Daytrip co-owner Stella Dennig once described the wine bar and restaurant as a “soft disco drunken dinner party,” and if you’re getting rowdy it’s likely because you’ve enjoyed a glass or three of something funky. The list here comes from Jenny Eagleton (The Punchdown Natural Wine Bar) and leans into accessible options meaning most bottles, which can be opened on-site or taken to-go, come in under $60 with glasses starting as low as $11.

This popular Grand Lake-adjacent wine bar is a bit headier than most others. It embraces the spiritual, mystical side of natural wine and encourages learning about natural winegrowing and winemaking practices. The shop also has one of the best wine clubs around.

The Punchdown, just above the 19th street BART in downtown Oakland, presents its extensive by-the-glass list not simply by color but by flavor profile: a wine might be described as cherry/cocoa/vivant/glou glou (French for “chuggable,” more or less). The list, presided over by wife-and-husband owners Lisa Costa and D.C. Looney, is thoughtful and flights are encouraged. The Punchdown also has a small but noteworthy bottle shop on site with well-priced rarities.

Named for the Italian word for “minimal,” Minimo, in Jack London Square, is a wine bar and shop that wears its heart on its sleeve. Its wines are defined by minimalism throughout the whole winemaking process, mostly from small makers. Unabashedly dedicated to creating community, the space has a shared long table, perfect for a group or for sharing a bottle or three with new friends. Regular winemaker tastings offer an opportunity for education.

The team behind North Beach’s Bodega (also a legit natural wine destination) opened this Lower Nob Hill outpost in early 2022, flooding the neighborhood with minimal-intervention wines and fresh beer. The list divides selections into cheeky categories like “Here for the Funk” and “Thicc Boys” and bartenders tend to be willing to let you sample some options before settling on one. If you’ve got a friend in tow with more traditional wine tastes, this spot offers something for everyone; the cellar list also offers $150 bottles of Italian nebbiolo and elegant French Chablis.

Terroir is one of the old guards in the Bay Area’s natural wine scene, opening its SoMa storefront all the way back in 2007. Since the beginning, they’ve focused their short by-the-glass list and large cellar on biodynamic, 00 wines from the old world, mostly from France. The space is open and airy, with a variety of seating options, from cozy intimate corners to tables set for a party – and there’s always some vinyl on the stereo. The by-the-glass list always has some great entry-level natural wines and a few deeper cuts, so don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations.

Part wine bar, part wannabe strip club, Sluts comes to San Francisco from Imana and team, the crew behind devil-may-care fine dining restaurant Hi Felicia in Oakland. Under a buzzing neon sign that begs the question “spit or swallow,” bartenders span both local and international selections, for example, Richmond’s Purity Wines and TyTy Wine, Lula, and Everwild. If you get hungry, be prepared for convenience store fare – think Cup of Noodles, Lean Cuisines, and Chips Ahoy cookies.

Occupying an English basement on the busy Divisadero strip, Fool’s Errand specializes both in old world low-intervention wines and locally-made hazy IPAs — and remarkably succeeds at both. Owner John Dampeer oversees an impressively curated list of wines by the bottle, with a heavy focus on France as well as an impressive selection of Rieslings and Gruner Veltliners form Germany and Austria. Dampeer is forever excited to talk about all things fermented, so start with a glass from the short by-the-glass list — or a pint of something juicy, and grill him about his favorite bottles.

With two locations — a wine bar in Hayes Valley and a sister bottle shop Millay in the Castro — Fig & Thistle provides some much-needed natty in some more conventional-leaning ‘hoods. The bar, which was opened in 2012 by Angel Davis and Nguey Lay, is fun and funky — share the bunkbeds with friends for a more intimate experience — and the wine list is small but thoughtful, with a focus on California. The market is a meet-cute of a neighborhood bottle shop, candlelit bar, and succulent garden: A surprisingly quiet retreat from Market Street’s normal clamor.

One of the most ardent members of the 00 camp is Ruby, a small shop in Potrero Hill. They pour a few wines by the glass — whatever they’re feeling like, always $12 – but the focus is bottles for take away and to drink in the space, for retail pricing plus $10 corkage. Their bottle list is notable but perhaps not for natural novices, and their rigid attitude can come off as aloof in an otherwise hospitable, welcome wine scene.

Buddy lands in the Mission thanks to a crew of experienced bar industry professionals including Alvaro Rojas (Elda), Nicolas Torres (True Laurel), Nora Furst (Uma Casa), and Claire Sprouse (Hunky Dory in Brooklyn). It’s not just a natural wine bar but also a low-ABV cocktail spot pouring pet-nats, lightly chilled reds, and some interesting co-ferments. On the food menu don’t miss the epic fried mortadella sandwich.