Verjus

"Verjus is a near-perfect wine bar. This charming Jackson Square spot—from the Cotogna and Quince team—will inevitably transform “just one glass” into a relaxed three-hour dinner over fantastic French food. Lit only by candles, the light emanating from the open kitchen, and the movie-theatre-sized marquee menu, the entire dining room has a dim orangey glow. Bring someone new or that person you bicker with over the dishes to join the couples draped over each other while periodically breaking for a forkful of flawless pâté en croute. photo credit: Erin Ng photo credit: Erin Ng photo credit: Erin Ng And the pastry-encased meat isn’t the only reason to stop by. Almost everything on the menu is incredible. Charred sausage is stuffed with creamy manchego, the Boursin omelette is silky and rich, and bread is served with slabs of fancy butter you’ll want to smuggle home. There are very few misses here, and even then it’s small things, like inconsistently cooked lentils with the otherwise excellent duck confit. Online reservations are rare, so try your luck by walking in at 5pm when the wait list opens. You can always wait at the bar and stare deep into your date’s eyes with a glass or two of organic wine. Food Rundown Bread & Butter See that massive knob of butter in the kitchen? It’s all yours. Use all of it to slather each satisfying chewy piece of bread. photo credit: Erin Ng Mussels Escabeche These are simple but delicious. This dish makes us wonder why escabeche isn’t on every plate of mollusks. photo credit: Erin Ng Omelette Boursin Velvety and smooth. Once you slice a knife through the middle, it gracefully falls apart to either side. photo credit: Erin Ng Pâté En Croute Pâté, perfected. That’s all. photo credit: Erin Ng Duck Confit Our only note on this otherwise great dish is that, on occasion, the accompanying lentils can be a tad dry. photo credit: Taylor Gomez Soupe de Poisson The staff might tell you it’s tough to share the soup, but there’s nothing more romantic than splitting this creamy, ruby-red bowl of tomato fish soup with that person you’ve been nervous to see all week. It’ll have your cioppino packing its bags for another bayside city. photo credit: Erin Ng Saucisse Manchego Imagine stuffed crust pizza. Now pretend it’s a sausage and have it ooze manchego. Order two to avoid sharing. photo credit: Erin Ng Pain Perdu If there’s one thing you have to do, it’s end your meal with this slightly caramelized french toast topped with vanilla ice cream. We would be overjoyed to come back and order this and a glass of wine seven days a week." - Ricky Rodriguez

"Features a new menu and an installed booth, retaining its original liveliness and convivial spirit." - Justine Jones

"After four years of being closed to the public, Verjus has reopened in San Francisco as of November 1. Originally opened by Michael and Lindsay Tusk in January 2019, the French-style wine bar was a casual companion to Quince and Cotogna. It closed after a year due to the pandemic, later serving as a grocery store and private event space. The reopened Verjus aims to bring back its original social energy with some improvements, like a cocktail menu developed with Thad Vogler and a food menu reminiscent of its earlier version, featuring contemporary bistro fare from chef Walker Stern. The space retains some original features like the iconic red ceiling and marquee menu board, while adding a DJ booth for late-night programming. Reservations can be made via Seven Rooms, with plans to relaunch retail in 2025." - Dianne de Guzman

"You’ve probably been to so many Happy Hours at dive bars and breweries that you could be certified as an IPA expert. Change things up and go to Verjus in Jackson Square. This wine bar always has a good rotating by-the-glass list. But instead of doing that, get a few bottles, do a vertical tasting, and learn something as a team for once that doesn’t involve new badging policies or neighborhood seating rules." - will kamensky

"One of 2019’s buzziest new restaurants has been operating as a grocery market Tuesday through Saturday, noon–4 p.m., selling produce from the restaurant’s farm in Bolinas, fresh meat and sausages, local and imported cheeses, tinned fish, and (often fairly fancy) pantry items like imported sea salt and black truffle peelings." - Luke Tsai