vegetable tagine is on the menu, don't miss it: The spring version featured asparagus, zucchini, beets, onions, and more, in a cumin-scented tomatoey sauce, dotted with fresh lemony yogurt and big crunchy almonds. We barely had room for freshly fried doughnut holes served with warm orange honey.