The Lush

As we reported in November, the maté-infused beer company MATEVEZA has been planning an expansion both into the East Bay and the former Et Al. space on Polk. Well, we have word now that owner Jim Woods has been overhauling the brand entirely, and has opened the Polk location as…

On Friday February 7th, get international with the AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 SIPS tasting event from Bottlenotes at the Golden Gate Club. You’ll find wines from all over the world, including Portugal, New Zealand, and Spain. There will also be light appetizers and chocolate pairings. The event is…

I was thrilled to hear the news that the vibrant husband-and-wife team Josiah Baldivino and Stevie Stacionis found a location for their wine shop, an idea they have been fine-tuning of late. Baldivino is the head sommelier of Michael Mina restaurant (he has worked there the past four years), and…

There is a new brewery located on Crissy Field in the Presidio, called FORT POINT BEER COMPANY. It’s from brothers Tyler and Justin Catalana, previously of Mill Valley Beerworks. They’re brewing six different beers right now, including an exclusive one for Tosca (called, appropriately, The Tosca), a Kölsch-style…

Well hallelujah, GREAT CHINA is now serving beer and wine! Which means you can now enjoy some of owner James Yu’s awesome wine collection, cheers to that. 2190 Bancroft Way at Fulton, Berkeley, 510-843-7996. To follow up on my earlier piece about rumored upcoming changes at ~JASPER’S CORNER…

Suds are taking this town by storm, and SF BEER WEEK is just around the corner to help you celebrate. Beer Week itself runs from Friday February 7th-Sunday February 16th, and there are all kinds of events all over the Bay Area. Options include special events like the whiskey train,…

Just a quick note for my fellow fans of the jerk-spiced duck hearts and bone marrow and other tasty vittles at ~THE ALEMBIC~ in the Upper Haight: it ends up the kitchen’s last day of full lunch and dinner service is this coming Sunday January 19th, since they are…

After landing a full liquor license and then closing for renovations, Cafe Royale has reopened, although it’s now known simply as THE ROYALE. The partners installed a new wood bar and backbar, repainted, and best of all, the upstairs mezzanine has some new lighting, booths, and tables, making it…

This Wednesday January 15th, head to TOSCA CAFÉ for a chance to meet Italian winemaker Riccardo Campinoti from Le Ragnaie in Montalcino. He’ll be there, pouring tastes and glasses of his wines, which include three Brunellos, as well as a Rosso di Montalcino and a Chianti. Ceri Smith, one…

There’s a new wine bar in Uptown Oakland, in the former Punchdown space: 2212 WINE BAR, from owners Sam Patel and Paul Fitzpatrick. The wine list is focused on affordability (most glasses are less than $10) and allowing people to compare wines through flights. There is also a selection…