Head to this new waterfront bar for pisco punches and fresh ceviche. The new La Mar Bar debuted in mid-March following an eight-week renovation that saw the space expanded and adorned with a massive hand-woven squid created by Peruvian artisan David Goicochea. Now La Mar Bar is pouring what may be the Bay Area’s largest selection of pisco to be enjoyed with a selection of Peruvian snacks. 

Nature lovers and cocktail fanatics can find common ground at Heartwood, the woodsy new FiDi bar from the experienced industry minds behind the Beehive and the Treasury. The cocktail list pulls inspiration from the state of California, meaning a slew of flavors derived from plants and herbs. The bar and restaurant is also open for lunch when the menu includes sandwiches, salads, and other pub fare intended to satiate hungry downtown workers. 

Holbrook House, the uber-luxurious new restaurant and bar on the ground floor of the One Sansome building, serves coffee by day and a full food menu at night — but it also hopes to be a destination for post-work drinks. Case in point: some tables come equipped with switches to summon either a Champagne or a martini cart. Customers can then choose from a selection of gins and vermouths, a rotating cast of bitters, and house-made garnishes.

Downtown San Francisco might be struggling to rebound from the pandemic, but Dawn Club, a stunning new bar and jazz club could be a sign that some sectors are thriving. Open since May, the bar comes from prolific local nightlife company Future Bars, who invested in reviving the historic Monadnock building on Market Street. Swing through – though you’d be wise to make a reservation — for regular live music and an extensive selection of whiskey including high-end options such as Pappy Van Winkle, if you’re into that.

New SoMa bar the Harlequin brings big Gatsby vibes to the historic Mosser Building on 4th Street between Market and Mission. Bar pro Phil Chen, also behind Members Only and the Alchemist, aimed to set the backdrop for a 1920s-style party, one where customers can enjoy a pizza or Thai shrimp pasta with a cocktail. The bar shakes up some of the usual suspects including an espresso martini and an ube colada, but there are also drinks unique to the Harlequin such as the Rhinestone Cowboy made with Jack Daniels, Meletti amaro, sasparilla, lemon, and Ceylon tea.

The SoMa late-night dining and drinking scene got a welcome boost with the early March opening of Dragon Horse Bar, which is staying open until 1 a.m. six nights a week. The bar comes from Mins Group and offers both a Japanese ingredient-focused cocktail list and a short menu of sushi and skewers. The drinks include options such as the Framing Dragon incorporating rose baijiu with Bombay Sapphire gin, hot pot cordial, coconut oolong tea, with yuzu and lime. 

A pair of longtime beer industry professionals Cameron McDonald and Jesse Hayter joined forces to revive a historic San Francisco beer company this summer. Enterprise Brewing, which originally operated during the city’s beer-soaked heyday more than a century ago, moved into the former Cellarmaker space in SoMa in July and is now selling cold pints — including the California common ale brewed in collaboration with the Anchor Brewing Union. Keep an eye on the brewery’s Instagram for the schedule of pop-ups from local favorites including Rize Up and Outta Sight Pizza.

Sluts, the suggestively named wine bar from the team behind Oakland’s Hi Felica, swung open its doors at 1116 Folsom Street in early February. It’s a vibe-y wine bar specializing in natural selections including bottles from Richmond’s Purity Wines and TyTy Wine, Lula, and Everwild. If you want something to eat after swinging around the bar’s stripper pole (yes, really) there’s a menu of “convenience store favorites” like Lean Cuisines, Flaming Hot Cheetos, Cup Noodle, and Lunchables.

The Lower Haight’s newest watering hole comes from a foursome of hospitality industry experts who helped grow Nopalito. Now they’ve turned their attention to the corner of Haight and Pierce streets, where they’re serving a menu of lean cocktails intended to straddle the line between being exciting and not too fussy. The list includes the Holy Smoke, a cocktail of Manzanilla sherry, Benedictine, and Ardbeg scotch, as well as the Katana made with Suntory Toki whiskey with Dolin Blanc vermouth and ginger eau de vie. Food comes in the form of bar bites such as peanuts brined and tossed with MSG and mala spice, potato chips dusted in dried seaweed powder and served with a miso onion dip, and a grilled beef salad. 

Chris Gaither and Rebecca Fineman, the husband-and-wife Master Sommeliers behind Ungrafted, opened a second project at Thrive City, steps from the Chase Center. The wine bar’s globetrotting menu focuses on bottles produced with sustainable farming practices in mind, while the food selections draw inspiration from the Mediterranean.

If you’re looking for a chic spot for natural wine and well-done bar snacks, then consider Bar Gemini, the new Mission District bar from owners and partners Dominique Henderson and Alex Pomerantz. They also own Gemini Bottle Shop, and Pomerantz is the mind behind Richmond-based natural wine company Subject to Change Wine Co. At this stylish spot, they’re pouring a powerful lineup of natural wines, which can be enjoyed with snacks such as marinated Rancho Gordo gigante bean or a decadent grilled cheese sandwich. Chef Brandon Rice of Michelin-starred Ernest developed the menu. 

Tala Drzewiecki opens her eponymous bi-level wine bar Tala Wine in the Mission on June 16, the San Francisco Standard reports. That means the city will gain another option for natural wines by the glass and bottle — specifically French, Spanish,f and Italian winemakers who favor sustainable farming practices.