West Coast Wine and Cheese

Book clubs are frequently clever ruses for people to get together, drink a lot of wine, eat some cheese, and talk for approximately twenty minutes about a book that two-thirds of the group managed to get halfway through. West Coast Wine is basically all that you go to book club for, without any required reading. And the wine, cheese, and small plates are way better than whatever the crew would usually grab from the grocery store on the way over.

The small, modern wine bar on Union Street in Cow Hollow is run by a husband and wife who are super friendly and very, very into wine. Like, attending Pinot Camp into wine. Their love for it shows, and the wine list is fantastic: all California stuff hand-selected by the owners. It’s not just that there aren’t any Kendall Jacksons or Cupcakes here—the wines are on the higher end, and are both interesting and incredibly good. (Sidenote: if someone has a Pinot Camp hookup, let us know.)

photo credit: Krescent Carasso

Wine isn’t the only reason to hit up West Coast. The food is some of the best we’ve found at a wine bar and is also pretty reasonably priced. The menu is divided into three sections: cheese, meats, and plates—and each one deserves your time. All the ingredients are fresh, local, seasonal, and simple. You really can’t mess up ordering—and there’s something for everyone.

Besides the two tables in the front, the entire restaurant is bar seats, so it’s best to hit up for date night, catching up with a friend, or dining alone. The latter is actually pretty ideal since you don’t need to share your cheese with anyone. Or even pretend to have read the book.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Krescent Carasso

Halibut Crudo

Light, tasty, and one of the only things on the menu that doesn’t involve cheese. The peaches and jalapeños are a good contrast. A tad oily, but still good.

photo credit: Krescent Carasso

Prosciutto Cotto

Hot damn, this is a beautiful plate of meat. Not as thinly sliced as regular prosciutto, this guy is a must order. Get involved with the spicy mustard that comes on the side. This is the best of the meat options.

photo credit: Krescent Carasso

Summer Squash

This is good, but we could absolutely make this at home. If we owned a grill. Fine if you need to get your daily serving of vegetables, but not that special.

photo credit: Krescent Carasso

Burrata

If we had to choose ways to die, drowning in a sea of this burrata might be at the top of the list. It’s a little softer than your average burrata. Fresh tomatoes, basil, and buttery croutons we could use like Rose and her door from the Titanic should we rethink the drowning thing.

Cacio e Pepe

You need this. The portion isn’t big, but it is mighty. The noodles aren’t traditional spaghetti, they’re thicker and flatter and great. Share it. Or don’t.

photo credit: Krescent Carasso

Grilled Cheese

Dining solo? Order up this guy and call it a night. The sandwich is honestly more of a ham and cheese, and it’s excellent. The house-made ham is super, the bread is well-toasted, and the carb:meat:cheese ratio is on point.