It's not peer pressure. It's just your turn to drink.
Get Frisky with Whiskey at Stable Café
We can't resist a good pop-up, particularly when it involves whiskey. This Saturday at 6pm, Stable Café hosts SlingBAR's "Gettin' Frisky with Whiskey," a pop-up project by barman Michael Lazar and Chef Robin Song of Hog & Rocks ham and oyster bar. Expect handcrafted Old Fashioneds with fresh cut ice cubes, Shucked-to-Order Oysters, Summer Salad made with heirloom melon, fire roasted onion and pepper vinaigrette, and flatbreads with corn, pepper, and goat cheese or cucumber, yogurt, and zaatar. Each $30 ticket includes six chips, which you can exchange for food and beverages. If you run out of chips, they'll sell you more, for $5 each. 2128 Folsom Street
Aperol Spritz Brunch at SF Street Food Festival
Hoping to stuff yourself at the SF Street Food Festival this Saturday, but dreading the lines? Reserve a seat for the Aperol Spritz Brunch in the enclosed cocktail/beer garden at the corner of Folsom and 20th (next to the tennis courts). For $25, you'll get unlimited Aperol Spritzes and a food runner who will take your cash and return with the street food delicacies of your choice. Perfect for daytime drinking due to its low-octane status, the Aperol Spritz is made with 3 parts Prosecco, 2 parts Aperol and 1 part soda. It looks and tastes like summer, with a bright orange hue and playful effervescence. Tickets are available online for $25. Folsom Street from 20th to 26th, Treat to Shotwell on 21st and 25th
Sip and Social Saturday at the Grand Hyatt
Why should tourists get all the perks at the posh hotels? Bring your local self to the lobby of the Grand Hyatt on Saturday from 4 to 5:30 pm for the weekly Sip and Social Saturday meet and greet. Snack on free samples of the newest seasonal appetizers from the Union Square hotel's OneUP Restaurant and Lounge, such as beer-braised veal, pork and beef meatballs with house tomato sauce, and shaved mezzo secco and "Toyo" glazed ribs with toasted sesame seeds and spicy kimchi. Pair them with complimentary red and white Canvas Wines, a collection developed by the Michael Mondavi family exclusively for Hyatt. We're told that Chef Kevin Villalovos generally joins the party, so be sure to introduce yourself. 345 Stockton
Mezcal Flights at Azucar
Would you like some meat in your mezcal? How about some spicy, salted, worms on the rim? If you're still reading, you've probably heard of pechuga, a traditional mezcal made with a raw chicken, duck, or turkey breast, which is suspended with a string inside the pot during the final distilling process. The poultry cooks within a matter of minutes, releasing its fats and oils into the fermented juice of the maguey plant, a form of agave that grows in and around Oaxaca. The chicken fat evaporates and condenses with the liquor, softening the flavor. Distillers often incorporate wild, tropical fruits and nuts into the mix, though exact recipes remain closely-guarded family secrets. Lucky for us, Azucar Lounge in SoMa has gotten its hands on two distinctly different pechugas, and they're offering them as a flight this week. For $55, you get a traditional pechuga from Del Maguey, distilled with chicken breast and the legendary "Ibérico" ham made from free range, black footed Spanish pigs fed on acorns, plus a pechuga made by Pierde Almas, who replaces the chicken with a turkey and adds the traditional family recipe of fresh fruits and nuts. Flights are served with "sal de gusano," salt mixed with roasted chili and the worms that typically live in agave plants. Salúd! 299 9th Street
Bubbles & Bites at Boxing Room
How many sparkling wines can you drink in one evening? Arlequin Wine Merchant is bringing more than 40 to Boxing Room on Monday, August 18, to be enjoyed alongside Southern-style bites and a buffet of the restaurant's signature Cajun-Creole dishes. The evening begins at 6pm with passed hors d'oeuvres, including Oysters on the Half Shell, Fried Green Tomatoes with Shrimp Remoulade, Rabbit Rillettes with Baguette and Pickles, and Creole Ratatouille with Crispy Grit Cake. Large plates will be provided for the buffet, featuring Gumbo, Jambalaya and Slow-Smoked Pork Po' Boys. Champagne and sparkling wine will flow throughout the evening, with dozens of varieties from notable producers such as Pol Roger, Pierre Peter, Agrapart, and Pierre Moncuit & Vilmart. Tickets are $75 at the door, or $68 if you pre-order by calling 415.430.6590. 399 Grove Street
Send drinking suggestions to renee@grassrootspr.com.
