Back in December many lamented the news that Latin-inflected cocktail spot Cantina, which has been going strong for most of the last decade just off Union Square, had been sold and would likely become something new. But we did here that local bar star Kevin Diedrich would be taking the helm, so that was a silver lining, and now six months later the place has been reborn as P.C.H. (580 Sutter Street) in this case not Pacific Coast Highway, but Pacific Cocktail Haven. It opened last night, and as Tablehopper tells us, the pineapple logo is a sly reference to the fact that this space was, once upon a time, Williams-Sonoma’s first retail store in San Francisco.
As at Cantina, you'll find some large-format punches with tropical flair. And some example drinks on the new menu: Saffron, made with grilled pineapple, saffron, and mezcal; the Oh Snap! ($12), made with Aviation Gin, sugar snap peas, manzanilla sherry, absinthe, citrus, and tonic; the Naked Mai Tai, which is a Mai Tai without the usual sugar and fruit juice; and a couple of summer-y punches, the Santorini Summer, made with Bols yogurt liqueur, gin, cucumber juice, ginger juice, lime, cilantro, mint, and tonic; and the Wet Hot American Summer, served in a big crystal decanter ($78 and must serve at least five people) which will feature a mixture of Larceny bourbon, Manzanilla Sherry, white tea, grilled peaches, honey, citrus, salt, and bitters.
An old skylight as well as a formerly unexposed brick wall have been exposed, and the back area has been opened up a bit since the Cantina era.
Though there is a plan to be open seven days a week this is Union Square, after all for now it will be closed on Sundays.
PCH - 580 Sutter Street near Mason - Open 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday to Saturday