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Where to Try Hip Wine Vintages in San Francisco

Where: 45 Rose St. [map], San Francisco, CA, United States, 94102
March 23, 2009 at 4:16 PM | by | Comments (0)

Of course you would expect San Francisco to be a wine lover's city, thanks to its proximity to Napa and Sonoma. But the question is, "Where is the best place to drink wine in the city?" We say there’s nowhere better than the hole-in-the-wall wine bar, Hotel Biron.

Hotel Biron (not an actual hotel) clings to the edge of Hayes Valley, an alley-like Rose Street, with only a brightly illuminated orange “B” sign to guide you, like an errant metro station beacon. Inside the narrow space, the walls are adorned with the works of local artists, and the few minuscule tables are always packed with a mixed crowd of oenophiles.

The wine is the main attraction here, with an array of choices from both the Old and New Worlds in all price ranges. The very well informed bar staff will let you try anything that’s open, and can usually be persuaded to open up any bottle that isn’t for you to try, if you promise to have a couple glasses of it.

That shouldn’t be a problem since you’re practically guaranteed to dig whatever they suggest. And though there is not much of a food menu, you can put together a pretty mean cheese plate from the choice of artisanal cheeses (we’re talking a holy trinity of cow, goat, and sheep’s milk), pâté, olives and fruit, all of which come with your choice of baguette or water crackers for you to munch on and savor with your vino.

For non-winos—or just dudes who are too manly to drink from wineglasses—there are twenty beers on the menu, as well as sake and non-alcoholic beverages.

The other nice thing about Hotel Biron is that it is within walking distance to literally dozens of great restaurants including Absinthe, Paul K, Café delle Stelle and Zuni Grill.

Insider Tip: Starting at 7pm on the first Thursday of every month, there is an art opening reception featuring the work of a new artist.

Related Stories:
· Hotel Biron [Official Site]
· Wine Bars [Jaunted]

[Photo: Thomas Hawk]

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