The Victorian tin ceilings are hammered, and you could be too unless you order tasty bar bites with these dangerously dainty cocktails – all expertly crafted from 250 specialty spirits. Classics include newfangled old-fashioneds with brown-butter bourbon, but sensational seasonal menus range from summer's Stranger Than Paradise (Japanese whisky soda, palo santo and dragon fruit) to winter's Chamoy-kin Me Crazy (mezcal, pomegranate, chamoy and Aleppo pepper).
Pace yourself with gourmet bar snacks, especially the jerk-spiced duck hearts. Alembic is co-owned by the Booksmith, so boozy book browsing at their next-door shop and event space is encouraged – when you wake up tomorrow amid piles of signed San Francisco novels, you'll know exactly what happened last night.
