Fat Angel Restaurant / Wine Bar

Western Addition, San Francisco –

Part of Fat Angel’s name stems from the fact that much of the interior was salvaged from an old church, and part probably stems from the impish cherub statue above its door, no doubt fattened up by the handpicked wine and beer on the menu.

Stamped tin ceilings and a hundred-year-old wooden bar-back combine with marble countertops and ornate chandeliers to create an old-world atmosphere, while bartenders in jeans and t-shirts and icons of bottle-chugging angels keep the vibe modern and casual. Patrons run the gamut from trendy couples to flannel-clad foodies crowding around tiny square tables to feast on Gruyère mac and cheese and signature chicken pot pies.

Despite the unique eats, Fat Angel is ultimately a temple devoted to the grain and the grape, with a libation list touting brews and vintages – including several wines on tap – from all over the world. Romantic couples don’t merely order a merlot to go with their meal, however, as wines are grouped in categories like “chubby and satisfying” or “aromatic and lush,” while beer lovers popping over from the classy apartment complexes nearby select “sour,” “yeasty,” or perhaps “really dark” pints.

Consistently packed during dinner hours, Fat Angel tends to attract a fairly booze-savvy clientele, but its patrons can just as easily be upper-crust couples on the way to the opera Downtown as they might be cultured punks dropping in before a show at The Fillmore – such is the great equalizer of divine food and drink.