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Saison Cellar & Wine Bar
BARS • First Person
San Francisco is brimming with neighborhood wine bars of all stripes, for all moods, but SoMa’s new Saison Cellar & Wine Bar boasts, to its credit, a few extra perks. Chief among them are the two dozen fine French and California wines by the glass selected by Mark Bright, the owner and longtime beverage director of nearby Saison. There’s also the added option to join as a member, thus reaping the benefits of the next-door clubhouse and “cellar” space: your own temperature-controlled wine locker and a place to hang out with friends.
The cozy, dark blue-paneled main room, heavy on molding and taxidermy, is meant to evoke a tavern in Burgundy, featuring a long marble bar as well as table seating for about 25 people. The music is uptempo, and of a piece with Saison’s soundtrack — anything from Steely Dan to The Killers might be in the mix. That next-door cellar, which isn’t yet open, features more of the same (and then some), including a full-size taxidermy ram by the entrance, and a poker room in the basement.
The by-the-glass list ranges in price from $11 for an Alsatian white “Gentil” from Hugel and Fils, to $75 for a glass of Krug Grande Cuvée Champagne. In between are plenty of terrific options, like a crisp 2023 Sauvignon Blanc from Mendocino’s Polemonium ($25 per), or a rich 2014 Cabernet blend from Chateau Faugas in Bordeaux ($18). If you want to taste your way through a region, there are Burgundy and Bordeaux flights on offer.
The full menu of food selections comes from Maison Nico in the Financial District, including cheese and charcuterie boards, duck or pork belly pate en croute, and one of the best croque monsieurs around. There are also three tiers of caviar service, ranging in price from $98 to $165, and (in a nod to one of Bright’s first jobs in SF hospitality) Michael Mina’s signature caviar parfait makes an appearance on the menu ($48 per).
Opening this wine bar — one of two that Bright now has under the Saison name, joining a location in Scotts Valley — is a return of sorts for the operator, who ran a different cafe and wine concept in this space, Les Clos, a decade ago. Tucked away on a quiet stretch of Townsend Street, the place has already attracted a neighborhood following in its first few months, and on a weekend night especially, you’ll want to reserve or risk jockeying for a seat. –Jay Barmann
→ Saison Cellar & Wine Bar • 234-238 Townsend St • Tues-Sat 2-10p • Reserve.