San Francisco bars named on Best Bars in North America list
Zoom in: True Laurel and Pacific Cocktail Haven snagged spots on the annual rankings, which are determined by more than 700 anonymous bar industry experts around the world, for the second year in a row.
True Laurel, based in the Mission District, came in at No. 17 this year, up from last year's No. 30. The menu, crafted by Lazy Bear alum Nicolas Torres, offers drinks that incorporate local flora and seasonal ingredients.
Pacific Cocktail Haven, located near Union Square, was bumped up from No. 38 last year to No. 16 this year. The bar, founded by Kevin Diedrich, is best known for its use of Asian Pacific staples, like pandan and nori.
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San Francisco Chronicle
12-08-2025
- San Francisco Chronicle
He left fine dining to make sandwiches. Now, his popular Bay Area shop is expanding
Since leaving the fine dining world behind, an alum of San Francisco's Michelin-starred Californios and Lazy Bear has quietly made a name for himself with a surprising specialty in an unlikely location: deli sandwiches in a gym. Raul Lopez's sandwich counter, the Local, has thrived since opening three years ago in Wine Country — despite being difficult to find. Sandwich seekers must drive through a maze of Petaluma office parks and past Lagunitas Brewing to the Active Wellness Center. There's no signage indicating that the Local is inside, tucked between the check-in desk and the pool deck. 'You gotta know,' said Chris Osborne, co-owner of the Local. 'It's as far north and as far east as Petaluma gets. You have to cross many barriers to find us.' Location notwithstanding, the Local has grown into one of Sonoma County's hottest fast-casual lunch spots, and now, it's growing. Set to open Aug. 18, the Local's second Petaluma location (229 N. McDowell Blvd.) will offer more space, an expanded menu and, most notably, convenience. A Petaluma native, Lopez was working at Californios when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the restaurant to temporarily close. 'For about a year and a half, I was out of the industry,' he said. 'I never thought I'd go back to it unless I owned my own space.' A cousin told him that the gym was leasing a spot, but it was tiny — just 160 square feet — and the kitchen was extremely basic. The only pieces of cooking equipment were a panini press and a countertop oven. Sandwiches seemed like the best option, said Lopez, who was adamant that he'd still apply his fine dining training to his menu by, for example, vacuum sealing fruits and vegetables in their juices to 'give them more flavor.' In his view, most Petaluma sandwich shops use 'mass-produced' ingredients, while Lopez has established close relationships with local farmers and only uses what's in season, making do without common sandwich ingredients, like tomatoes and pesto, during certain times of the year. For the first couple of months, the Local 'relied on gym traffic,' said Osborne, who met Lopez years ago when they were both working at a restaurant in Petaluma. But word of Lopez's sandwiches — often named after Sonoma County geographical landmarks, like the Petaluma, the 101 and Adobe Road — quickly spread. The Local's clientele grew beyond red-faced gym rats and hungry kids in bathing suits, dripping a trail of water from the pool. By the time the shop hit the five-month mark, a majority of its traffic was coming from outside the gym. 'We're a trek to get to, but people still find us six days a week, and we're busy all six days,' Osborne said. Lopez has made his corner of the gym work, but the new location — at a busy shopping center alongside a Starbucks, a bagel shop and a frozen yogurt spot — brings new possibilities. The space is nearly 10 times the size of the original. It has a full kitchen, including dry storage and a walk-in freezer. A new bread station will enable the Local to make sandwich breads in-house, though it will still source some from Petaluma's famed Della Fattoria bakery. Lopez said he'll finally have the tools to experiment with more high-end techniques, like water baths for a precise cook and foams to add new textures and flavors. 'Everything we've done we've had to do under these extreme conditions,' Osborne said of the original space. '(Raul) will now have all the equipment and toys that his heart can desire.' The expanded menu will break the sandwiches (also available as wraps) into two tiers: classic ($13) and specialty ($17). The classics all have a fancy twist, like a BLT with Havarti, avocado and Carolina barbecue aioli, or the pastrami sandwich with chimichurri, Fresno chile hot sauce and pickled mustard seed aioli. New specialty sandwiches include the Bodega Bay, a soft roll topped with braised chicken thigh, pickled vegetables, pepper jack and chile lime aioli. The Gold Coast, another newcomer, integrates bacon jam and Carolina barbecue aioli with chicken breast. Lopez said he's 'big on using the whole animal and having minimal waste,' which means using parts of a whole chicken for multiple sandwiches, including roasting the bones for sauces. The Local offers an unusually robust selection of vegetarian options, like the Helen Putnam; named after Petaluma's first female mayor, it features roasted beet hummus and artichoke hearts. 'When I thought about opening a sandwich shop, I ate at a bunch, and every time I got to the vegetarian menu, I realized there were only one or two options,' Lopez said. 'I was vegetarian for (a few) years, and working in fine dining, I learned a lot of cool techniques when it comes to vegetables.' The shop can accommodate most dietary restrictions — another takeaway from Lopez's years spent in Michelin-starred kitchens. The Local sources gluten-free bread from Mama Mel's in Petaluma and makes pestos without nuts or dairy. Like the gym counter, the new location will offer smoothies ($10-$12) and salads (from $13). Lopez has added a new section for seasonal bowls ($15), like a polenta bowl with braised chicken, fermented carrots, roasted broccolini and salsa verde. Drinks include specialty sodas, aguas frescas and shrubs. The menu will continue to grow over time, Lopez said, as he envisions adding flatbreads and sides, such as housemade potato chips and potato salad. The Local will be open Monday-Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., but Lopez has ambitions for a future dinner concept after hours that's closer to his fine dining roots. The new spot's interior is also a major upgrade from the gym's inconspicuous counter: Bright and minimalist, it features wood paneling, a classic sandwich board menu and fancy picnic tables, plus plants and flowers for decor. Windows provide a view into the kitchen and a side patio has additional seating. 'We're trying to make everything a little more elevated,' said Osborne. 'We wanted the dining area to match the food.' The Local. Opens Aug. 18. 229 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma.
Forbes
13-05-2025
- Forbes
How The World's 50 Best Bars In North America Keep Guests Hooked
What makes a World's 5o Best bar? From San Francisco's Pacific Cocktail Haven to Mexico City's Kaito del Valle to Grand Cayman's Library By The Sea to Jewel of the South in New Orleans and even Vancouver's The Keefer Bar there are quite a few contributing factors to consider. Of course the quality, complexity and consistency of the drinks is tantamount. Add in other components like overall concept, bar design and location and the checklist for what makes a bar the best may seem strikingly different. That is, however, until you talk to someone who runs one. 'When you go to a bar or a restaurant, you don't remember the drink you had or the dish.' Kevin Diedrich co-founder of Pacific Cocktail Haven, or PCH, explains. 'You remember how you felt when you leave the place.' Kevin Diedrich Co-Founder of Pacific Cocktail Haven in San Francisco Which means that each location ultimately succeeds by tapping into an authentic form of guest interaction that respects the inherent relationship between bartender and guest. The recently revealed North America's 50 Best Bars of 2025 may span the continent but they all have one thing in common, their clientele. With rising food and beverage costs and stiff competition, guests have become more discerning than ever. Which means that bars have never had more opportunity to create the ultimate guest experience with locals, regulars and one-off visitors alike. 'We've pretty well always said that the pretentious bartender thing is dead.' Says Amber Bruce, beverage director for The Keefer Bar an institution that has been going strong for 15 years in Vancouver's Chinatown. 'Check your ego at the door. Welcome people like it's your own living room. We have an amazing crew who've been with us for years. Your section becomes your own bar basically.' Library by the Sea from Grand Cayman Library by the Sea, located on 7-mile beach in Grand Cayman, is a cocktail destination within a vacation destination and head bartender Max Wolff notes that even their elevated and integrated story-themed drinks sometimes come second to their unique relationship to the guests. 'We find that we might not have regulars every day of the year but we have them for their stay. We get to know them much more intimately than you'd get to know them in a bar in the neighborhood. We see them at breakfast, meet the kids. Sneak the kids some gelato and get them to go play in the pool while the parents have cocktails with us.' The team from The Keefer Bar in Vancouver Different establishments lean into different approaches to hospitality but for Diedrich's PCH, his own experience and attention to detail has paid off. 'When we first opened we were just supposed to be a neighborhood cocktail bar and now we're this high end destination bar.' Diedrich, who implemented a monogrammed coaster program for regulars, explains. 'We jokingly say that the hardest thing to learn isn't the drinks it's knowing all 200 regulars and their initials and their partner's initials.' Jewel of the South in New Orleans 'I pride myself on the concierge style of helping the guests along with their stay.' Says Chris Hannah, bartender and co-owner of Jewel of the South, who keeps it old school in his approach to guest experience based on his own background at NOLA classic, Arnaud's. 'We make sure that they go see some of our friends because our competition is a healthy competition in New Orleans. We want to make sure that while they're there they are going to someplace where we know that our friends are going to take care of them as well.' Kaito del Valle from Mexico City is a Mexican and Japanese-based Izakaya that focuses on sake-based cocktails but with Mexican ingredients. While the cocktails are complex, the path to great hospitality of any best bar is simple. 'We opened nine years ago and it's a full female staffed bar.' Clauda Cabrero says of what she calls the super nerdy, funky and relaxed spot. 'It just sort of happened. I didn't plan it like that. I thought it was going to be fun. It's really fun.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Digital Comedy Producer Stapleview Fuels North American Expansion With Investment From Blink49, Hires Jackie Sosa & Robbie Ezratty In Key Roles
EXCLUSIVE: Stapleview, the digital comedy production outfit founded by Sam Grey, is expanding its North American footprint with a strategic investment from Blink49 Studios as well as two key hires. The capital raise from Blink49 Studios, a Fifth Season-backed company, will fuel the growth of Stapleview's production and management divisions, particularly helping to scale the company's slate of scripted and unscripted comedy for a broader North American audience. More from Deadline Korea's Barunson E&A Unveils International Remake Deal With Indonesian Studio Imajinari Gold House Unveils This Year's A100 List Honoring Most Impactful Asian Pacific Leaders Blink49 Studios Adapting Debut Novel Of Eliza Reid, Former First Lady Of Iceland, As TV Crime Drama In particular, Stapleview and Blink49 will focus on co-producing long-form adaptations of Stapleview's digital comedy series and formats for the U.S. and Canadian markets. Stapleview will also launch a Canadian content hub to manage Canadian talent and develop original series and formats with the Canadian creative community. Stapleview, which launched in March of 2022, has already had an eye on expansion in the last year with the hire of co-founder and COO Daniel Lantsman. The company has been focused on growing the following for its online comedy shows Bareback Acres, Ad World, The Method, Clear the Air, and Beautiful Questions. 'This strategic investment is a formidable vote of confidence in our model and our company. Our team has shown an incredible ability to discover the next generation of comedic talent and showcase these emerging stars through a slate of truly hilarious series,' Lantsman said in a statement. 'This new round of capital is going to allow us to double down on our core competencies, grow our management business, create more original series, and expand our studio initiatives. We're excited about the future and look forward to solidifying our spot in the comedy ecosystem alongside John, Nelson, and the rest of the Blink49 team.' As part of the deal, Blink49 co-founder John Morayniss will assume a seat on Stapleview's board of directors. Blink49 joins an investor and advisor base that includes FirstGen Content, Guggenheim Brothers Media, Kate Capshaw, Joe Drake, Nick Meyer, Peter Schlessel, and Steven Spielberg, as well as newly appointed advisors Steve Mosko and Doug Herzog. 'We are thrilled to partner with Sam, Daniel, and their entire team as we continue expanding into the comedy space,' adds Morayniss. 'This collaboration opens up significant opportunities, from supporting Stapleview through Blink49's creative and production resources in both scripted and unscripted, to helping grow their bold slate through our Brand Studio and formats division. We're also excited about introducing the Canadian 'secret sauce' into the Stapleview strategy. Comedy has always been a standout strength in Canada, with the talent here consistently punching above its weight. With series like The Trades, Late Bloomer, and Run the Burbs already on our roster, this partnership further cements our commitment to the genre.' Additionally, Stapleview has announced two new hires to aid with this expansion. Jackie Sosa will be joining Stapleview as vice president, Head of Development and Production, and Robbie Ezratty will join as a talent and literary manager. In her role, Sosa will oversee Stapleview's broad programming slate, including scripted and unscripted originals, formats, sketch comedy, and podcasts. Most recently, she was the VP of Development for Chelsea Handler Productions, where she packaged and sold projects to FX and Peacock. She joined CHP after a seven-year tenure on the Talent & Development team at Comedy Central. Ezratty spent the last three years at Artists First, where he managed a stable of predominantly multi-hyphenate comedy clients. He began his career at ICM and Brillstein, the latter of which represented Fish Ladder, an AMC Networks based production company where he later served as creative executive. Several clients are expected to follow Ezratty to Stapleview. 'Welcoming Jackie and Robbie into the Stapleview family is a monumental step in our mission to elevate the next generation of comedic voices. They join us with a strong vision and proven track record of nurturing comedic voices and uplifting artists to be discovered,' Grey said in a statement. 'When Stapleview was relaunched, we knew that success would be built over time by following our creative partners' visions. By joining the team, Jackie and Robbie will not only allow us to expand on the creative goals across our digital-first strategy, but also more broadly across the entertainment and comedy landscape.' Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More
