Eat Here While Everyone’s Gone to Burning Man
Will you recognize the silence? Feel the calm? Outside Lands is done with, and the traveling party crew will be moving on to a much dustier, sunnier destination at Burning Man. As always, this is the time of the year to take back the city and get into some of the hottest restaurants without taking drastic measures (although there’s nothing ever wrong with a 5pm tasting menu… anyone agree?).
So, in order to fully enjoy San Francisco’s finest offerings while the masses get their self-expressive “playa” bonafidas on, we suggest you go here:
Verjus
Ever since the opening, the hype around this chic FiDi wine bar and bistro has been going nowhere but up; positive coverage is pouring in on Verjus like wine at a party, and that big article at Bon Appetit brings in hefty amounts of tourists. No reservations are accepted, and evenings are often busy and impossibly loud. Take advantage of the relative quiet and order an interesting wine, that delicious pate en croute you keep seeing on Instagram, and a side of escargot, if you’re lucky (menu changes daily).
528 Washington Street
Bloom Salon
The newest addition to the the Dandelion Chocolate empire is a tiny and delicious breakfast and afternoon tea spot, and if you add Bloom’s modest size to the fact everyone’s crazy about chocolate, you get a perpetually sought-after experience. While everyone’s away at a place where chocolate (and self-consciousness) melt away fast, take your time to sample Dandelion’s sumptuous chocolate drinks, decadent sweets and savory dishes sprinkled with, what else, cocoa.
2600 16th Street
Tartine Inner Sunset
There can be no Tartine without droves of people. The latest target of the masses? The new Tartine in the Sunset, complete with an Instagrammable door and all the goodies you couldn’t previously access in this part of town. Surely, some Sunset residents will be gone to Burning Man? Come at you leisure, grab a coffee and a sweat treat, relax and hear yourself think before cruising out to GG Park.
1226 9th Avenue
Bini’s Kitchen
Everyone loves momos, and everyone loves Binita Pradhan, the smiley entrepreneur who recently added a brick-and-mortar restaurant to her beloved food truck crew. The relatively new SoMa establishment is a hot ticket during San Francisco’s chilly summer. So there’s no better time than now to go ahead and consume all the Nepalese specialties, especially during lunchtime.
1001 Howard Street
Nari
For the past two weeks, we’ve been hearing nothing but Nari this and Nari that from foodies in-the-know. The fact that the new Japantown eatery is owned by the genius masterminds of Kin Khao doesn’t help – the place is already a hit. Usually making a reservation for dinner is a lesson in futility, as nothing is available before 9:30pm; it’s as if San Francisco had suddenly turned into Barcelona. On the menu, the beautiful and gutsy Thai-ish dishes are guranteed to make your playa-bound friends jealous. Use the fact that crowds are gone to book a table at a reasonable time and feast.
1625 Post Street
Elda
Gorgeous new bars have a tendency of attracting the “it” crowd, and Elda, a newcomer to the Mission drinking scene, is the “it” place for now. Drinkers are flocking to the easygoing vibe and the cool design. So when those other trend-seekers pack their coolers and head to Nevada, the bar could be all yours. Enjoy the small bites and creative cocktails while you thank heaven that you’re not a burner.
3198 16th Street
