What is it? Inside SF’s retro-chic hotel the Jay, newcomer Prelude is a soulful surprise of Southern cool with California spirit and innovation. The intimate, velvet-lined bar is a seductive respite all on its own.
Why we love it: Chef Celtin Hendrickson-Jones’s modern Southern cooking with a California core pulls from his Sacramento upbringing with a Southern mom and grandma, growing up on ambrosia salad, fried chicken and deviled eggs. The decor evokes an elegant eucalyptus grove, setting the stage for his imaginative, unforgettable dishes like smoked catfish dumplings in crawfish étouffée or pimento cheese scooped up with fish skin chicharrones.
But the bar—romantic, velvet-lined, under curved windows—is a destination in its own right. Cozy and glowing, it’s a haven for date nights, chill catch-ups or restorative solo sips. Bar director Franco Bilbaeno (formerly of Angler SF, Michael Mina group) channels Southern flavors into inventive cocktails like the P.F.C. Martini of buttermilk-washed vodka, pickle brine and the same vibrant house dry rub they use on Prelude’s crave-worthy dirty rice–stuffed chicken wings. The Country Pie is a Scotch-apple pie riff with pommeau (French apple brandy with apple juice), while the Magnolia Fizz is a roasted banana Ramos Gin Fizz riff with a dreamy texture.
Time Out tip: Five house mocktails shine alongside a tight wine list from head sommelier Morgan Harris (formerly of Saison Hospitality), who champions vintage Champagne and under-the-radar winemakers from California to Alto Adige, Italy.
Address: 333 Battery St, San Francisco, 94111
Opening hours: Tue–Sat 4–9pm
Expect to pay: Cocktails $17–$20; dishes $22–$62