I’m a huge fan of supporting local businesses, especially if they make alcohol! I don’t mind if it’s beer, wine or spirits, I just love trying out what people make out of their passion. To be fair, a lot of the beer seems to be very hoppy IPA which isn’t my favorite, but it still doesn’t really stop me from trying things out! Seven Stills has been on my list for quite some time, and it’s within walking distance, but somehow we never managed to make it here. Finally, I decided we should just give it a try, so we headed over in the evening for a night of whiskey and food!
I had to give the whiskey flight a try, just to really experience what they had on offer, but they also have several cocktails available as well, both using their whiskey and using other spirits. As it’s a brewery, they also provide many beer options if that is more to your liking. All of the whiskey is made out of their beer, and using beer to make whiskey wasn’t something that I even connected in my head. I knew whiskey was made from distilling fermented grains, so of course it was obvious that it could be beer to start with. One of the more interesting whiskeys in the flight was one that was distilled IPA, so that floral hoppy flavor and scent were still there, but not as overwhelming as in a beer. It ended up being one of our favorites of the evening, and we even bought a bottle to take home! We also tried an array of cocktails, and while many of them were on the sweet side for my liking, I know I enjoyed a few of them!
Foodwise, we went with a selection of small plates to start and finished with a large plate to share. We tried out the deviled eggs topped with mojo rojo and chicharron ($10), and it was an excellent and slightly spicy deviled egg. The pork rind on top added just the right texture to really wow me. The poutine ($10) was next on our list, and it wasn’t a traditional Canadian-style poutine, it had pulled pork and pickled jalapeno, so it was a great Californian take on the dish. It was very moreish, and definitely a dish to return to.
There were also some veggies to be had with the fried Brussels sprouts ($9). There was also delicata squash pieces in it, and it was another really deliciously executed small plate. Finally we went with the grilled corn, as it’s great to have in season, and we definitely weren’t disappointed by that dish either. Finally, we had the beer-braised short rib ($22), and it looked so amazing I forgot to grab a photo before we dug in. Sadly, the dish itself was nice, but nothing special, so it did leave us slightly disappointed at the end.
I did manage to get an eyeful of the burger and the fried chicken sandwich as people passed our table carrying them, and they both really made my mouth start to water, so coming back to give them a try is definitely in my future. The small plates were absolutely phenomenal, and I could definitely see it being a great place to have a date and share food, if that’s your sort of thing. There is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating depending on your preference, and the service was pretty solid to boot. It definitely became one of my favorite casual dining establishments based on my one visit, and I can envision coming back with family and friends to enjoy more food and drinks!
Score: 4.5/5
Recommendation: Poutine and whiskey is the way to go!
Seven Stills Distillery and Brewing
100 Hooper St Suite 4
San Francisco, CA 94107
