culture@sfbg.com

COCKTAILS In San Francisco, there's a bar for practically every situation. Feeling high-class yet mysterious? Bourbon and Branch is right up your alley. Colorful and trendy? Go to Trick Dog. If you need to drown your sorrows in the dark, there are plenty of dive bars ready to pour you a heavy-handed drink.

But if you're just looking for a well-made cocktail in friendly spot after work, let me introduce you to Southside Spirit House, the newest bar to hit SoMa.Read more »

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marke@sfbg.com

WORLD EATS The first thing you probably need to know about the magical Southern Mexican state of Oaxaca is that sensory overload is always on the menu.Read more »

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What to do when printing the news and raising hell leaves you with an appetite for healthy greens? Let the Guardian staff guide your salad steps.Read more »

culture@sfbg.com

FEAST Even for fans of cutting edge culinary creations, there is something undeniably sublime about a simple homecooked meal. We here at the Guardian want you to know that even though your mom's killer casserole may be miles away, the chance to nosh on quality family recipes is not. Here are five spots in San Francisco where tasty menu offerings have received generations of approval.Read more »

culture@sfbg.com

FEAST I was raised on carnitas. When other babies gummed pacifiers, I sucked on pork, and loved it. After my teeth came in, I remember taking the three-hour (round trip) drive from my hometown of Ventura, Calif. to my dad's gold standard for carnitas: the Burrito Inn in Hawthorne. Those were so good they were worth braving the 405 for.

You can understand then, how the first time I tasted my very own San Francisco gold-standard carnitas is a tale that I'll oft retell to my future (pork-plumped) children.Read more »

culture@sfbg.com

BEER My cab pulled up to an unassuming house on a quiet street in the Mission. An etched sign on the front porch bearing the words "Brewlab San Francisco" was my first greeting to the space. I entered, and after checking me in, a man in a green vintage Adidas tracksuit handed me a customized Mason jar and said, "Enjoy." It was time for a tasting at Brewlab (www.brewlabsf.com).Read more »

caitlin@sfbg.com

IRISH It's early, even for me, to be in a pub. But cookbook author and Irish chef Larry Doyle requested that I make the trek to meet him at his Taraval and 29th Avenue Parkside Tavern at 9am so we can talk about his kitchens' plans for St. Patrick's Day. Sagely, he begins by proposing Americanos and telling me about latchkey kid dinners from growing up in Dublin.Read more »

virginia@bayguardian.com

APPETITE In my endless treks 'round the city for the best partnerships of drink and food, here are a few notable current menu offerings.Read more »