Union Larder

"What’s the surest way to blast out the siren call and get the whole gang together? Wine and cheese. Union Larder, a wine bar with pretty great food in Russian Hill, is broadcasting this signal loud and clear. The space looks out over Hyde Street, and if you can manage to get a bar seat, the cable-car-watching and people-watching are excellent. Besides the big windows taking up the whole wall facing Hyde, the others are covered in wine bottles and shelves of bread and cheese, with little other decor. Union Larder’s food is standard issue wine bar, with a few actually exciting exceptions like uni pâté. The cheeses are all superb, the meats are great, and the assorted combinations of them in sandwich form are spot on as well. Salads are a little hit or miss, but let’s stop kidding ourselves and eat what we really came here for: bread and meat and cheese. Oh, and wine. The wine list is a little pricey, but we have yet to be disappointed by an order here." - Taylor Abrams

"We harbor an abiding love for this wine bar that also happens to feature spectacular cheeses and meats. Bring a date, bring yourself, bring your Lactaid—just get to this place. The duck liver mousse is awesome, and you can’t go wrong with any of the sandwiches, like the Reuben or grilled cheese. Even better is this place overlooks Hyde Street, so be sure to sit by the big windows and eat and drink as you watch the cable cars roll by. " - will kamensky, julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez

"If you get a seat by the window at Union Larder, it almost feels like you’re watching Hyde Street go by in front of you, like it was an aquarium, but with cable cars instead of schools of fish. You might get hungry while you watch the tourists pass by, and Union Larder has a great menu of things like charcuterie boards, salads, and burrata to enjoy with a bottle of cabernet sauvignon or rose. They also have a cheesemonger to help you make the best cheese-related decisions possible. " - Julia Chen 1, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez, Will Kamensky, Taylor Abrams

"This spot is good for a charcuterie board date, giving yourself an exit once the meats and cheeses have come and gone. If they don’t hog all the manchego, and you’re both willing to stay and let your inner child out a bit, either order the grilled cheese or get a scoop of ice cream from Swenson’s next door and walk down Polk to choose your next stop." - will kamensky

"When you’re looking for a glass of wine before you start drinking sake at Elephant Sushi, Union Larder is right across the street. One of the reasons we love this spot is that you can come here for a quick catch-up or stay for the whole evening. If you’re looking for a larger, more relaxed space than Bacchus, this is where to go." - will kamensky