Place to shop: True Sake, San Francisco, California, United States

About this place:

Located in San Francisco's increasingly trendy Hayes Valley neighborhood, True Sake has laid claim to being "the first dedicated sake store outside of Japan, and also the first sake store in America." By that they mean that it's the first store to specialize in selling only Japanese-style sake, and nothing else. And what a treat! The staff at True Sake are uniformly friendly and very helpful, and they really know their stuff. Prices are reasonable and the selection is excellent, so for any American sake-lover who longs to find kindred spirits (no pun intended), True Sake is a must-visit.

HINT: Before you go, be sure to check out the latest copy of the True Sake newsletter to learn the "Secret Word." Deploy the secret word in the store and you'll get a specially-selected bottle of premium sake at half-price.