Alcohol is a misunderstood vitamin. ~P.G. Wodehouse
Sunday, Bloody Mary Sunday
If you're looking for the best Bloody Mary in San Francisco, you can spend weeks exploring the City's hottest brunch spots, or you can attend The Bloody Mary Festival this Sunday, September 20, from 1 to 4pm, at the SOMA Cultural Center. For $50 per person, you'll be treated to three hours of unlimited Bloody Mary tastes from Chopbar, Finnegans Wake, Elixir, The Elite Café, FIVE, St Mary's Pub, 25 Lusk, Picån Restaurant, 1760, Mission Bowling Club, Hi Dive, Cliff House, and Maven. You'll also get live music, local food samples, and a chance to vote for "The Best Bloody Mary." Purchase tickets online. // 934 Brannan Street, thebloodymaryfest.com
Gourmet Beer and Pizza at Precita Park Cafe
Which local craft beer pairs best with hand-crafted pizza? Find out for yourself at Precita Park Cafe by ordering a gourmet pie and The Long Distance Flight, a six-beer taster of locally-sourced brews. For $12, you can select six craft beers from Precita's full draft menu, which includes Almanac Golden Gate Goose, Local Brewing Co. Bluxome Black Lager and Blackout Blonde Ale, Trumer Pils, Lagunitas IPA, Magnolia Brewing California Kolsch, and Fort Point Park Ale. We can't get enough of the Mushroom Pizza ($16), made with maitake and trumpet mushrooms, corn, stracciatella, sweet 100's cherry tomatoes, and squash blossoms. It's even better with an egg on top, which you can add for $1.50. // 500 Precita Avenue, precitaparkcafe.com
"Let the Kitchen Decide" Wine Dinner at Central Kitchen
This Thursday evening, leave the stressful decision-making behind by partaking in Central Kitchen's "Let the Kitchen Decide" tasting menu ($75). Jill Klein Matthiasson of Matthiasson Wines, a 2015 James Beard Award Semi-finalist and San Francisco Chronicle’s 2014 Winemaker of the Year, will be on-site to offer pairing suggestions by the glass and bottle, or you can simply order the wine pairing for an additional $55. Make reservations via Central Kitchen's website or call 415-826-7004. // 3000 20th Street, centralkitchensf.com
Kieu Hoang Wine Dinner at Le Colonial
If letting others decide your dinner and wine fate sounds appealing, you'll have a second chance to indulge yourself this Saturday, at Le Colonial's Kieu Hoang Wine Dinner. For $85, you'll be served a five-course Vietnamese meal paired with Kieu Hoang Wines from Napa Valley's Carneros AVA, which is the Valley's southernmost grape growing region and ideal for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. Expect exotic courses such as Thit Kho Chien (twice cooked pork belly, bok choy, Hosui pear, quail egg, caramel sauce and white truffle oil) paired with Kieu Hoang, Red Label, Cabernet Sauvignon ’12. Winemaker Charles Hendricks from Kieu Hoang Winery in Napa Valley will be on hand to discuss his wines and make pairing recommendations for Le Colonial's a la carte menu offerings, which will be available as well. Reservations are required, via 415-931-3600 or Open Table. // 20 Cosmo Place, lecolonialsf.com
Oktoberfest Kicks Off at Schroeder's
It takes six weeks to celebrate Oktoberfest properly, or at least that's what Schroeder's would have us believe. We're inclined to go along with it, for research purposes. So you'll find us on Front Street this Friday to kick off the annual German festival of beer, bratwurst, buxom blondes, and lederhosen. The 6-weekend celebration starts at 3pm at the outdoor Bavarian beer hall that will take over Front Street until 8:30. Enjoy live music from Polkalicious, meet new friends at communal tables and on the dance floor, participate in traditional Hofbrau activities like stein-holding contests, and stuff yourself with wienerschnitzel, spätzle and pretzels. And, of course, drink lots of Oktoberfest beer from Hofbräu. The party moves indoors on Saturday, and for the following five weekends, from 6 to 9pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is free; pre-purchase $5 tokens for beer and food by calling 415-421-4778, or buy them at the event. // 240 Front Street, schroederssf.com
Send drinking suggestions to renee@grassrootspr.com.
