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- SF’s Best Parklets
I hope you enjoyed the rare 4-day weekend, this late copy of the newsletter means I certainly did. The weather in the city has been uncharacteristically glorious and that’s expected to continue into the weekend, so why not get outside and enjoy one of the best byproducts of the pandemic: the parklet.
Raised from obscurity out of necessity, parklets have enabled bars and restaurants to expand their seating capacity, while patrons get to enjoy gathering al fresco; plus there’s a certain sense of schadenfreude when enjoying a meal where someone used to park their Tesla.
So let’s take a look at the places that have elevated their parklets from crudely painted 2×4s to well-crafted extensions of their indoor space. Dig in:
🍔 The Snug / thesnugsf.com
Full spread // image credit: The Snug
Along with Automat, The Snug is a shortlist contender for one of SF’s best burgers as well as an almost overplayed first date spot. While it’s been a standby on Fillmore since 2017, the addition of the huge, solidly-constructed blue wood parklet has made outdoor seating preferable to indoor.
Lest you think the service is less attentive outside, The Snug executed one of the most successful implementations of the Toast Tab ordering system in the city, which means food and drinks are flying at you as fast as you can order them from your phone.
Order This ⬇️
Dill pickles
Tater tots
Brussels sprouts
Popcorn chicken
Wagyu double smashburger
Spicy fried chicken sandwich
🍝 Cotogna / cotognasf.com
Raviolo // image credit: me
The best designed parklets feel like an extension of a restaurant’s vibe and Cotogna absolutely nails it. On a warm, sunny afternoon there’s no place you’d rather be than soaking in the airiness of Cotogna’s blonde wood parklet while attacking a raviolo, glass of wine in hand and surrounded by trees.
Order This ⬇️ (the menu changes quite a bit but you get the idea)
Prosciutto
Pizza "carbonara"
Tomato salad
Raviolo
Semifreddo
Panna cotta
Eat Here 🔗 Reservations | Takeout & Delivery: N/A | Map
🍻 The Page / thepagebar.com
The Cottontails live from The Page’s parklet // image credit: me
While they don’t serve food, The Page beats out everyone on translating the bar’s dark, medieval brick interior to their parklet, complete with romanesque statuettes, chandelier, and a real (if not functional) fireplace. If you knock off of work a little early, you’ll be able to grab a table for the live music that starts at 5pm Monday through Friday.
While the bar inside is cash only, mobile ordering outside means you don’t have to miss a moment to order $20 pitchers of Pliny the Elder, possibly the best deal on beer in the city.
Order This ⬇️
See above
Don’t forget to tip your waitress
Eat Here 🔗 Reservations: N/A | Delivery & Takeout: N/A | Map