Stefanie from San Francisco

About me I grew up in Vacaville, 45 miles east of San Francisco, and moved back to San Francisco 3 years ago after spending 8 years in Washington, DC. While I was on the East Coast, the Bay Area was never far from my heart or email exchanges. People would constantly ask me, “What unique things should I do when I visit San Francisco?” I would write back pages and pages of suggest...

Aug 10, 2025

Frances San Francisco

Table wine is a must

""Frances" San Francisco is my go-to restaurant for out of town guests or a nice night out in Castro. Great locally-sourced food & wine, and affordable too!"

Frances is my go-to restaurant for out of town guests or a nice night out. Located in the Castro, it is a stone's throw from bars, coffee shops, and the Castro Theater.

In addition to being a local favorite, it made the Eater 38 SF list!

Frances is the epitome of a San Francisco restaurant. Great locally-sourced food, excellent wine, comfortable atmosphere, and it won't break the bank. Reservations can be hard to get on a weekend night. The secret trick is to walk in and grab some seats at the countertop, which offers a full menu and most importantly: you can still get the wine.

Instead of buying table wine by the glass or bottle, you buy it by the ounce. Ounces are $ 1.50. It ends up being around the same price as table wine at similar restaurants, but the unique concept makes it all the more fun. Frances does have an extensive wine list that can be purchased by the glass or bottle along with some excellent cocktails.

The menu changes slightly depending on what is in season, so check the website for the most up to date menu. I always start with the kale salad and end with Hayes Valley coffee, usually eating the steak for my main course. But the second most important thing you need to order after the table wine is the dessert!

Restaurants

About this spot

3870 17th Street

Main meal:

US$

Website

4156213870

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