Champagne adds sparkle to any special occasion, but we like it best on your average weekday, paired with potato chips and friends.
Toast to the weekend, the holidays, or whatever you fancy at San Francisco’s best spots for a pop, clink, and fizz.
Leo’s Oyster Bar
The Hideaway at Leo’s.
(Courtesy of Leo’s Oyster Bar)
From restaurateur Anna Weinberg, Leo’s Oyster Bar not only has some of the most Instagram-worthy decor in town thanks to team Ken Fulk, but the florally fabulous FiDi spot is also home to a dazzling list of sparklers. Wash your oysters down with Paul Laurent Cuvee du Fondateur or Tattinger brut in the leafy front dining room or the delightfully tropical Hideaway at back. // 568 Sacramento St. (Financial District), leossf.com
Ungrafted
(Courtesy of @ungrafted_sf)
Popped open at the beginning of 2019, Ungrafted is a casual urban wine bar and restaurant from a couple of sommeliers with a passion for Champagne. This translates into an incredible wine and sparkling list made for drinking any day of the week—think bottles of Pierre Moncuit grand cru and Chapuy blanc de blancs. There are three bubbles available by the glass, poured alongside dishes like grilled octopus and hangar steak, not to mention three different types of caviar. Reservations are recommended for drinking and dining in; if you’re loving what you’re sipping, grab a few bottles to go. PS: Go for a toast to Black History Month—Ungrafted is a Black-owned biz. // 2419 3rd St. (Dogpatch), ungraftedsf.com
The Bump Bar at California Caviar Co.
California Caviar founder Deborah Keane with Bump Bar’s chef Callan Smith.
(Courtesy of @californiacaviar)
Where there’s caviar, there must be Champagne. Just over the Golden Gate Bridge in Sausalito, find your way to The Bump Bar, a new spot from California Caviar Company that offers Champagne tasting flights as well as bottles—look for the likes of Pierre Gimonnet and Vilmart & Cie. Come hungry and enjoy a la carte and chef’s tasting menus with Champagne pairings. // 1403 Bridgeway (Sausalito), californiacaviar.com
High Treason
(Courtesy of @hightreasonsf)
This minimalist hi-fi bar in the Inner Richmond is a classy, cool place for an effervescent evening over glasses of bubbles and sweet vinyl tracks. High Treason has more than a dozen old and new world sparklers at surprisingly affordable prices, including Chateau Haut-Segottes Grand Cru and Krug Rosé Brut Champagne. And because bubbles go with everything, the Caribbean eats from Unco Frank’s Island Grindz pair perfectly. Join the Treasonous Wine Club to enjoy up to three bottles a month at home. // 443 Clement St (Inner Richmond), hightreasonsf.com
San Francisco Champagne Society
SFCS founder and director Bill Marci.
(Courtesy of San Francisco Champagne Society)
It almost sounds like a secret club, but the San Francisco Champagne Society is actually a reservation-only Champagne lounge where you can sample your way through different glasses of unique bubbly. Expect a private, guided experience from founder Bill Marci, who pours some of the rarest small-batch Champagnes produced (they specialize in small grower-producers who fill as few as 10,000 bottles each year). If you’re limited on time, arrange for a Champagne pick up or delivery. // 1097 Howard St. (SoMa), sfchampagnesociety.com
Avery
(Courtesy of @avery_sf)
If you’re one to pair your bubbly with upscale eats, Avery is your spot. This fine dining restaurant in San Francisco offers a tasting menu each night focused on creative, seafood-centric American cuisine. For each meal, find a special menu of Champagne pairings available, thoughtfully curated to accentuate the food just so. // 1552 Fillmore St. (Fillmore), averysf.com
Charmaine’s
(Courtesy of @sanfranciscoproper)
We’re pretty sure an amazing view automatically makes anything taste 100 times better, and Charmaine’s has one of the city’s best vantage points. On the rooftop of the Proper Hotel, the lounge also benefits from posh Kelly Wearstler design, as well as a selection of more than 10 sparklers including Dom Perignon and Veuve Clicquot Rosé. // 1100 Market St. (Civic Center), properhotel.com
Barbarossa Lounge
(Courtesy of @barbarossa_lounge)
Barbarossa is what many may remember as the Bubble Lounge. While the 1800s jailhouse turned cocktail bar has a new name (inspired by its criminal past), it still has all the sparkling delights of its predecessor—more than two dozen bottles, Champagne tasting flights, and rare varietals. Sip a Dom Perignon 1996 Rosé or Veuve Clicquot Rich. Oh yeah, and stop by for their $1 oysters, Champagne, and cocktails happy hour on Monday through Friday from 4pm to 7pm. // 714 Montgomery St. (Jackson Square), barbarossalounge.com
Fool’s Errand
(Courtesy of @foolserrandsf)
Fool’s Errand checks all the boxes for what we want in a neighborhood wine bar. It’s perfectly casual yet subtly sexy and the place can swing it for cozy meetups with friends or date nights. The wine list is tactfully curated, with bubblies like Domaine du Facteur Chenin Blanc and Marie-Courtin Blanc de Noir. // 639A Divisadero St. (NoPa), foolserrandsf.com
Foreign Cinema
(Courtesy of @foreigncinemasf)
When you think of Foreign Cinema, you undoubtedly think of elegant Mediterranean-inspired food and the dreamy outdoor courtyard with movies quietly rolling each evening. Make sure you also file this under where to get your Champagne fix. You can choose from Champagnes by the glass, magnums (like Egly-Ouriet Brut), or one of their 40-plus bottles of sparkling including Salon Brut Blanc de Blancs or house-favorite Domaine Vouette et Sorbée Extra Brut. // 2534 Mission St. (Mission), foreigncinema.com
Arlequin Wine Merchant
(Courtesy of Arlequin Wine Merchant)
Arlequin Wine Merchant is among Hayes Valley’s most low-key gems. The well-rounded bottle shop always has a great selection of wine and Champagne. Purchase your bubbles and cozy up in a corner to enjoy them in-store, or pick up a bottle for a rainy day. Join their wine club to keep yourself in sparkling all year round. // 348A Hayes St. (Hayes Valley), arlequinwinemerchant.com
Absinthe Brasserie & Bar
(Courtesy of @absinthesf)
Absinthe nails the French brasserie vibe, which means Champagne is a must. The mainstay restaurant offers French sparklers by the glass or bottle—J. Lassalle Premier Cru Brut and Maison Foucher Cremant Rose. Pair your bubbles with raw bar classics like oysters or Tsar Nicoulai white sturgeon caviar. // 398 Hayes St. (Hayes Valley), absinthe.com
.
