Coqueta Michael Chiarello Coqueta

Coqueta Awards

Daring, dramatic Spanish-inspired dishes within a stone's throw of San Francisco Bay.
Openings: Lunch & Dinner daily

Features

Coqueta, San Francisco, CA


Coqueta Restaurant Review:


About the restaurant: Could Barcelona be the new Florence? Coqueta manifests this with massive rustic beams, a sleek, marble-topped bar, bay views, Dalí-esque hanging lamps, big cowboy-in-wonderland cutlery, and an adventurous Spanish-inspired menu with house-cured meats and hot and cold tapas --- featuring everything from razor clams to chickpea-flour pancakes --- that are just the tip of the Iberian iceberg. The concept was created by chef Michael Chiarello, who passed away in October 2023.

Food & Drinks: Drama, daring and layers of detail infuse every drink and dish. Flower-crowned white-almond gazpacho is silky rich; chicken-and-pea croquetas are tender and creamy; cherry-sauced duck-pork meatballs are piquant; Ibérico de Bellota pork shoulder loin is elegant; Asturian apple pie paired with edgy Cabrales blue cheese ice cream is unforgettable. Cocktails flamenco-dance between savory and sweet: The Conquistador comprises gin, anise tonic, apple-celery juice and a fennel-salt rim; the Tariff features ham-infused gin, cava, apricot tonic and acorn tonic --- in honor of pigs, which eat acorns. Artisan Spanish and California vintners are highlighted on the wine list, and there’s a comprehensive array of small production sherries.