It’s a bold move to open a new dining or drinking establishment in San Francisco’s Marina area. Home to a notoriously fickle crowd spoiled with trendy restaurants and bars at every turn, the Marina can mean stiff competition for a newcomer. Despite this, the desire among well-heeled Marinites for new places at which to see and be seen remains evergreen – so if you do it right, you can thrive here in no time at all. Bin 38 Wine Bar and Lounge does exactly that: only a few months old, the venue is already popular among both local residents and San Franciscans alike.

Part restaurant, part bar and part lounge, Bin 38’s name sums up its raison d’etre: “bin” is both the Australian word for “lot” as well as the name for a wine container, while 38 signifies the 38th degree of latitude on which San Francisco lies. Inside, a wooden bar room leads to a large lounge area punctuated with sumptuous brown suede couches, dark wooden tables and chairs, and oversized flower arrangements for a splash of color. Small enclaves off the main room are ideal for private events, while two outside patios are perfect for enjoying a warm spring San Francisco evening (with heat lamps for when the fog rolls in, of course). It’s this varied layout that allows Bin 38 to morph effortlessly from an intimate wine bar during the week to a hip Marina bar on weekends.

It can be a red flag when so much effort is put into décor though - will the wine get as much attention, and will the prices reflect the steep costs of such elegant surrounds? Luckily, these thoughts proved unfounded and we were impressed by both the range and reasonable prices of the wines. Most selections were from new world countries such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, not to mention a great selection from the Californian valleys of Sonoma and Napa, just north of San Francisco.

Staff members are highly knowledgeable about the wine they’re selling and our sommelier Brian was eager to provide suggestions. We started off with a glass of Domaine Carneros sparkling wine from Sonoma. Dry but fruity, it was the perfect precursor to the bright and light sauvignon blanc from Warwick Estate in South Africa. Later, we tried the Fort Ross pinot noir from the Sonoma Coast, and it’s no wonder reds from this area are so renowned: full bodied and aromatic, it was cherries and berries all the way with a great lingering finish.

Bin 38 is a rare animal in that it has a full kitchen even though it markets itself as a wine bar. This means that, if you’re in the mood for a substantial meal, you don’t have to leave the comfortable couch to find it. Alternatively, as in our case, you can pair your wine selections with the perfect array of appetizers to tide you over before dinner. We chose warm olives which went perfectly with the white and sparkling wines, as well as a selection of prosciutto, salami and succulent carpaccio to partner with the pinot noir. Also noteworthy was the subtly-flavored ricotta and winter squash bruschetta, which was the ideal balance to the saltiness of the carpaccio.

Wine bars have become extremely popular across continental Europe over the last few years, and this trend is finally catching on in the U.S. Perhaps this is because in a wine bar, you’re given best of both worlds - a great selection of wines to be enjoyed within an informal bar setting. All in all, everyone wins. Next time you find yourself in the Marina, stop in at Bin 38 to kick back, relax and lengthen your lifespan with a crisp glass or two of California’s finest.

Bin 38
3232 Scott Street
San Francisco, CA 94123
Tel: (415) 567-3838
www.bin38.com

- Written by Catherine Parker (cathparker@gmail.com)

Ms. Parker lives in San Francisco and is a frequent contributor to Vezeo.

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