10 years ago SoMA, which includes the South Beach and Mission Bay neighborhoods south of market, hence its name, was still figuring out its identity. It was quite the neglected section of SF, full of abandoned warehouses, rundown buildings, and decaying plant life. In the early 90’s, the best clubs in the city were found just south of Market, clubs like 177 Townsend and King Street Garage. Those clubs are long gone. Today SoMA is full of refurbished buildings that house trendy restaurants, hip lofts, and Web 2.0 companies. In recent years architectural masterpieces like Watermark, One Rincon Hill, and 200 Brannan have popped up, making SoMA home to some of San Francisco’s coolest venues and most sophisticated clientele.
On any given night you can grab dinner at Tres Agaves, Bacar, Jack Falstaff, or Momo’s. Venture to any of the local watering holes and you’ll swear you’ve been transported to the Marina, but with an older, more distinct crowd. There’s no beer pong in the corner, no frat boys high-fiving each other, or Bon Jovi blasting on the sound system.
One of my favorite swanky places is District. They have reinvented the wine bar as a lounge… the local watering hole, albeit with a more upscale look and feel with high ceilings, exposed beam, and brick walls. The venue is an appealing destination for the after work crowd, the “anti-pickup crowd” and the “insert your own clique here crowd” if you’re looking to get away from the same routine. Consider District as an extension of your living room where everyone sits around, grabs a drink, and spends the next couple of hours talking about whom you’re dating, the cutie in marketing, or their last phone call with mom.
If you visit frequently enough you’ll catch a rotating show of local artists’ work hanging throughout the venue. It seems odd that they have a flat screen TV hanging on a wall but the other night they had Steve McQueen’s movie “Bullitt” playing. No complaints here.
The horseshoe bar and extensive wines by the glass are served by knowledgeable staff. They have quite the variety: tempranillos, sparkling whites, spicy reds, bold cabernets, blends from South America, or Bordeauxs from France. Confused? Ask one of the bartenders for a recommendation or a taste; or, better yet, ask a fellow patron… this has to be my favorite way to learn about wines at any wine bar and it can be quite the natural conversation starter between you and that cute girl or handsome guy you care to meet.
***Warning: The author doesn’t guarantee the success of these opening lines… use at your own risk***
Now that we’ve got that out of the way. Some opening lines are:
- “You just smiled after having a sip of that wine, what are you drinking?”
- “Do you mind if I steal your menu? Don’t worry, I’m not reaching for your glass.”
- “That looks good, mind if I have sip? No seriously, I don’t have cooties…”
What about those nights you just don’t want to dress up? Perhaps you’re feeling more of a “Cheers” bar than a posh “see and be seen” spot like District. In that case head over to 21st Amendment on 2nd street, across from SoMa’s “South Park.” This no-frills, establishment serves up some of the most innovative beers in SF with some scrumptious munchies like sliders, calamari and pork chops…
Their beer list succeeds in satisfying beer connoisseurs and novice brew makers with their South Park Blonde, Bitter American, Watermelon Wheat, and Potrero E.S.B. Confused about what you should drink? Ask the friendly bartender for a sample of several of the concoctions or use one of the lines from above 
to meet a new friend
Craving a run to the south of the border but don’t feel like catching the next flight to Mexico? Head over to Tres Agaves for simple Mexican dishes like tacos, carnitas and enchiladas. Oh yes; make sure to order a margarita or two from their extensive list of tequilas.
Another local spot for food or drinks is Momo’s. It is a great place to satisfy both your stomach and your sports fix… think ESPN’s Stuart Scott on flat screens all around you while chomping down on their juicy classic burgers, meatloaf or herb roasted chicken. Surprisingly Momo’s carries some of California’s finest wines from Joseph Phelps, Chateau Montelena, Rodney Strong, and even Mondavi’s Opus One. Warning, during baseball season Momo’s is more popular than P. Diddy’s White Party and just as hard to get into.
So there is a taste of some of the treasures SoMA has to offer. There is so much more to share with you… from brunch spots, to shopping, to eclectic furniture stores, but I will have to save those for future posts.
Weotta get out in SoMA!
