Hello February, the month of cute love, sweet love, funny love, dating, pleasure, romance and marriage. It is said that fifty-two percent of men propose to their future wives on Valentine’s Day. Another interesting figure, 189 million stems of roses are sold in the U.S. on Valentine’s Day. Who knew? For some, the hearty holiday puts them in a poetic mood; anonymous quote’s for you: “Give two red roses, each with a note. The first note says, “for the person I love,” and the second, “for my best friend!”
San Francisco could not be a more romantic spot for such a day. (Well, OK, there is always Paris, but let’s focus locally, shall we). Focusing on home, many may ask which restaurants would be the best fit for ultimate romance? We have selected a list of establishments that would make your special evening a lasting memory for you and your loved one.
Baker & Banker
Big 4 Restaurant
Chez Papa at Mint Plaza
Gitane
L’Ardoise
Michael Mina
The Moss Room
Spruce
Terzo
Wexler’s
At any of these locations, your romantically inclined creative input is welcome, to customize the delivery of your intentions. Check in with the restaurant prior and, perhaps, speak with the bartender about designing a cocktail named after your sweet and putting it on the evening’s drink list. Arrange a moment between you and the sommelier when he or she delivers the champagne or wine to your table for ring delivery. Of course, you can always go to the pastry chef and work with him or her to help coordinate a special treat with your favorite dessert.
While everyone’s seen multiple storefront vacancies and for lease signs posted in windows, there continues to be new eateries sprouting up, which is always encouraging. The Marina District, which is going through its own growth surge in restaurants and pubs, is the hot spot this month.
Even though it’s been on the radar since last year, one could say The Tipsy Pig was the beginning of the rebirth of new spots in the Chestnut Street corridor. The Pig is another venue operated by Nate Valentine, Sam Josi, and Stryker Scales—all of whom are part of the Vintage 415 group, which operates Mamacita and Umami, all located in the Marina. The American gastropub has the look and feel of a rustic English country tavern. Remaining in the space is the original dark wood bar from the 1930s, and a library was added just beyond the bar and main dining room, leading you onto the back patio.
Button-tufted brown leather banquettes, rustic wood floors, antique lamps, and shelves lined with stacks of books and collectables gives you that warm at-home feeling. Chef Josi has created a seasonal menu with some real crowd pleasers, including smoked bacon mac and cheese, the wedge salad with creamy blue cheese dressing, fried free-range chicken, and one of the best burgers in the city. The bar offers up fifty artisanal local and international beers, and, for kicks, several of the cocktails are served in mason jars. The Pig is open seven days a week. It’s homey and comfortable, just the place you would want to hang with your friends for cocktails and food.
Down the street at 2175 Chestnut is Delarosa, which is the third location from the partners who have established themselves on the foodie radar with Beretta (Mission District) and Starbelly (Castro). Chef /partner Ruggero Gadaldi (also the executive chef of Beretta) is showcasing a menu of seasonal Italian favorites, such as antipasti, fritti, salads, panini, spiedini, pizza, and pasta. The fun and exciting offering here is that they are open seven days a week beginning at 11:30 a.m. with continuous service thru 1 a.m. Whenever you get that craving for some spiedini (skewers of grilled meat and fish), pasta, or Delarosa’s selection of twelve wood-fired Roman-style pizzas—which are stretched to be slightly thinner and larger than the beloved pies from Beretta—you’ll find the doors open. The large antipasti list is perfect to indulge in while enjoying one of the well-crafted cocktails, shaken up with high quality spirits, or one of the many stellar draft or bottled beers, which hail from both national breweries and abroad.
“Although it will have its own distinct feel, we designed Delarosa to embody the best of Beretta and Starbelly,” says partner Deborah Blum. “It has the all-day service, beer emphasis, and brightness of Starbelly. At the same time, it shares the rustic Italian menu, craft cocktails, and high energy of Beretta. We’re excited to establish Delarosa’s place in the rapidly changing Marina neighborhood; it’s become such a destination for great dining and drinking, and we’re honored to be part of the mix.”
Delarosa was designed by Jim Zack of Zack/deVito Architects (Starbelly, Bacar, Globe) using colors of bright tangerine and dark gray to translate a modern Italian ambience. The dining room is comprised of walnut stained communal tables as well as the twelve-seat bar stools. They only take reservations for groups of six or more, so be prepared to wait, which isn’t so bad when among friends. Just sit back and enjoy a couple of Rye Flips (rye, sugar, egg, nutmeg) to make the time fly!
Around the corner on Scott Street, the owners of Bin 38 have taken over the old Jones location and transformed it into The Republic, a neighborhood watering hole for residents, beer aficionados, and sports fans offering a comfortable American bar-and-grill destination. The ownership team brought in Brian Beach as executive chef, and, in turn, he consulted with his friend Laurence Jossel, of NOPA fame, to write a well-thought menu using high quality and local ingredients.
You will want to start off with the beer-battered house-cured pickles (rumored to be every pregnant woman’s fantasy), Buffalo wings sous vide, and thirty-six-hour-thermo-barbecued baby back ribs, which will all leave your mouth watering for more. For entrées, the grilled gulf prawn jambalaya, braised Pozzi Farms lamb shank, and, of course, the Republic burger are all not to be missed. I propose that someone should organize a neighborhood burger contest to determine who really has the best—even if it’s just an excuse to eat great burgers all day! Who’s up for that challenge?
“With every dish I prepare,” says Beach, “I try to embrace the level of integrity that has long characterized the Bay Area’s prolific culinary scene. I want my food at The Republic to be comfortable, smart, tasty, easy to socialize over, and most importantly—satisfying.” Weekend Brunch at the Republic becomes a major social event. A menu of both light and hearty options is available, but the customers’ favorite is the “Brunch Bottle,” which enables guests to make their own mimosas from an assortment of fresh juices, and blend their own Bloody Marys: control the spice factor, add veggies, and adjust the strength. And the venue features twelve high-definition TVs, with screen sizes ranging from forty-two inches to a theater-worthy eighty-two inches, making this every sports fan’s dream locale. Multi-zone electric circuits mean a different program can play simultaneously on each of the TVs, which is why so many college alumni come here to cheer on their alma maters. When it’s not game time, all but the bar screens become undetectable, receding into the walls or sliding under cover. Wonder if they would let you watch True Blood with a group of friends on Sunday nights? The Republic is also open seven days a week, between 4 p.m. and 2 a.m. on weekdays, and opening at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Restaurateur Joe Hargrave fell so in love with his Tacolicious concept at the Ferry Building that he morphed his Laiola restaurant on Chestnut into, yes, you guessed it: Tacolicious! With his new tagline, “Fingers Not Forks,” adorning the wall in the dining room, make no mistake, Hargrave takes his creations very seriously. The new menu offers something for everyone’s taste in the taco department, as well as ceviches, soups, and a creative cocktail program. His opening special is the T-lish prix fixe combo of a Tecate, a tequila shot, and a taco, all for $10. What’s not to love? Hargrave’s good friend Tyler Gourlry is responsible for the 4-by-6 ? -foot photograph of WWE wrestler Rey Mysterio, which greets you as you enter the revamped location. Tacolicious is open every day from 11:30 a.m. to midnight.
As you can see, you have a lot to choose from along Chestnut Street, and choices are always a 
good thing when it comes to food and drink, so get over there and make some!
San Franciscan Steven Oliver is a restaurant manager and wine buyer.
