El Techo de Lolinda, A Glorious Mission Rooftop

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The photos above are really more of an Eater Outside, but with arguably the most notable rooftop space in the whole city in play, we couldn't resist getting a few photos of El Techo de Lolinda, the Lolinda offshoot that opened yesterday. (The name, in Spanish, translates to "the roof of Lolinda," which is about as accurate as you can get.) Many will remember this space as the infamous Medjool, which drew a decidedly ill-behaved crowd, but the new incarnation is focused more on tableside bar bites than meat-market antics, and craft cocktails instead of vodka Red Bulls.

As with the downstairs, chef Alejandro Morgan's culinary focus is Argentine, with lots of sharing-oriented plates like chuzos (skewers) with beef, chicken, shrimp, chorizo, or vegetables; sanguches (sandwiches) of braised pork, black beans, and salsa verde or steak, avocado, chimichurri, and red onion; and chicharrones by the pound, accompanied by limes, tortillas, salsa, and escabeche. There's also some more Mexican-influenced fare in the mix, like guacamole, chicken flautas, chili-lime-crema corn, and quesadillas with Oaxaca cheese. Prices are approachable, with most non-shared items under $10. See the full menu here.

On the booze side of things, cocktails from bar manager Chris Lane are simpler without sacrificing mixology touches, from the pisco subbing for rum in a take on a Hotel Nacional to the white rum and Mexican Coke in a Cuba Libre. Caipirinhas and mezcal-tinged margaritas are available by the glass or pitcher, and Mexican lagers arrive with a tequila or mezcal back and housemade sangrita. See the cocktail menu here.

While the joint will inevitably be packed on the rare hot day, the owners have also taken care to make it enjoyable on an average SF night, with a heated tent (removable when the weather takes a turn for the better) and a big glass wall capable of withstanding 150 mph winds. Other than that, decor is simple, with a bright green tiled bar and long communal tables with metal stools. The hours are different from Lolinda's, with the roof open Sunday-Thursday from 4-10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 4-11 p.m. There's also weekend brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

· Inside Lolinda, Sultry and Spacious on Mission Street [~ ESF ~]
· El Techo de Lolinda [Official website]