Christine’s, a micro bakery in the Mission District, makes a hell of a chocolate chip cookie. It’s pudgy, crisp around the edges and chewy in the center. The dough courses with 66% chocolate from Guittard, and the top of each cookie is festooned with a coin. Split it in half to reveal a cross-section of slightly melted chocolate. The vegan version swaps out butter for coconut and sunflower oil, and it’s also worth a shot.
Christine’s. 2050 Bryant St., San Francisco. cometochristines.com
A popup no more, Kopê House landed a cafe in Hayes Valley. Little bigger than a closet, Kopê sees lines out the door, but on a weekday afternoon I managed to avoid the crowd. The house latte, which includes a gochujang-spiked caramel, still satisfies, with a mellow kick of fruity spice. Order the sidecar — the café’s name for a one-and-one — comprising a shot of espresso and a cortado, both made from the shop’s house blend of predominantly Ethiopian and Honduras coffees, which tastes of dark chocolate and burnt sugar. Kopê is one of a handful of popups that have landed permanent cafes in San Francisco recently, including Hi NRG and Paper Son, which recently opened Soon and Soon in partnership with Mister Jiu’s.
Kopê House. 546 Laguna St., San Francisco. kopehouse.com
As I arrived at Strāta, a new downtown hotel restaurant by the Eos & Nyx folks, on a Saturday night, I was greeted by a parade of classic cars and a cacophonous clash of blaring oldies, reggaeton and narco-corrido ballads. Strāta aims to be a night-on-the-town establishment with leather-bound seats, light-up shelves and a menu that features all the standard (and increasingly dated) fascinations: burgers, wagyu and caviar bumps. I sat at the bar and opted for the springy seared scallops, served over creamy grits with ready-to-burst cherry tomatoes…