The Local Folks Guide to Natural Wine in San Francisco 🍷

Where to stay, sip and swirl in San Francisco.

Northern California has long been a wine lovers dream. But San Francisco? It’s officially entering its cool wine era thanks to a fresh crop of chefs and winemakers who are trading white tablecloths for low-intervention pours, laid-back playlists and hangouts that feel more like your dream dinner party than a tasting room.

To dive into the zeitgeist, we tapped Max Ellis and Dylan Silverman of Local Folks, a San Francisco-based culinary studio known for its scene-y pop-ups, seasonal menus and natural wine-fueled bangers. Their mission? Crafting experiences that hit the current cultural pulse — whether that’s a hyper-local tasting menu or a house-music brunch that gets a little loose.

Now, is there some low-key drama about what qualifies as “natural” wine? Always. But for the new-school wine crowd, it’s not about gatekeeping. It’s about ditching the snobbery, turning up the fun and focusing on the real essentials: good people and great pours.

We asked them: Where do you take friends when you’re craving a solid glass and a good time?