Bar Agricole

355 11th St, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA

Is Bar Agricole the best bar in the city? It’s certainly in the top five, based on the groundbreaking cocktail program developed by bartender and owner Thad Vogler; the award-winning architecture and interior design by local favorite Aidlin Darling; and a daring menu centered around produce from nearby organic and biodynamic farms. Vogler used to bartend in Tokyo, and his obsession with Japanese precision shows. You’ll see influences of that in the hand-cut ice cubes he uses, and in Agricole’s glassware and aprons (all from Japan). The bar stocks a limited selection of 20 or 30 spirits, almost all small batch, and with a special focus on rum. Come for drinks, come for dinner, or come for brunch: the midday menu highlights include ricotta doughnuts with quince marmalade and a chicory salad with fuyu persimmon and house-made vinegar. Pro tips: In winter, book the private dining room (nicknamed the Grotto) for a seated, though still laid-back, dinner for up to 32 people; for an outdoor event, Bar Agricole’s covered and heated patio is perfect for larger, more casual groups. For lessons in liquor, check out the private spirits tastings that Vogler offers through IfOnly.

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Drink James Beard–Worthy Cocktails at Bar Agricole

If their New American–style brunch and dinner menus don’t tempt you to Bar Agricole, in SOMA, maybe their recent James Beard Award nomination for Outstanding Bar Program will. Cocktails run at $11 across the board, and head bartenders Thad Vogler and Eric Johnson make sure their creative concoctions are worth your money. Try a Sleepyhead (brandy, ginger, mint, lime, and sparkling water) or a Bellamy Scotch Sour (blended scotch, lemon, honey, bitters, and egg white). Bar Agricole is open Tuesdays through Thursdays and on Sundays from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. The bar opens at 5 p.m. It’s also open for brunch on Sundays from 11 a.m.

San Francisco's Bar Agricole

The recipient of James Beard Awards for design and bar program uses small-batch spirits and herbs grown on-site. This appeared in the August/September 2013 issue.

San Francisco's Cocktail Artists

In San Francisco the bartenders are “artisans” and “mixologists.” Each cocktail bar has its own special take on a Manhattan, and most places concoct their own imaginative drinks using unusual ingredients, but you can always get a good, classic gin and tonic if that’s what you want. Cocktail lovers should grab a bar stool at Bar Agricole to watch bartenders stir and melt larger-than-the-glass ice cubes into cocktail glasses for their House Old Fashioned. The tattooed bartenders at Alembic take their time in making you cocktails chosen from a menu almost as pretty as the drinks. For those wanting to learn the trade, the Boothby Center for the Beverage Arts in San Francisco offers classes.

Bar Agricole--Pancakes, Micheladas and More

A killer restaurant in SF. Ordered the pancakes (awesome), coffee (blue bottle), Micheladas w/Salzburger and a duck confit sandwich. Everything was really good. Hipster and trendy and a solid go to.

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