Even if you've been going to Causwells since forever, get ready to reacquaint yourself with the Marina neighborhood favorite. The restaurant got a big makeover and a new menu (don’t worry, the burger isn’t going anywhere), plus a cocktail list from star bar talent Elmer Mejicanos. There’s a crystal clear clarified ube cocktail topped with purple cream, a large format frozen martini that’s poured tableside, and a sesame-decorated riff on a jalapeno margarita.

The Mins Group — as in the people behind Sushi Sato and Sushi Hon — introduced twin bars to the city in February. Dento Union serves the Cow Hollow and Marina neighborhoods with sake and wine, while over in SoMa, Dento Coffee & Wine pours lattes by day and sake and Champagne by night.

Experienced barman Derrick Li brings boldly flavored baiju cocktails to Bling Pig, the bar found on the second floor of the historic Cathay House in Chinatown. Many of the drinks showcase Asian ingredients, like the Pink Leaf drink, which incorporates bitter melon with Patron reposado tequila. Open since October, the lounge sports “a lot of 1930s Shanghai-style decorations,” Li describes, with floor-to-ceiling windows that provide a grand view of California Street.

Wine lovers who want to drop $90 on a glass of cabernet sauvignon (or, perhaps, explore more inexpensive options) can head to the new Mili Wine Bar on the ground floor of the Mira luxury condo tower. The wine bar comes from owner Shubhra Sarkar, who previously worked in tech but loves to travel and collect wine with her husband. 

Anyone looking to explore the wide world of sake should head over to the new Chika and Sake, a tiny new bar and restaurant pouring an ever-changing selection of sake along with a menu of Japanese small plates. Chika Ohata worked for a number of years at Hayes Valley shop True Sake and now hopes to help educate drinkers with a selection of about 15 to 20 sakes poured by the glass or carafe, plus sake flights.

With a prime location just off Patricia’s Green in the heart of Hayes Valley, it’s little surprise that new restaurant and bar Hazie’s seems to have found a niche as a solid spot for an after-work drink and light bite in the neighborhood. The cocktails keep things relatively simple with few enough ingredients to count on one hand, plus a trio of large format options to share among a group of friends.

There’s another swanky rooftop bar open now in Mission Bay from some of the same folks behind SoMa’s Kaiyo Rooftop. Cavaña pulls inspiration from across Latin America meaning cocktails lean into flavors including hoja santa, papaya, mole spices, and poblano peppers. On the concise food menu, highlights include flaky pastel de carne, two kinds of arepas, and an asado roca — essentially a meat-filled board weighted down with steak and sausages. Make a reservation for heading over. 

Dalva reopened with a sleek aesthetic and new menu way back in January, but it wasn’t until August that owners Erik Reichborn-Kjennerud and Eric Ochoa began inviting guests back into the not-so-secret back bar the Hideout. For longtime fans, it’s a bit of a flip-flop from the previous iteration; now the dark and moody Hideout is your destination for classic cocktails and high-end spirits, while the front bar, Dalva itself, caters to the craft cocktail crowd.

The Dogpatch is home to a new brewery with the opening of Olfactory Brewing on Third Street. The brewery comes from a team of beer industry veterans and focuses on pales, lagers, funk, and barrel-aged beers. It’s a dog-friendly scene with about a half-dozen fresh brews on tap including a light lager called Easy Plateau made exclusively with local malt from Admiral Maltings.  

A little piece of Spain has installed itself in the Mission with the opening of El Chato, a self-described “Spanish-style taberna” with a menu of small plates and an intriguing list of European (mostly Spanish) wines. Choose between a full glass or a smaller “chato” pour so you can explore less-common varietals like merseguera and listán negro while you snack on jamon Iberico or gazpacho.