Taverna Aventine

Patrick Heig

Citysearch

Though it's steeped in San Francisco history--Aventine is carved into the alleyway that marks the infamous Barbary Coast, the Gold Rush-era vice-slum known for bordellos, opium dens and cutthroats (like the Tenderloin with no crack, more smack, plus sailor outfits)--this place actually feels like something you'd find in New York: brick walls, tin ceilings, dark wood and a downstairs parlor for young barons to plot their next move or celebrate their latest coup. Aventine's a lunch spot by day, with fresh seafood (oysters, clams, calamari, tuna tartare), salads and sandwiches (milk-braised pork shoulder, Tuscan steak, white anchovy with poached egg), and a social club-style hangout by night, with two full bars specializing in SF-centric drinks like the Pisco Punch and the Sazerac, artisanal wine and beer and Cal-Ital bar bites. In the downstairs parlor there are lockers where Aventine club members can store their personal hooch, cigars and "any other amenities that will enhance their experience"--a nice naughty touch worthy of the Barbary Coast heritage.