My wallet is still hurting from a week in Chicago, so I am looking for well priced (no $700 tastings for 2 please) can’t miss options for SF in late July. I know its cliche, but fresh local ingredients & great wine lists are desired. Recommendations for where to grab a drink or 3 after dinner would also be appreciated. We are staying near Sutter and Gough if that makes a difference.
I’ve been to wine country several times, but this will be my 1st trip to SF (all other recs for what to do are welcome).
Thanks in advance.
John - I can’t stress enough. Bodega Bistro for a fun, casual dinner with great food. Combination of Vietnamese street food done up and French. So you’ll get crab, calamari, pork spring rolls, then get lamb chops with mustard sauce. Very corkage friendly so you could always grab a bottle from K&L, Dee Vine, etc., and take it in. Right on Larkin near O’Farrell and about 8 long blocks from where you are staying.
We usually do a 6 course or so dinner for around $35 per person tax/tip included.
Further out in the avenues but still not a long cab ride (probably $12-15) is Shanghai Dumpling King. Great place for all manner of dumpling and very cheap. No wine list and no corkage but very Gewurtz and Riesling friendly.
Quince is terrific and a little expensive but you can keep the cost down by only eating the pastas, which are the best draw anyway. Although I understand they now have a fixed course menu so definitely check it out before getting reservations.
NOPA - another terrific restaurant. Moderately priced.
SPQR - Italian
As for wine bars - I don’t do much drinking in the city outside of restaurants so probably not the best person to ask. Although the Marina District has a couple, Nectar and Bin 38. More toward the UN/Civic Center Area/Theater district is Absinthe and they do some pretty nice tastings on either Wednesday or Thursday night.
If you are into pizza, definitely try to check out Pizza Nostra or Gialina for very good pizza. Neither take reservations so there could be a little wait but definitely worth it.
If you have any inklings of jumping on BART and coming 25 over into the East Bay, let me know. I live in a very cool neighborhood with multiple drinking and eating establishments.
John - you can dine probably anywhere in SF without spending $350 per person. May with the exception of blowing it out at Gary Danko or Michael Mina or Ritz Carlton Dining Room or something. And still drink well.
If you need more recs…there are lots of fun places in the Mission district to eat and grab a drank or two and some really funky fun bars.
Great recs Tony. Kris & I would love to see you when we are out there. Ill shoot you a PM as the trip approaches.
Funky bars in the Mission sound great…
What is the dress code for Quince?
Not clear if you have a car or how much you’re willing to pay for a taxi.
There’s several nice restaurants along Chestnut Street. You can get there with one bus transfer by taking the bus up Van Ness.
Probably the best is A16, where dinner will set you back $35 per person before wine. They have Italian food and what may be one of the better Italian wine selections in the country. Make reservations. Still very popular in the recession.
No car. $30 r/t for a taxi sounds like a good number.
Jeans & a sport coat are as dressy as I want to get.
You are pretty much good everywhere in SF then. Not sure if the Ritz Carlton requires a tie but no place I know of does.
I am not a fan of A16 but that’s me…
A bus trip to that end of Chestnut Street will take about a half hour. You can plan it from the San francisco Muni site.
Also, by the way, consider the Slanted Door in the Ferry Building. Vietnamese like the Bodeqa Bistro. I haven’t eaten at the Bodega Bistro. I suspect the quality is comparable but the Bodega Bistro is cheaper. The advantage is that the Slanted Door has a nice wine list. Also you’ll need reservations for dinner.
Another vote for Quince. Seldomly have I experienced an entire restaurant exuding such effusive happiness. What was in that water?
Forgot to add one of my favorites in the city Incanto. A terrific regional Italian wine list and very fun, adventurous menu.
If you take transportation down to the Ferry Plaza Building (where Slanted Door is - I like sitting at the bar for lunch SD), you can also hit Boccalone for cured meats, Ferry Plaza Wine Merchants - tasting and retail, Taylor’s Automatic Refresher (sort of a better regional version of In N Out and great semi cheap lunch option $12 or so Ahi Tuna Burger).
If you come across to the East Bay where I am, Pizzaiolo and Dopo have great season Italian menus and terrific pizzas. Dopo opened up a bar next with great drinks and free salumi during happy hour!!! Plus Oliveto and then very close by cab are Chez Panisse/Cafe Upstairs at Chez Panisse, Cesar for tapas and drinks plus a decent wine selection…
Huge Quince fan as well.
If you needed another reason to head to the Marina then you have to Try A16 Great food, great wine list and meatball mondays are a must try. Even if you’re a local.
-dave
John; We had a great dinner with Tony and friends at Bodega Bistro…great recommendation!
A bit more upscale but not terribly expensive is “Perbacco”… ![[winner.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/07ec25c9fd71159fe15d7f1ba5fad64e91238d0e.gif "winner")
…right on California Street. We ate there
saturday night with a party of six and went through he whole menu!! House made salumis and pastas plus wonderful entrees.
I personally thought the duck was the among the best I have ever had.
Cheers!
Marshall ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers")
I appreciate these as well. I was thinking about stopping in the city for lunch on the Sunday after Berserkerfest. That is…if I’m not too hung over. ![[berserker.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/8/8600bbd4810d342b8fbd4ffb62b4f0026275fd37.gif "berserker")