Description
They might not yet know your name at Two Sisters Bar & Books, but the sliver of a bar/restaurant in Hayes Valley is the place to feel welcome. The gastropub space is narrow enough to touch with your fingertips if you stood in the middle and spread your arms wide. The wallpaper wouldn't be out of place in a San Francisco parlor circa 1910, or a smoky bar in Paris or Prague. The light is dim and the jumping jazz soundtrack gives the place a speakeasy vibe. One wall is taken up with a low bookcase from which patrons are encouraged to borrow books -- it's stocked with everything from the classics to the Hunger Games. Drinks are the primary focus -- try any of the varieties on the Manhattan, or just settle down with a local beer on tap -- but there is a short menu of small plates and snacks. Get the paper-thin house-made potato chips, which go well with a horseradish crème fraîche dip for a peppy take on a tired party go-to, or the perfectly satisfying, perfectly simple grilled cheese sandwich -- melted St. George cheddar cheese and garlic butter, grilled almost to the point of burning but saved just in time to achieve caramelization -- served with a sidecar of tomato soup in an oversized teacup.
