Precita Social is the neighborhood spot Bernal Heights needs - Review - San Francisco - The Infatuation
"The chef behind 3rd Cousin has doubled down on his knack for straightforward food with Precita Social. The Bernal Heights restaurant, less than a mile away from its sibling, shares similar DNA—dishes are concise with just a handful of components, like a velvety-smooth cod in a pool of red miso butter or a classic burger and fries. Taking over the space that was once Hillside Supperclub and Marlena, Precita Social fills the neighborhood bistro void Bernal Heights has had since 2023. It’s the kind of place where you can roll in wearing a beat-up tee for a plate of impeccably cooked tortellini, or break out something dry clean-only to splurge with caviar and chips or an uni handroll. video credit: Patrick Wong Not everything is a smooth landing, though. That burger arrives so juicy that the bun is on the verge of collapse, and a pistachio-light sundae overpromises by being billed as Dubai chocolate. Still, the tightly packed tables, energy from the open kitchen, and gentle hum of Aretha Franklin floating above it all add up to one of those restaurants that can shape-shift with whatever kind of night you’re looking to have. RESERVE A TABLE Food Rundown Little Gem Caesar Salad The dressing is potent. Each leaf tastes like it came in the same tin as the anchovies themselves, and we love it. Don’t leave this off your order. photo credit: Patrick Wong Black Cod The meat is so slippery you could swallow a chunk whole. But before you do, make sure to cover it in the caramely miso butter sauce. photo credit: Patrick Wong Handmade Taleggio Tortellini The pasta courses are likely to change thanks to weekly farmers market hauls. Because we care about you, we hope you’ll get to experience this version with corn and peppers. The saltiness of the cheese is balanced out by the sweetness of the corn, and the sauce has every right to be its own soup course. photo credit: Patrick Wong Blue Fin Tuna Crudo This is a dish appreciated in acts. You’ll notice how buttery the fish is before getting hit with umami and tartness from tamari and yuzu, then encounter earthiness from some sprouts, before looping back to more richness thanks to dots of avocado cream. We’d get this again and again. photo credit: Patrick Wong The Precita Cheeseburger The namesake dish doesn’t live up to the thoughtfulness of the other dishes. The wagyu patty is cooked well, but it’s greasy and makes the bun soggy and the burger is overall hard to eat. You can make your fries “Disco” with a green peppercorn sauce—it’s not necessary, but if extra pepper is worth $3 to you, go for it. photo credit: Patrick Wong Dubai Chocolate And Strawberry Sundae The name set us up for pistachio and crunch, of which there isn’t much. But if you go into this dessert thinking of it as just an everyday soft serve sundae, you’ll enjoy it. photo credit: Patrick Wong Gravenstein Apple Hand Pie Delivers on everything you want from pie a la mode. The flaky mini-pies come warm with a caramel for dipping and a dollop of soft serve on the side. photo credit: Patrick Wong" - Patrick Wong
