Verjus

"Verjus is a candle-lit wine bar from the team behind Cotogna and Quince. Reopening after closing its doors in 2020, this Jackson Square spot can easily turn a drink or two into a relaxed three-hour dinner (or some weekend dancing thanks to the all-vinyl DJ booth in the accompanying tasting room) with its menu of excellent French food. You should focus on the creamy Boursin omelette, duck confit with stewed black lentils, and the mainstay from their previous menu, the pâté en croûte. Just make sure your meal ends with the pain perdu topped with vanilla ice cream—it’ll make you rethink any other french toast you’ve ever had. While Verjus, with its dim lighting and cozy seating, is perfect for a date night, it’s also great for small groups looking to take advantage of the reasonably-priced bottles of low-intervention wine. Reservations are difficult to come by, so try your luck by walking in right at 5pm when the waitlist opens." - 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