Author: Virginia Miller

Time Out Magazine: November 2018-January 2019

The 6th print edition of Time Out Magazine San Francisco is here, with Eating and Drinking sections written by yours truly. Digital editions are here. You can pick copies up around Bay Area — distribution map is here. Past Issues: — July-October 2018 — April-June 2018 — January-March 2018 — October-December 2017 — July-September 2017 ____________________________________________________ My articles below: —… Read more →

Interviewing Brandon Jew of Mister Jiu’s & Talking SF Chinatown — at KCET Los Angeles

Published November 28, 2018, in conjunction with a TV episode on the same subject, my article for KCET in Los Angeles on San Francisco’s historic Chinatown, legend Cecilia Chang, Mister Jiu’s and chef Brandon Jew, China Live, The Wok Shop, America’s first Chinatown’s past, present and future: www.kcet.org/shows/the-migrant-kitchen/the-ever-shifting-future-and-flavor-of-san-franciscos-chinatown Read more →

10 Best Hidden Bars in San Francisco

My latest at Time Out on 10 top “speakeasy” or rather, hidden, bars. Article here. _____________________________________________________________________ ”Speakeasy” is a tired bar term for San Franciscans. Following NYC players like Angel’s Share and Milk & Honey, SF was the earliest in the country to jumpstart the speakeasy trend when Bourbon and Branch opened in 2006. Though the overplayed trend has taken… Read more →

10 Best Pie Shops in SF & Oakland

My latest at Time Out : in time for the holidays, 13 of San Francisco’s best sources (restaurants, shops and cafes) for pie. Article here. ___________________ The holidays are an obvious time for pie. But when pies are as excellent as they are in the Bay Area — whether a standard-setting PB&J ice cream pie, savory shepherd’s pie or a… Read more →

November 15, 2018

This issue:
— 8 Historic SF Restaurants Where the Food Is Still Good: From souffle master to 1970s-era red sauce Italian, 8 of SF’s classics I hope live forever.
— The Top New Restaurants of the Month: Seafood and meat glories from a 3 Michelin-starred chef, check box menus of “new school Italian” food and burgers made by robots.
— 8 Top Scotch Cocktails Around the US: From Albuquerque to Portland, 8 crushable whisky cocktails on menus now.
— Top 5 Whiskies at WhiskyFest 2018: American and Irish whiskey… and plenty of Scotch.

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11 Top Cocktails Around the US — November 2018

Covering the 11 hottest cocktails of the month around the US at Liquor.com, you’ll find my top national drinks on menus at these bars/restaurants: DiAnoia’s Eatery, Pittsburgh Mourad, San Francisco Daisies, Chicago Vault, Fayetteville, AR Campo at Los Poblanos Inn, Albuquerque, NM Ash Bar at Nomad.PDX, Portland, OR The Roosevelt Room, Austin Sababa, Washington D.C. Third Rail, San Francisco Vol. 39… Read more →

The Top New Openings of the Month: October 2018

In my latest Time Out column, my top openings of the month join other standout newcomers for a top 10 on where to eat now (article here): Angler — 5 stars 132 The Embarcadero, 415-872-9442. anglerrestaurants.com. Tuesday-Saturday 5-10pm. Expectations run high when chef Joshua Skenes of three-Michelin-starred Saison opens a more casual (but still upscale) sister restaurant. Angler does not disappoint.… Read more →

Top 5 Whiskies at Whiskyfest SF 2018

My 10th year attending Whiskyfest San Francisco (also held in Chicago, D.C. and NYC annually). As with every year, I’ve tasted most of what is in the room over the years, so most whiskies are a revisit for me (here are the previous year’s standouts). With hundreds of whiskies to taste from Scotland, Japan, Ireland, Taiwan, Canada, Australia, India, the… Read more →