San Franciscans take their liquids seriously. From cold-pressed coffee to freshly pureed fruit juice to cocktails with housemade shrubs and tinctures, drinks are an important part of the every day culture. Not to mention the city’s close proximity to wine country; throw in the obsession for local craft brews and you’ve got a drink scene like no other. Don’t believe me? Just look at Instagram. Browse any local’s feed and there are bound to be glasses of rosé and an perfectly prepared Manhattan. We scoured the Instagrams of two our favorite beverage gurus, Virginia Miller, a cocktail expert and the author of The Perfect Spot, and Lou Bustamante, a drinks writer who recently published his first book, The Complete Cocktail Manual. Here we round up the trends we saw and share more of the most Instagrammed libations in SF.
Photo Credit: @alishagolden
Rosé
The hostag #roseallday is ubiquitously used by San Franciscans. Because, you really can have it all day any day. It’s just as lovely to enjoy a glass on Sunday afternoon in Dolores Park as it is to sip one Wednesday evening at Tenderloin hot spot, the Saratoga. @alishagolden recently celebrated National Rosé Day at B Bar in SOMA.
Photo Credit: @thecavaliersf
A Cocktail Mid-Pour
The image of a sophisticated cocktail shaker with a potent liquid being transferred into a waiting coupe our martini glass is a classic on Instagram. Here the bartender at The Cavalier shows us how it’s done.
Photo Credit: @melogrvphy
Strawberry Fields
With its large back patio, weeknight crowd, and tasty gastropub food, Tipsy Pig is an institution in the Marina. The most popular cocktail? While some SF bars are constantly updating their menus, one of the things that makes Tipsy so great is that the drinks never really change. You can always order the Strawberry Fields, a fruity concoction consisting of vodka, muddled strawberries, simple syrup, soda water, and lime juice. Watch out though: it’s super easy to drink and before you know it you may have consumed one too many.
Photo Credit: @foodporn
Boba Guys
If you go to the Boba Guys and share a photo of your milky tea in front of their white tiled wall, did you really go? It’s practically a requisite to share your super special libation. All of the drinks are handshaken to ensure a lovely froth. The boba is made from natural ingredients and the best quality tea and milk—they use Straus Family Creamery.
Photo Credit: @cocktailenthusiast
The Breakfast Negroni
Wildhawk opened a little over a year ago in the Mission and it quickly won our hearts over with its all female-bartending staff and excellently executed cocktails. While the team makes a mean martini, the most Instagrammed drink is the Breakfast Negroni. The drink features the usually Negroni suspects: gin, campari, and vermouth, but the vermouth is infused with Cocoa Puff cereal. A dash of chocolate salt bitters and whimsically shaped orange zest make this a cocktail to be remembered (and virtually shared).
Photo Credit: @patrickdavila73
Writing on Zest
Speaking of zest, a new trend that’s taking over SF bars is to stamp a special message on to a piece of zest. Prepare to see this all over your Instagram in the near future.
Photo Credit: @theperfectspot
The Requisite Flight
Some drink situations require a Instagram photo. Case in point? Any flight where you get to taste a fantastic variety of wine and whiskey.
Photo Credit: @youdrinkwedrink
Blue Bottle Coffee
SF is home to many artisanal roasters, but our favorite is Blue Bottle. It’s a favorite on Instagram, too.
Photo Credit: @foodflowersnfriends
Pressed Juicery
No drink roundup is complete without mentioning green juice and Pressed Juicery makes the best around—enough said.
Photo Credit: @theperfectspot
The Salted Rim
This Instagram, from Virginia Miller illustrates two Instagram trends: (1) a rim topped dipped in salt, sugar, or other spices and (2) the drink placed gingerly on top of the bar’s menu. In this case, it’s Tradition.
Photo Credit: @malibuseasidechef
Irish Coffee
Although its location in Fisherman’s Wharf is a little touristy, no local can resist the Buena Vista Cafe on a cold evening. Why? Because the pub is the home of the famed Irish Coffee. A potent and warming mixture of sweetened hot coffee mixed with Tullamore Dew whiskey and topped with a dollop of freshly whipped cream, there is no cocktail quite like an Irish Coffee.
Photo Credit: @thevillagedrunk
Monogrammed Napkins
You know you’ve officially made it in SF’s cocktail scene when you arrive at Kevin Deidrich’s Pacific Cocktail Haven and are greeted not only with an innovative drink, but a cloth cocktail napkin monogrammed with your initials.
