Meet For A Drink Restaurants
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The warm and bold contemporary design of Coco 500’s dining space entices visitors to stop in, while the invigorating freshness of the menu keeps the tables full. Every element of the menu reveals a thoughtful and sincere gesture to exploit the region’s bounty of local, seasonal, and organic produce. The “California Dirt” section of the menu showcases vegetable dishes like the Wine Forest Mushrooms and the Roasted Pumpkin; the American Kobe Bavette Steak and the Sonoma County Duck Breast are a couple of the exquisite main courses served. Desserts are not neglected either – one might like to sample the …
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Top 10
If you follow Cortland Avenue until it appears to end, you’ll likely stumble upon Piqueo’s, a charming Peruvian gem specializing in tapas. Showcasing an acclaimed chef from Peru who creates native specialties in his open kitchen, the restaurant feels more like a home than a business. An unassuming exterior conceals a small vibrant space, complete with dim lighting and a sultry atmosphere. Piqueo’s features an extensive tapas selection that will have you walking away at the end of the night feeling like you’ve finally experienced that elusive taste of Peru and its culinary delights at their best.
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Destino is lively and casual, and walking inside on an otherwise quiet Monday night can feel like being transported to a South American city during happy hour. The bright walls of the dining room are decorated with religious icons and mirrors of all shapes and sizes. Destino's menu is composed completely of small plates, all infused with flavors that Executive Chef James Schenk grew up with. Examples of the menu include three striking ceviches, tiger prawns with a spicy sofrito puree over plantain-bacon cakes, and a popular Peruvian street food: beef-heart skewers served with aji panca pepper reduction.
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As the self-proclaimed “modern American restaurant with a New Orleans accent,” The Elite Café offers Southern-inspired dishes in an Art Deco dining space. You may reminisce about being in the Big Easy while you enjoy the house-made Biscuits and Gravy, the Fried Oyster Po-Boy, or the Roasted Quail with Cornbread. A cocktail list with the likes of a Cajun Martini – made with jalapeno-infused Skyy Vodka and jalapeno-stuffed olives – might even inspire you with a Southern sense of hospitality too. And let’s not forget the 100-bottle wine list either. The Elite Café hopes it can draw out the Southern …
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There is nothing intimidating or vicious about T-Rex Barbeque. In fact, its open, two story floor-plan and warm décor are quite inviting. T-Rex is “Berkeley Barbeque” – using only antibiotic and hormone-free meats, sustainable fish, and organic produce (whenever possible) – no bull whips to be found here, folks. You will find a Pulled Pork Omelette, Oysters on the Half Shell, and Grilled Steelhead Salmon. T-Rex also has an international beer selection worthy of applause, and a weeknight happy-hour schedule that encourages you to put it to the test.
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Farmerbrown dishes up Southern comfort food in a space that’s hip, young and sexy. It may be just the place to impress a date or out of town guests, as its off-the-radar location guarantees people will think you’re in-the-know about San Francisco’s dining scene. Don’t miss the Rocky Range Fried Chicken. And step up to the bar for some excellent Southern-infused cocktails served in mason jars. The fresh Mint Juleps and other luscious concoctions beg to be accompanied by fan-favorites like the Sweet Potato Steak Fries, or a plate of Jalapeno Corn Muffins with blueberry butter. Don’t forget to save …
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Yoshi’s San Francisco, the jazz club and Japanese restaurant, has a new location in Oakland. About Yoshi's: Chef Shotaro Kamio has brought the best of his experience as an apprentice to top chefs in Tokyo to his own work here stateside with Yoshi's. Finding the perfect balance between using traditional Japanese cooking methods, seasonal ingredients, and authentic spices, Chef Kamio uses three words to describe his cuisine: Seasonal, Simple, and Surprise. Try the Maple Leap Duck Takaki (with summer vegetables, a Saikyo miso vinaigrette, and Welsh vanilla sea salt) or the Tsukiji Sashimi Selection (five varieties of seasonal fish from …
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Top 10
NOPA, like the city of San Francisco, is a study in duality. Both are cutting edge yet firmly rooted in the past. This is reflected in the contrast between the restaurant's sleek yet rustic design and masterfully prepared food. The intent at NOPA is to find and procure only the freshest and most seasonal ingredients and serve them in a manner that only enhances their quality. The restaurant is a welcomed addition to its namesake, North of the Panhandle neighborhood, as it has been extremely popular since opening in 2006. The bar is urbane without being fussy, the food is …
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As Executive Chef and Owner Staffan Terje says, "You don’t choose who you fall in love with." To that same affect, diners may not have a choice but to swoon over the elegant experience a visit to Perbacco promises. A romantic ambiance is achieved through the restaurant’s showcase of exposed brick walls, high ceilings, and opulent accents of marble. Chef Terje’s menu delights the palate just as the décor treats the eyes, and presents a truly authentic selection of Italian dishes. For example, the Coniglio Al Civet, or Devil’s Gulch Rabbit, is rich and rustic in a spiced red wine …
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Revel in an eating scene that encourages patrons to try new tastes and strengthen bonds by sharing plates, at Pesce. This Venetian cuisine-inspired restaurant relies on the freshest ingredients and high quality fish and meat to serve the equivalent of Spanish tapas with a varied Cicchetti menu of hot and cold dishes. These miniature entrees may be petite, but their flavor is anything but timid. The cold Cicchetti selection offers such delicacies as the Alici Bruschette (white anchovies, olives, and roasted peppers), while the hot menu hoasts the Tortino (a saffron risotto cake with Dungeness crab meat).
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Old World elegance woos modern sophistication at Scala’s Bistro through an ambience and menu that prizes classic presentation and quality. Rustic Northern Italian and Southern French influences converge in the restaurant’s traditional Parisian café setting, and Executive Chef Tim Nugent takes the opportunity to bring the European countryside to his patrons. Dishes like the Beef Carpaccio, Lemon Parsley Gnocchi, and the Seared ‘Loch Duart’ Salmon, hope to seduce you with their fresh and seasonal ingredients, while the 150 bottle wine list and classic cocktail menu compliment the cuisine and offer their own unique rewards.
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Located on the second floor of the trendy Hotel Nikko, Anzu offers up a distinctive Euro-Japanese menu in an elegant and intimate atmosphere. Chef Barney Brown, a seasoned veteran of Asian cuisine, creates tasty and colorful sushi creations as well as a range of entrées from Miso Butter-Poached Lobster to Slow-Braised Boneless Beef Shortribs. Set in the heart of bustling downtown San Francisco, this fusion restaurant is a stylish retreat equally suited for a relaxed brunch with friends and family or a romantic evening with that special someone.
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The Village Pub not only serves the appetite for food, but it also hopes to satisfy the entire being. Whether you’re looking to tread new ground, or you’re simply hoping to be greeted by the familiar, The Village Pub has the menu and character to keep you intrigued. Executive Chef Mark Sullivan constructs his contemporary American cuisine by drawing from classic French and Mediterranean traditions, and locally cultivated ingredients. The dinner menu highlights dishes like the Shaved Foie Gras Torchon, while the pub menu offers lighter fare – the Pork and Garlic Sausage is made in-house. The truly staggering wine …
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Monetta White grew up in the Fillmore district during its jazz heyday, when it was known as “The Harlem of the West”. As she grew older, she saw the area’s decline and wanted to give back to the neighborhood that helped shape her. With the opening of their San Francisco restaurant in 2008, she and her husband, executive chef David Lawrence, made it happen. 1300 on Fillmore's jazzy, 1930's theme is very relaxed and entertaining, and its soulful American cuisine makes you feel right at home.
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Classic Roman Italian cuisine is balanced against the modern and sleek setting of Chiaroscuro Ristorante’s dining space, and reflects an artistic appreciation for contrasting visual elements that bring life to otherwise two-dimensional spaces. Chef Alessandro Campitelli ensures that his dishes are anything but flat by combining flavorful and fresh ingredients to compose specialties like the Tagliolini All’Amatriciana, homemade pasta mixed with caramelized onions, imported guanciale tomatoes, and romano cheese, and the Abbacchio Alla Griglia, grilled Australian lamb served with a polenta soufflé topped with a baked egg and gorgonzola cheese.
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Fish and Farm is a chic restaurant committed to the principles of the sustainability movement. The restaurant is dedicated to pleasing your palate with all-natural and organic, local ingredients and to composing fantastic interpretations of old favorites that have a distinctive freshness to them. By dubbing their work “New American Seafood and Artisan Meats,” the owners of Fish and Farm have attracted curious food connoisseurs from all walks of life. The energy and service at this devoted eatery is as zestful as its clientele. With all this in mind, Fish and Farm remains a must for locals and visitors alike.
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Located just off San Francisco’s famous Lombard Street, Bistro Aix is bursting with new flavors .These organic dishes are created nightly using fresh ingredients from local growers. . Bistro Aix’s Californian twist on French Provencal food traditions present guests with a taste of this Northern region right here in California. The restaurant’s focus on olive oil and fresh organic products allows for unique menu flexibility and variety in which the chef’s versatility shines. Dishes are intriguing and invite diners to try an old favorite with a new age spin. Bistro Aix provides an intimate and simple and comfortable atmosphere in …
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Catering to diners’ many tastes, appetites, and personalities, Le Zinc offers a menu and setting fit for a true Parisian retreat. Diners can prop their elbows against the zinc bar and enjoy a light snack and fine glass of wine, or settle in at a table for a long and leisurely meal. They can also catch up with friends, or make new ones, on the sun-lit patio. Come in for brunch and try the Crepes Au Chocolat; nibble on tapas selections like the Foie Gras de Canard; indulge in the evening with the Cassoulet Au Confit (duck leg confit).
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Level III is a fresh and inviting space that accommodates many dining preferences. Mingle with friends, strangers, and soon-to-be pals, at the communal dining table, or settle into a booth for a quiet meal and conversation, or snuggle in for an intimate evening at a private table behind a flowing curtain. Vibrant flame-inspired tones invigorate the senses and peak the appetite. The dinner menu is arranged with dishes to share as a group, and with those meant to be individually savored – pass around the Mediterranean Mussels and the Mac and Cheese, but be selfish with the Anchor Steamed Shorts …
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In its new space on Divisadero at Grove, Bar Crudo is a bustling restaurant reminiscent of a hip loft. The focus of the sparse and well-chosen menu is raw fish infused with creative sauces and garnishes with not a grain of sushi rice in sight. There are a few well-executed cooked fish and seafood dishes as well. If you hunger for thick steaks and mounds of buttered carbohydrates, Bar Crudo is not for you. If your dreams, however, are of Butterfish accented with Meyer lemon tapenade or Arctic Char with a drop of horse radish cream, don’t let its overwhelming …