Sip and savor at these natural wine spots

Last Updated On Apr. 18, 2023

Natural wines are delicious and great to share with friends and food. Photo courtesy of Yelp.

Global industrial winemaking is a three hundred billion dollar industry, yet the “Two-Buck Chucks” of the world aren’t making headlines. It's the urban and suburban wine guys who fuel the Bay Area wine fans to flock to natural wine shops, bars, restaurants and tasting rooms with food truck food, upcycled pizza, and a low-alcohol buzz. We found some great options in the natural wine scene, all BARTable. Taste, shop and join a wine club (or three).

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South Bay

Amy and Alex Bernardo opened Vineyard Gate in 1998. Photo courtesy of Punch Media.

Vineyard Gate | Millbrae

When it comes to providing superior selection and service, Vineyard Gate has been doing it since 1998. They believe that the best wines are those that both surprise and captivate the palate and come from winemakers who know what they're doing. It's why they only offer wines from studying the producers, learning their winemaking approaches, visiting their sites, walking their vineyards, and of course, tasting their wines. With no sulfite "natural" wine becoming more desirable over the past decade, this stop will provide you nothing short of the perfect learning (and tasting!) experience. They also offer an artisan selection of sake from Japan. Take BART to Millbrae and travel 0.5 miles to 238 Broadway.

San Francisco

Shuggie's colorful dining room. Photo courtesy of EaterSF.

Shuggie’s Trash Pie and Natural Wine | 24th St Mission

The team behind the upcycle pickle brand, Ugly Pickle Co., made the ambitious move to open a pizza and natural wine restaurant while the city was on lockdown. The mission behind the project is to make pizza from rescued produce and other ingredients that are often discarded for cosmetic reasons or packaging flaws. The wine list has bottles from as near as Santa Cruz and as far as Australia, all minimally processed. Take BART to 24th St Mission and go 0.2 miles to 3349 23rd St.

Buddy's classic interior. Photo courtesy of EaterSF.

Buddy Bar | 24th St Mission

Buddy’s the place you wish you lived near—a place you could call home for your remote-work coffee breaks, your happy hour meet-ups, and those rare date nights. It’s a quaint space that feeds and fuels the neighborhood with trout roe-stuffed cheese puffs, Pt. Reyes Blue cheesecake, sandwiches, and decadent halva and butterscotch brownies. The small, refined wine list has international natural wine options by the glass. Take BART to 24th St Mission to get to 3115 22nd St, just 0.3 miles from the station.

Bar Part Time is a visionary natural wine bar with good vibes in the Mission District. Photo courtesy of Studio Anand Sheth.

Bar Part Time | 16th St Mission

The team behind Bar Part Time pivoted from distributing natural wine to pouring it at their Mission bar and dance space. Consider grabbing a booth and chatting up someone at the bar who might be an owner and is well-versed in the world of natural wines. They have a small menu of food to accompany their large inventory of wine, available by the glass, bottle and to take home after you’ve danced under the disco ball. Take BART to 16th St Mission and go 0.4 miles to 496 14th St.

The large, inviting interior of Lower Nob Hill's Key Klub. Photo courtesy of Key Klub.

Key Klub | Powell St

Bodega wine bar and restaurant in North Beach has a sister in the Lower Nob Hill’s Key Klub. The exposed brick two-floor space has a classic San Francisco vibe. There’s a double patty burger, a patty melt and decadent mushroom-slathered fries on the menu. The wine list is big so consider it an opportunity to discover something new like a delicious natural orange wine from Mexico. Take BART to Powell St and visit Key Klub at 850 Brush St, 0.6 miles from the station.

East Bay

Discover new and different natural wines weekly at The Punchdown. Photo courtesy of The Punchdown.

The Punchdown | 19th St Oakland

The Punchdown is a semifinalist in the 2022 James Beard Awards for most Outstanding Wine Program. It’s a pretty special award for one of East Bay’s natural wine pioneers. Its proximity to BART makes it an essential stop for those looking to discover more about natural wines. Stop by for a small bite and a glass or two and shop for wine and wine-friendly food accompaniments. Get off at 19th St/Oakland and go 0.1 miles to 1737 Broadway.

Daytrip's fun and casual dining and drinking space. Photo courtesy of Daytrip.

Daytrip | MacArthur

Billed as a fermentation-driven wine shop and restaurant, Daytrip is a great addition to Oakland's Temescal neighborhood. It’s a casual, fun space with an equally fun dining menu (now offering a full breakfast and pastry program on the weekends too!). The natural wine program is serious with approachable and affordable options, curated by Jenny Eagleton (The Punchdown). On Tuesday evenings, the space transitions to a bar with limited dining options in the hopes that customers will take a deeper dive into their wine program. Take BART to MacArthur and travel 0.3 miles to 4316 Telegraph Ave.

Jack London Square's natural wine destination, Minimo. Photo courtesy of Minimo.

Minimo | 12th St/Oakland City Center

This woman-owned wine shop and bar specialize in natural wines made from small, independent old-world and new-world producers. The airy and elegant space feels like a museum. It’s intentional as the owner wants customers to inquire and interact with the wine without being distracted by labels and shelf-talkers. No food, but their Jack London Square neighbor, Federation Brewing, hosts pop-ups and you’re welcome to bring bites back to their parklet. Take BART to 12th St/Oakland City Center and walk 0.5 miles to 420 3rd St.

Where do you like to sip on natural wines?

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by Sophia Markoulakis

Sophia Markoulakis is a Bay Area-based freelance journalist covering lifestyle and human interest topics. Her first memory riding BART was while attending UC Berkeley. It was the fastest way to escape her seven roommates and head to San Francisco. She still rides BART to access the best the bay has to offer.