You don’t just have to look up at the Ferry Building clock tower to know that the city has officially sprung forward: Flashes of bare leg and pink petals are everywhere. While foodies roaming the Marketplace can almost taste the apricots and artichokes on their tongue, across the street at Americano, a literal crush of single professionals huddled around space heaters are fixated on some good ole’ sexual tension paired with a Melograno Cosmo, which is acquired after waiting diligently in line—a very, very long one.


Friday at Americano brings the boys to the yard.

Tessa Fernandez, Americano’s beverage manager, admits that the restaurant, which is part of Hotel Vitale, had no idea how popular their bar would become, which is why they remodeled the patio a year or so ago. They’ve even had to hire security because of the potential fire hazards (one security guard is a brutish, no-mercy guy that has about the same social graces as the aisle-clearers at the Warfield). Although there’s no happy hour per se, things start heating up around 3 pm when the stock exchange guys get off work (“They start boozing really early,” says Fernandez, almost envious) and it goes on until about 9 pm. The real goal isn’t the cocktail—and it definitely has nothing to do with the fact that the bar is now focusing on a local, sustainable and organic spirit selection. It's all about the hook-up. “I think that’s why men and women come back,” says Fernandez. “Because they can find a date.” (But you already knew this.)

What you might not have know is that if you crash and burn at Americano, there’s still hope. Ducca, another Financial District hotel restaurant, is giving Americano’s scene a run for their money. Their huge, seasonal outdoor space not only has space heaters, but it also sports fire pits (go ahead: act out your favorite Survivor). On March 21st, they’ll be officially opening the patio for the season with a big Spring Equinox party. There will be a bouncer, but drop 7x7's name and you'll be in like Flynn. Now go get ’em tiger.