Stookey’s Blue Room cocktail. Photo by Virginia Miller. Weaned on films of the 1930–1960s as a child, I was a martinis and jazz girl long before I could drink. I dreamed of the kind of 1930s bars and 1940s supperclubs I saw in those movies, teeming with icy martinis, jazz and a beautifully-dressed clientele. When Tim Stookey, his wife Leslie Cole… Read more →
Reviewed in this article:
—Best Kept Secret & Daily Changing Menus: Camino Alto
—Taiwanese Bites & Asian-Influenced Cocktails: The Rabbit Hole
—Wine Bar & Bites Happiness: Cultivar
—Focaccia Pizza With a View: Il Parco
—Top-Notch Palestinian Falafel: Habibi Falafel
—Creative but “Real Deal” Hot Dogs: Hayz Dog
—A Unique, Arty Pop-Up: Sister, Mother, Crone
—Tunisian Hideaway: Gola Read more →
Saddened to see tiny, Michelin-starred Avery move to Edinburgh, Scotland, recently, the restaurant went with chef Rodney Wages and his wife. Since the Fillmore Street gem opened in 2018 — in the same Michelin-rife couple of blocks as State Bird Provisions, The Progress, Anchovy Bar and Merchant Roots — it quietly bucked upscale trends with Wages irreverent, rock star attitude towards fine dining, complete with caviar bumps and his soon-famed liquid tortellini en brodo (in broth). Avery’s exquisite champagne and sake selections made it all the more special. I gave it a perfect five stars in my Time Out days, and will never forget the “feels like you’re in Tuscany” magic of their pop-up dinners in Napa during pandemic, complete with limo rides to and from SF. Read more →
Reviewed in this article:
—Signia by Hilton San Jose
—Rooftop Italian Goodness: Terra at Eataly
—Sleek, Fun Italian: Rollati
—Portuguese Authenticity: Petiscos
—Asian Art Museum-Inspired: Gilda’s Salon Dinners at the Proper Hotel Read more →
In the Spring 2024 print issue of Distiller Magazine, my article on 10 of Oklahoma City’s best bars Read more →
—My interview with Clay Berkes, owner of Power House bar
—My article on 10 of Oklahoma City’s best bars
—My interview with distiller Jeffrey Cole of WanderFolk Spirits Read more →
Since 1928, San Francisco has sparkled and shimmered from the 21st floor of the Beacon Grand, where the iconic Starlite bar was recently reborn this winter. Formerly the historic Sir Francis Drake, the hotel underwent a massive remodel not long ago, then everyone got invited to a big reveal of the new Starlite in late January. Read more →
The French Laundry. Photo by Virginia Miller. Hotel Villagio pool view from room deck. Photo by Virginia Miller. A day trip or overnight in stunning Napa Valley is joy, and a regular part of the lives of many San Franciscans. In this guide, I’ve squeezed in a “cheap eats” spot, a 40-year restaurant classic and a notable new cocktail bar in the… Read more →
Three Michelin-starred Quince is widely known to be one of the best restaurants in the world. I remember Quince’s cozy original space that opened in 2003 on Octavia Street, where chef Michael Tusk and wife, Lindsay, first revealed to us his Bologna, Italy-trained pasta perfection and her hospitality and restaurateur genius. They moved to Jackson Square six years later, and now — with a recent renovation — Quince is a restaurant reborn. Read more →
These newcomers or new menus cover the gamut, from dim sum to traditional Irish or Russian food. Alongside the latest full restaurant reviews — why SF is the U.S.’ best food city, The Halfway Club, Nick’s Cove, Movida/Bar Gemini/Stoa, Canela, Chotto Matte, 2023’s top new restaurants and bars — these seven are also worth visiting, with last month’s standouts here (as always, I’ve personally vetted and visited each one): Read more →