Like Frances, Melissa Perello’s Castro restaurant, Octavia feels comfortable and unassuming, with wooden tables and understated décor. Start with chilled squid-ink noodles with bottarga, a salty and primal introduction to the purity of her cooking. The wine list boasts a modest but smart collection of Loire whites and Burgundies, with plenty of options for those who can’t afford Volnay, from Eszterbauer’s Hungarian Kadarka to charbono from Kivelstadt in Mendocino.
1701 Octavia St. (at Bush), San Francisco, California
New American
415-408-7507
This story appears in the print issue of October 2018.
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