"There's nothing wrong with sobriety in moderation." –John Ciandi
A Different Kind of Day Drinking
If your vision of day drinking involves dive bars and city sidewalks, we'd like to broaden your horizons. Cucina di Rosa at Charles Krug Winery is offering both casual and formal day drinking opportunities on Saturdays and Sundays. From 11am to 4pm, you can drop in and choose from a selection of warm, winter Italian dishes paired with a glass of wine for $18 to $30 per person. Or, make reservations for 2pm on either day for The Vintage Select Wine & Food Pairing, featuring a cellar tour and guided tasting of five Limited Release or Family Reserve wines, paired with artisan bites, for $95 per person. // 2800 Main St., St. Helena, charleskrug.com
Full Bar at Alamo Drafthouse
You've probably heard through the beer vine that Alamo Drafthouse recently opened in the Mission, but did you know they have an adjoining bar? And did you know you don't need movie tickets to enjoy it? The Bear Vs Bull features a long line-up of boilermakers, a short list of frozen and blended drinks, a creative collection of shaken and stirred adult beverages, and a few classic cocktails on tap. The name of the bar harkens back to San Francisco's Gold Rush era, when settlers would lasso California grizzly bears and pit them against El Toro Spanish bulls in the Mission District. // 2550 Mission St., drafthouse.com/sf
Naughty on Ice at Dolores Park Cafe
When the weather turns too cold and wet for Dolores Park, we like to move our "picnic" indoors to Dolores Park Cafe. Besides offering a fresh, organic menu of gourmet sandwiches and salads, they're currently serving a couple of holiday low-proof cocktails to warm your heart. Naughty on Ice features peppermint-infused soju, a graham cracker rim, and whipped cream The Spicy Hot Toddy is made with fresh pressed lemon juice and cinnamon and clove-infused soju. // 501 Dolores St., doloresparkcafe.com
Pecan Old Fashioned at 1300 Fillmore
Haven't yet gotten your fill of holiday-flavored cocktails? Try the Pecan Old Fashioned ($14) at 1300 on Fillmore. Made with Scotch, pecan bitters, a chicory ice cube and Muscovado sugar, it's even better than your grandmother's pecan pie. Bonus: it will make your relatives easier to tolerate. // 1300 Fillmore, 1300fillmore.com
Tuesday Night Supper with Wine Pairings
When the holiday leftovers are all gone, and the thought of planning, shopping for and cooking a meal is too daunting to consider, Poggio has the perfect solution: Tuesday Night Supper in Sausalito. The final supper of 2016 will feature a family-style antipasti platter fit for a king, a seafood feast entrée, and panettone bread pudding with vanilla gelato for dessert. The authentic Italian meal is paired with a 2013 Mandorlo and a 2011 Chianti from Fattoria Montellori, for a mere $30 per person, two person minimum. // 777 Bridgeway, Sausalito, poggiotrattoria.com
Send drinking suggestions to renee@grassrootspr.com.
