When it comes to drinking well, San Francisco is up there with New York and any European city you can name. Many restaurants by the Bay have great wine programs. It is a dilemma as to who deserves the most. Ultimately, it comes down to quality first, originality and variety, and these seven restaurants have raised the bar.
Here are 7 San Francisco Restaurants for Great Wine:
1. Absinthe Brassiere and Bar (398 Hayes St.)
When it comes to French wines, Absinthe has the most extensive and top-quality selection in San Francisco. Champagne, Burgundy, and Jura are especially strong with options for classical wine geeks and those looking to go the more buzzing path. Additionally, there are plenty of awesome bottlings from Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain, and California that, while this may be a French-style bistro, you can still cross the border.
2. Commonwealth (2224 Mission St.)
Commonwealth calls itself a “progressive American restaurant” and the same can be said for the wine list that has a tempting international assortment. The list is filled with small produce, artisan, and often organic wines that are on the verge of stardom. At least, the wine pairings with the tasting menu are stellar and the glass selection is a lot of fun if you want to take control of the wheel and change lanes.
3. Hillside Supper Club (300 Precita St.)
Hillside Supper Club is a Bernal Heights neighborhood haunt, but wine industry professionals from all over the Bay Area show up here to check out its fabulous and reasonably priced list. How many places serve Albilla (Bodegas Ponce “Reto,” 2013 – $12gl/$46bt), a highly obscure Spanish white wine grape by the glass, let alone offer it by the bottle? The 50 wine strong selection has been impeccably handpicked with diversity and food pairings in mind. If you want to drink like a wine-loving local, Hillside is the place to go.
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4. NOPA (560 Divisadero St.)
NOPA is uber-popular and the wine list is one of the reasons; Still what is the reason. As is now true for most of the best wine lists in the Bay Area, the emphasis is on consistency and minimal additives. However, it’s not as full-on geeky as some of the others, making it more accessible to a wider range of diners. Those who take the guesswork out of being in “knowing” might think it’s a bit safe. Conversely, it’s daring to include well-known names producing honest, solid wines. And, given its size, anyone who wants to indulge in an adventure can lose hours, between the 250-300 list.
5. Slotted Door (a ferry building)
The slotted door helped make Riesling cool and that was no small feat, but the wine list at this renowned institution is enormous. Beyond the aromatic white varieties, it has the most diverse sparkling selection you’ll find, plus an abundance of vineyards and wine regions condensed into a manageable 140 wine offerings.
6. The Spruce (3640 Sacramento St.)
The Spruce sources only the freshest local ingredients and the finest wines from around the world. The personal relationships he has established with some of the best winemakers in the world are attributed to his growing list of over 2,500 wines! From German Riesling to California Cabernet, there’s no shortage of new flavors to look out for at The Spruce.
7. Zuni Café (1658 Market St.)
As with the restaurant itself, Zuni’s wine list is always reliable. French and California-focused, you can always count on seeing a fine representation of wines from Burgundy, the Rhone Valley and up-and-coming and blue-chip local producers.
About the author: Pamela Bush is an acclaimed food and wine writer based out of San Francisco.
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