San Francisco, CA
Go beyond Fernet at Bar 821, SF’s temple of digestifs
Outside of amari proper, Bar 821 created a $20 “choose your journey” cocktail list, from which patrons select their favorite style of drink (fizzy, refreshing or spirit-forward), flavor profile (floral, fruity, herbaceous or bitter) and spirit of choice. The bartenders add house-made tinctures and syrups. “We threw it onto the customer to be the bartender, and we’re the hands,” Dajani said.
Surrender to those hands and you may learn that, technically, not every bitter is an amaro. Underberg, the German digestif recognizable for its tiny, paper-wrapped bottles, is a separate category of liqueur called a “bonnekamp.” So what about Fernet — is it simply too cliche, too basic, for Bar 821 to consider stocking? No way.
“We have 25 to 30 Fernets,” Dajani said. “I have been having stomach issues, so I’ve been drinking Fernet all week.”
🔗 Bar 821
📍 821 Divisadero St.