Nopa (short for North of the Panhandle) is named for the neighborhood that surrounds and cherishes it. This SF institution offers famously gourmet food and drinks in a lively, sun-filled space. The menu changes daily, so instead of making specific recommendations, we’ll just recommend that you go as often as you can.

There’s always something going on at Madrone Art Bar on Divis. Between sets of live jazz or indie rock DJs, you can peruse the rotating art pieces on the walls or catch up on the big game playing behind the bar. But don’t forget to stay hydrated—these bartenders know what they’re doing. Madrone may not serve food, but you’re welcome to bring in a sandwich from Souvla across the street. 

Right at the confluence of the Haight, the Mission, and the Castro, Blackbird is within walking distance of a wide range of SF cultures. Here, they converge in dimly lit, Victorian-Gothic ambience. A Rusty Nail with Highland Park 12 Year Old is a fittingly moody drink to sip at this hidden Market Street gem.

In Ghirardelli Square, you’ll find the local go-to for craft beers, craft burritos, and craft cocktails. Barrio may be famous for margaritas, but it’s also equipped with a full bar, and if you’ve never had a Scotch margarita, there’s no better place to try it. The Scotch-arita pairs great with a “Queka,” Barrio’s street quesadilla made with heirloom blue corn tortillas.

Located on SF’s hipster riviera, this popping Valencia Street brunch spot offers a variety of inventive cocktails of both the daytime and date-night variety. Pair the heritage pork chop with a Highland Park sour for a wellspring of rustic flavor, then cap off your night with a deep-fried apple pie.

Amid the bombast of Polk Street on a Saturday night, this two-level, saloon-style bar keeps things classy with an on-point roster of craft cocktails. The drinks are named after friends and family of the bartenders, so you know each one is made with love. Going with a group? The Whiskey Two Ways is a crowd-pleaser.

Tucked within the historic Clift Hotel on Geary Street, the Redwood Room is a great hall paneled almost entirely with redwood and finished with art deco cornices and framed Gustav Klimts. It has a “smart casual” dress code — so while you’re all dressed up, order something distinguished like a Rob Roy with Highland Park.

If Comstock Saloon looks and feels like it’s been virtually unchanged for over a century, that’s because it has. The historic bar regularly features nightly jazz, and its sweet-and-peaty Blood & Sand cocktail pairs nicely with the Dirty Dog, a bratwurst-and-bacon situation that should be ordered “fully loaded.” Fun fact: the muddler the bartenders use is made of bar wood from a long-ago rebuild.

Like many of the best cocktail bars in the Bay, you won’t find Kona’s Street Market in an overtly chic area. The bar is on a bustling thoroughfare downtown and features drinks inspired by global flavors and street markets around the world. The attention to detail is evident in the carefully concocted cocktails — all the way down to the ice cubes subtly embossed with the bar’s name. The menu is categorized by region, so look to the Europe section for the Three Sheets cocktail, which pairs Highland Park 12 Year Old with Aquavit, dill, and pink peppercorn-chrysanthemum syrup.

SP 2 was built for groups small and large. The restaurant has a full menu of shareable plates and entrees, an expansive patio, and a lodge-like indoor dining room. Pair a Highland Park with the happy hour pork-belly popcorn and Holy Trinity Chimichurri to bring out the robust flavors of each. And don’t forget to buy the kitchen crew a beer for $2.

Five Points, named for the infamous neighborhood where Gangs of New York takes place, offers elevated bar food and flights of Scotch in a 19th-century brick-and-wrought-iron milieu. The spirits list is miles long and the original cocktails are truly inspired. But did we mention they have flights of Scotch?

A spacious gastropub on San Jose’s trendy South 1st Street, 55 South draws you in with great live music and keeps you there with their vintage Western vibe and an extensive cocktail list centered on the classics. The roasted shishito peppers on the happy hour menu pair well with the aromatic smoky notes found in Highland Park Valfather.

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