Michelin-starred restaurant rebirthed as a casual-chic RTB Wine Bar

by  on  in The Latest

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 →

YOUNTVILLE OVERNIGHT: Where to Eat, Stay & Drink in Napa Valley’s Most Foodie Town

by  on  in Around the Bay, Uncategorized

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 →

Remodeled Quince feels like a restaurant reborn in Jackson Square

by  on  in Top Tastes

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 →

Meals for a Winter’s Day: 7 Restaurant Standouts of the Month

by  on  in Top Tastes

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 →

Why San Francisco is the U.S.’ best food city

by  on  in Best Of, Uncategorized

Even better than Hawaii non-spam housemade “spam and rice” at Liholiho Yacht Club. Photo by Virginia Miller. Over 13,000 restaurants visited around the world and traveling half of every month for dining and drink research, I know the city that satiates my palate more than any other. Growing up in the suburbs of two of the greatest food cities — New York City… Read more →

A new neighborhood hang comes to San Francisco: The Halfway Club

by  on  in The Latest

Many a happy night was spent at Broken Record over a decade ago with my friends and family, playing pool, sipping a dram from their affordable whiskey list, and filling up on excellent bar food. After closing in September 2022, I couldn’t have predicted that friends Ethan Terry and Greg Quinn would end up taking over the space and opening The Halfway Club, their dream long in the making. Read more →