Peanut butter & jelly. Turkey & cranberry sauce. These things just make sense together. I  would like to propose a new addition though: red velvet cake batter and fried chicken! Trust me on this, it’s much better than it sounds. At American Cupcake, there are a bevy of delicious goodies to choose from, but their specialty RVFC (Red Velvet Fried Chicken) dishes are definitely worth trying.

Located on Union Street, this place offers two menus: a sweet menu and a savory menu. The sweet menu includes whoopee pies, cotton candy, and of course, cupcakes; while the savory menu offers comfort food such as mac’n’cheese and tomato soup. If you’re of age, there’s even a menu that suggests pairings of wine and sweets to enjoy. I would suggest buying the mini cupcakes because then you can try more flavors! The ambiance of American Cupcake is very futuristic: the inside looks like something straight out of a sci-fi movie and the overhead lights are constantly changing color, so don’t be surprised if your food takes on a red, wait, green…no, blue tinge! American Cupcake is open late except on Sundays, so if you’re in the neighborhood and need to satisfy your sweet tooth, definitely seek it out! |American Cupcake|

Hours of Operation:
Tues & Wed: 11am – 10pm
Thurs, Fri & Sat: 11am – 12am
Sun: 12pm – 7pm
Mon: Closed

Located in the hip Marina neighborhood, Nectar Wine Lounge is a great venue for dates or for simply relaxing with friends while sampling a nice glass of wine. The lounge atmosphere here, which seems more ubiquitous in say New York or Europe than in SF, still offers an ambiance that’s conducive for great conversations over drinks. Patrons can either sit at the bar or in comfortable seats around the lounge. The hexagonal boxes (laden with wine displays) and the large windows overlooking Steiner Street, all add to the lounge’s ambiance. With a rotating wine list, you always have the opportunity to try new wines. With a nice eclectic mix of different varietals of whites, reds, rosés, desserts and bubbly, there is always a wine available for those with discriminating tastes and those that will only drink certain wines in certain seasons. With over 40 pages of wines available solely available by the bottle, their extensive international wine selection allowed me to try my first non-sweet Hungarian Tokaji wine (of which I promptly bought 5 bottles!). For those that aren’t into wine, they stock a few sodas and European beers, available by the bottle. Wines are available by the sip, glass or bottle – and are also sold by the bottle as retail. They also serve small plates, including some delicious flat-bread and cheese plates. |Nectar|

Hours of Operation:
Mon-Wed: 5pm – 10:30pm
Thurs-Sat: 5pm – 12am
Sun: 5pm – 10pm

On a brisk, slightly misty San Francisco evening, a world away from the trendy shops and bars that neighbor along Chestnut Street, it’s a welcoming sight to see that brightly lit green oval sign that shines brightly against the red brick and ivy. Sharing its name with a southern Italian highway that stretches from Naples to Canosa, A16 could possibly be the most charming restaurant in the Marina that’s perfect for just about any occasion. Whether its drinks and some light apps on a high top near the front of the restaurant, or a more extensive sampling of the menu at a table near the open kitchen in the back, the warm wood burning pizza oven helps make this place a cozy and warm dining experience away from the rain. When weather permits, the small covered rear patio provides yet another dining experience that feels more like a backyard dinner amongst close friends.

Serving up rustic seasonal Italian fare, A16 specialties include their customizable Neapolitan pizzas from their wood burning oven, house-cured salumi, creamy Burrata, ricotta gnocchi, and their meatballs just to name a few. Each dish here can find its pair with one of over 500 selections of Italian and California wines, so with choices abound, navigating the wine menu can often be best served with some pairing recommendations from owner Shelley Lindgren. |A16|

Hours of Operation:
Lunch:
Wed-Fri: 11:30am – 2:30pm
Dinner:
Mon-Thurs: 5:30pm – 10pm
Fri: 5:30pm – 11pm
Sat: 5pm – 11pm
Sun: 5pm – 10pm

Part gastropub, part speakeasy, Tipsy Pig is a popular destination on Chestnut Street for crafted cocktails, comfort food bites, and the usual good looking Marina scenery. Most nights there’s quite a crowd that gathers here, which can make the dining room a bit noisy for intimate dinner conversation. For warm weather outings, the rear patio tables are a coveted spot for evening drinks and weekend brunches.

The food menu at Tipsy Pig features items like smoked bacon mac & cheese, Chimay-braised pulled pork sliders with red cabbage slaw on Hawaiian sweet buns, BBQ baby back ribs, chicken pot pie, fried-green tomatoes, and even deviled eggs. For those looking for something a bit lighter/healthy, house made pasta and a few salads are also offered. Dinner is served nightly until 10pm to 11pm. The weekend brunch menu features items like French toast, egg scrambles, huevos rancheros, and sandwiches such as a pulled pork Sloppy Joe, their Tipsy Burger, and Wild Alaskan Halibut sandwich.

The cocktail menu is awash with drinks containing fancy liquors like Le Tourment Vert Absinthe, Harlem, Aperol, and Old Overholt Rye just to name a few. For those that prefer sweet over dry, Strawberry Fields is a must try, which contains vodka, fresh strawberries, fresh lime, simple syrup, and soda, served in a Mason jar. Their Moscow Mule, Pickwick Julep, and classic Greyhound are also worth sampling, not to mention their Drakes Woodworm, which contains Absinthe and St Germain Elderflower liquor. |Tipsy Pig|

Hours of Operation:
Mon-Fri: 5pm – 2am
Sat-Sun: 11am – 2am

Before Tacolicious opened up shop in early 2010, options in the Marina district used to be pretty much non-existent for delicious Mexican fare served in a clean and modern setting. What started out as a mobile taco stand at the |Ferry Building Farmer’s Market| on Thursdays, has since moved up to permanent digs on Chestnut Street. A perfect setting for a casual meal, the interior feels open and airy with the large street-facing windows often opened up during clear days. The interior is a mix of brightly painted walls, contrasted by wooden surfaces and paneling, and accented by unique artwork such as an over-sized painting of a Tapatio bottle.

The menu features mostly farm-fresh, local, and sustainable ingredients, and includes six varieties of tacos that can be ordered individually, mixed and matched in quantities of four, or as a platter of ten. Varieties include their fried local rock cod, carnitas, braised beef short rib, house-made chorizo and potato, filet mignon, braised Petaluma chicken, and their vegetarian option of summer squash with corn, market peppers and chard. Other popular menu items include an albacore tuna tostada, shrimp ceviche, pork ribs, taquitos, and a chili con queso dip. Meals begin with servings of their freshly made tortilla chips and delicious house-made salsas, which go perfectly with their selection of Mexican beers, wine, freshly-squeezed margaritas, and over 50 varieties of Tequila and a few Mezcals. Non-alcoholic options include their house-made aqua frescas. For dessert, options include a mango sorbet, flan, pan con chocolate, and churros. |Tacolicious|

Hours of Operation:
Sun-Wed: 11:30am – 11pm
Thurs-Sat: 11:30am – Midnight

Before the arrival of Roam, finding a place in Cow Hollow to enjoy a tasty, reasonably-priced artisan burger was a bit of a long shot. Luckily there is now a place on Union Street where diners can enjoy hormone-free Pacific Pastures grass-fed beef, Diestal Family free-range turkey, and Great Range bison, served on a locally baked sesame bun. For herbivores, the menu includes a house-made organic veggie burger and a farmer’s market salad. Diners can even customize their burgers further with a range of sauces, cheeses, and toppings. For those that would rather avoid having to make too many decisions, a selection of predetermined burger styles like their Classic, French and Fries, and Tejano varieties are all worth trying. It should be noted that hungry appetites are urged to upgrade their order to a double burger.

Side dishes like Russet fries, sweet potato fries, fried zucchini and onions, and seasonal veggies also grace the menu and include their own customizations like truffle Parmesan or lemon chive seasoning. To wash down the meal, beverages include house-made, agave-sweetened sodas, bottled sodas, Mighty Leaf ice tea, Kombucha on tap, micro-brews, wines, and a selection of Straus Family Creamery milkshakes. |Roam Artisan Burgers|

Hours of Operation:
Sun-Thurs: 11am – 10pm
Fri-Sat: 11am – 12am

Named after the natural stimulant that is quite popular in Southeast Asia, Betelnut’s menu of contemporary Asian dishes and selection of crafted cocktails may evoke a similar reaction of mild hot sensations in the body and slightly heightened alertness to one’s surroundings. Located right along Union Street, the street facing windows are often opened up on warm days to encourage people watching while dining and drinking. The interior of this restaurant has one of the cooler Asian-inspired designs, similar in theme to a beer house found in places like Singapore. Design touches from the wooden Chinese paddles nailed to the wall, the sprinkler pipes painted to look like bamboo and the wall art posters all help transport diners far from its Cow Hollow locale.

Betelnut takes a contemporary approach to more traditional dishes from Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and China. Their selection of appetizers go great with beer or their list of specialty cocktails. Personal favorites include the dishes pictured below along with the glazed pork short ribs, their noodle dishes, and the fried Red Snapper that is served whole.|Betelnut|

Open 7 days a week:
Mon-Thurs: 11:30am-11pm
Fri-Sat: 11am-12am
Sun: 11:30am-11pm

From the owners of Beretta comes Delarosa, a modern Italian restaurant that’s conveniently located on Chestnut Street in the Marina district. Though the signage looks more at home on a stainless steel Italian espresso machine, the interior is warm and inviting, with its share of high top communal tables encouraging conversation amongst diners.

Chef Ruggero Gadaldi’s menu features a mix of antipasti, salads, pastas, and Roman style pizzas, all complimented by a large selection of draft beers, wines and cocktails. Best of all, Delarosa is open late until 1 am most nights and also has a weekend brunch perfect for some daytime drinks. |Delarosa|

Hours of Operation:
Mon-Sun: 11am – 1am
Sat & Sun Brunch: 11am – 4pm

While they do serve some conventional New England fare such as clam chowder with bacon, warm lobster roll, steamers, and crab cakes; the rest of the menu features a diverse selection of comfort foods from various regions of the country. Southern specialties such as the Oyster Po’Boy, Seafood Gumbo, and grilled cornbread appear on the menu alongside a rendition of a Cioppino, minus the messy hands. The beer-battered fish & chips were juicy and flavorful as expected, and the fresh oysters were delicious. I liked the simple presentation of the steamer clams, served in a pale with a steamy herbal broth and a side of clarified butter. The inventive cocktails were tasty and the desserts were decadent and hard to resist. With crab season in full swing, try their Sunday local crab feed and get a whole Dungeness crab either grilled, steamed or roasted from 5pm to 10pm. |Nettie’s Crab Shack|

Hours of Operation:
Mon: 10am-3pm
Tues: Closed
Wed-Sun: 10am-10pm

For delicious Chinese food on the healthier side, Dragon Well is an excellent choice. A fixture in the Marina district since 1998; the service is consistently friendly and attentive, and the food is always fresh, delicious and reasonably priced. Dragon Well is a great place for a casual date; the high ceilings give a loft-like feel to the space, while the subtle lighting makes dining here feel more intimate. I really like this restaurant for its clean and contemporary decor; the dark wood furniture contrasts nicely with the cream paint, creating an interior that feels welcoming and warm.

My favorite dishes include the minced chicken lettuce cups, salt and chili pepper calamari, Mongolian beef, lemon chicken, and the walnut prawns with candied walnuts. The noodle dishes are also worth trying. Menu items are served family style, meant for sharing. The large bowl of chocolate and vanilla fortune cookies brought with the bill are a nice touch. On warm evenings try for the table near the front window, which is usually opened up to bring in the cool evening breeze. Dine in and take-out only. |Dragonwell|

Open 7 days a week:
Mon-Sun: 11:30am-10pm