The Ultimate Paris Wine Bar Is In San Francisco

Verjus nails French chic without even trying.

- Rachel Khong

WHEN I CAN’T TAKE a real vacation (say, to Paris) because there’s too much to do and too much real life to attend to, I escape to Verjus, which comes in at a close second. Once upon a time, someone might have said San Francisco was the most European of American cities. These days, with the motorized scooters and chain yoga studios and a plethora of backs strapped with a tech company-branded backpacks … well, I don’t know. But stepping into Verjus, the recently opened bottle shop and wine bar from husband-and-wife restaurateurs Michael and Lindsay Tusk, immediately transports you: For a moment, at least, you feel as though you’re somewhere else. Possibly somewhere that doesn’t even exist. When life feels like it’s moving too fast, Verjus is the ideal place to press pause.