Reviewed in this article:
—So Brilliant, This 2 Michelin Should Be 3: Lazy Bear
—Still Shining in Its New Era: Saison
—Back to its Original Format but Refreshed: Lord Stanley 2.0
—Seafood & Drink Glories Like No Other: Aphotic
—Asian Art Museum-Inspired: Gilda’s Salon Dinners at the Proper Hotel Read more →
Where to brunch on Mother’s Day in San Francisco
San Francisco’s limitless brunch options can reach religious fervor here with long waits for no-reservation spots. Here are 10 restaurants that (mostly) take reservations, across a range of cuisines and price levels. All offer something to please mom, from colorful cocktails to heartwarming dishes (and they’re great brunch options any time of the year!) Read more →
DISTILLER Bottle Column: April 2024
Reviewed this issue:
— Amante 1530 aperitif
— Tenango Rum
— Juliette Peach Liqueur
— Grown Folks seltzer
— Meikle Tòir whisky
and more… Read more →
Stookey’s New Blue Room: A live music retro bar duo that ties together SF’s past and present
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 and her cousin Aaron Cole, opened Stookey’s Club Moderne in Lower Nob Hill/TenderNob in 2015, it stepped right out of a 1930’s film. Their devoted passion for the era translated to an intimate bar of glossy blues and whites that feels like time traveling. Enter their brand new neighboring live music bar, The Blue Room, which debuted February 8, 2024. Read more →
Winter Into Spring: 8 Restaurant Standouts of the Month
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 →
Michelin-starred restaurant rebirthed as a casual-chic RTB Wine Bar
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 →
Bay Area Overnight: SAN JOSE
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 →
10 Top Oklahoma City Bars
In the Spring 2024 print issue of Distiller Magazine, my article on 10 of Oklahoma City’s best bars Read more →
OKC Interviews: Power House’s Clay Berkes + Jeffery Cole of WanderFolk Spirits
—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 →
Born again: Iconic Starlite shimmers anew on top of the Beacon Grand
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 →