Whether you’re catching up with friends around one of the outdoor tables or snuggling up at the bar for a date, Bodega delivers good vibes and a long list of wines brought in from all over California with a few European options mixed in. It’s as approachable a list as they come with sections divided by flavor — think headers like “flirtatious” whites, “funky/fresh/sometimes chilled” reds, and “bring me the funk” for the orange wine lovers out there.
700 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133
Roaming Goat
Roaming Goat is San Francisco’s Mediterranean wine bar, found in a long and narrow space off Union Street in Cow Hollow. The list highlights wines from California, Armenia, and Georgia offered along with a menu of small plates like olives, hummus, and baba ganoush plus kebabs for a heartier meal.
The Barrel Room
The Barrel Room returned from its extended pandemic closure in October 2022, and the bottle list is as deep as ever with more than 1,000 options on the digital list. But if you’re going by the glass, look forward to an exploration of domestic selections; the menu focuses on America’s 17 wine appellations offering red, white, and sparkling wines as well as an impressive selection of flights. By the way, the flights are served blind and mostly focus on specific and somewhat unexpected varietals including Albarino, Blaufränkisch, and skin contact wines.
Key Klub
This sister bar to North Beach’s Bodega opened in early 2022 flooding Lower Nob Hill with natural wine and New American food. It aims to be all things for all wine drinkers: pair a plate of steak frites with a bottle of something old and European or come by a little later in the evening when the music turns up to split a bottle of low-intervention sparkling rosé from Berkeley’s Hammerling Wines with friends.
Press Club
Located in a sleek underground space, the Press Club is sophisticated enough for a “going out” outfit but casual enough for post-work drinks. The list skews toward biodynamic and organically sourced California wines but you’ll find imports in the mix, too, including bubbly Spanish cava, Italian Chianti Classico, and Portuguese vinho verde. Stop by between 2 and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday for happy hour or on Sunday nights when some bottles are half off.
High Treason
Tucked between the Clement Street lineup of pan-Asian eateries and old-time Irish pubs, veteran sommeliers Michael Ireland (The French Laundry, Quince) and John Vuong (Ame, Gary Danko) delivered just what the Inner Richmond needed upon High Treason’s 2016 arrival. Customers are offered a taste before selecting from a well-curated selection of wines by the glass. The list rotates while they spin the vinyl, and occasionally, High Treason hosts live DJs.
Birba
This Hayes Valley wine bar, with a scant number of tables inside and on the covered back patio, has a slightly pastoral vibe with its interiors of plain white and wood. The kitchen produces snacks, lunch, and dinner to accompany primarily European wines. In Italian, Birba means "little troublemaker,” but at this namesake spot, the only trouble is making sure you’ll get in.
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Source: sf.eater.com
