"Before Uptown became the epicenter for craft cocktails and gastropubs, there was Cafe Van Kleef. The iconic spot, which serves the best greyhounds and salty dogs in the Bay, was officially born in 2004 when friends of then-owner Peter Van Kleef convinced him to turn the slow cafe into a full-fledged bar. Though Van Kleef passed away in 2015, his spirit remains in this special bar filled with his tchotchkes and stories." - Ellen Fort, Eater Staff
