Bar Tartine
(PLEASE NOTE: BAR TARTINE IS NOW CLOSED.) This is where visiting food nerds head right off the plane. That’s because some of the most experimental food in San Francisco doesn’t rely on tweezers and foams; it plays with ancient techniques like sprouting and fermentation in a casually sophisticated environment. And it is profoundly delicious. Borrowing flavors and ingredients from Northern California, Eastern Europe, and Japan, this is the kind of place that gooses the stock for the Hungarian fisherman’s stew with kombu, sprouts the lentils for its croquettes, and makes sodas from its own kefir. There are pickles in their kitchen that have been going for years! So much thought (and time) has gone into every element for every dish—and you can taste it. While you could probably bring your parents here and have them be happy (just don’t explain everything), it’s more about a catch-up dinner or brunch with friends, or maybe a litmus test for that new date or potential employee to see how open-minded they are.
PRO TIP: Saturday–Sunday lunch is a $37 prix fixe.
THE DETAILS: Seating is easier at lunch.
