Alcademics

I recently visited Delarosa, the new restaurant in San Francisco's Marina District by the owners of Beretta and Starbelly. The Beretta connection is crucial, because this new venue seems like an expansion of the other. I'm surprised they didn't call it Beretta North.

(Lane Ford at Delarosa. Photo courtesy of Delarosa.)

Most of the pizzas offered are the same as at Beretta, including the Margherita with Burrata that I always get. Some of the appetizers are also similar, but at Delarosa they've added a fried food section (at least I think that's what "fritti" means), a panini section, and spiedini (skewers) section. 

But you don't come to Alcademics to read about food. The drink menu is a mostly-different-from-Beretta selection of cocktails, but again very much in the same style as Beretta. (They also have a few of Beretta's current and former bartenders on staff.) They have refined classics like the Floridita Daiquiri, Pegu Club, Salty Dog, Satan's Whiskers, etc. Added to that are some lesser-known drinks like the Presidente (rhum agricole, dry vermouth, curacao, grenadine) and The Monarch (gin, lemon, elderflower, mint).

But don't order any of those until you have the Swedish Punsch. It is made with rum, brandy, Batavia arrack, pineapple juice, lemon juice, black tea, and prosecco. For all the ingredients, it is refreshing, light, balanced, simple-seeming, and tasty. One could easily drink of vat of it in a single sitting.They should go down to Crate & Barrel and buy some serving vats.

I should also add that they have a great beer menu, with 14 microbrews on tap, many of which I've not seen before.

Ultimately, Delarosa is a great spot in the style of Beretta, so you may as well go to whichever one is closer. That is, after you come to Delarosa the first time for the Swedish Punsch.