5 fun small wine lists in San Francisco 2024

It can be a lot of fun to peruse pages and pages of wine, but it can also feel overwhelming or exhausting at times. The following are wine spots with lists under three pages long — concise, but with a sense of integrity and plenty to explore.

  1. Phone: +1 415 624 3140

    Address: 3565 20th Street, San Francisco

    This cozy Mission District wine bar occupies a former record shop, referenced with stacks of actively enjoyed vinyl along the wall and the space’s original vintage neon sign still protruding above the corner entrance. The vibe is always inviting, with cozy couch options and spinning stools along a cozy bar. The kitchen, though small, manages to put out an impressive rotating assortment of mid-sized plates, including the best deviled eggs in town.

  2. Address: 639A Divisadero Street, San Francisco

    Industry favorite Fool’s Errand overlooks the hustle and bustle of Divisadero Street in the NoPa neighborhood. The rustic, wood-lined wine and beer bar is usually packed to the gills in the evening, due in part to limited space; but mostly because of specially sourced beers and particularly tasty wine selections — emphasis on the Riesling. When the weather is nice (enough), the wineminded can spill out of the bar onto what is reported to be the world’s first parklet.

  3. Phone: (415) 518-2624

    Address: 2065 Polk Street, San Francisco

    In a storybook Victorian building on a corner in Russian Hill, restaurant Lord Stanley’s streamlined interior frames striking dinner platings of naturally ornate seasonal local ingredients, artfully presented with a modern touch. Historically, items like confit morel mushroom galette or onion petals with Sherry vinegar beckoned from the "a la carte" menu. With the restaurant's new "Turntable" concept, the chef's tasting menu has never been more exciting. The restaurant now features a rotating roster of upcoming international chefs at the helm alongside the restaurants mainstay FOH and BOH staf...

  4. Phone: (415) 416-6959

    Address: 838 Divisadero Street, San Francisco

    On the northern border of Western Addition’s NoPa (North Panhandle) neighborhood, restaurant Che Fico offers northern Italian cuisine through the lens of California with a special nod to “Cucina Ebraica”, the Jewish-Italian culinary heritage. One may enjoy their meal at either a broad table in a softened industrial dining space or in the buzzy, dark bar area near the entrance.

  5. Phone: (415) 549-7612

    Address: 458 Grove Street, San Francisco

    One of the early comers to the wave of caves à vin with robust small plate and conserva offerings, Birba's cozy interior and beautiful back patio garden brings a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding city. Nestled in Hayes Valley, Birba is the perfect start - or end - to any lazy day wine bar crawl through the sun-dappled streets, and owner Angela Valgiusti is always on hand with recommendations that span the globe.