Loosely defined, a “girl dinner” is craving-inspired, sensationalized snacking disguised as a meal.
Here in San Francisco, it almost always seems to include some form of a Caesar salad and a dirty martini—and this girl, for one, is not mad about it. For me and my close friend Natalia, girl dinner happens every week, a standing Tuesday dinner date to catch up on the weekly tea, talk work, and carefully dissect dating misadventures.
Martinis are an essential part of girl dinner at The Brixton.(Courtesy of @brixtonsf)
We made the trek from our typical haunt (the table by the fireplace) at Original Joe’s in North Beach to the Marina’s Delarosa (2175 Chestnut St.) to get our hands on their Girl Dinner menu before it ended (note to Delarosa: bring it back ASAP), trading our beloved blue cheese–stuffed olives for Parmesan-stuffed ones. It did not disappoint: cacio e pepe fries, Caesar salad, and a dirty martini for $25. We added steak to our greens for an additional $9 because we are hungry girls.
Girl dinner is a state of mind. It’s feeding your body with whatever the soul wants in a way that is easy and minimal. It’s for everyone—girl, boy, or nonbinary—and can be anything, but these San Francisco eateries are making it easier than ever to indulge in the TikTok phenomenon.
From Cow Hollow’s The Brixton to Roka Akor in Jackson Square, these girl dinners are ready for their close-up.
Crispy fries at Wildseed’s girl dinner(Courtesy of @wildseedsf)
Wildseed’s Girl Dinner
You don’t need meat to make a girl dinner great. Cow Hollow hot spot, the plant-based Wildseed’s version includes the crispiest fries, a kale Caesar, and a perfectly dirty martini available every night for $26. // 2000 Union St. (Cow Hollow), wildseedsf.com
The Brixton’s Girl Dinner
At The Brixton, Wednesdays mean options—and we like options. Every week at the modern American gastropub, you can get a martini and fries for $20, a martini and a kale Caesar for $26, or a martini and a Wagyu burger (without the bun) for $29. // 2140 Union St. (Cow Hollow), brixtonsf.com
Little Original Joe’s Happy Meal
McDonald’s could never. The lunchtime LOJ Happy Meal at their Marina location includes a petit chicken Caesar salad, French fries, and Elite D.C. for $24. Add a glass of wine or a house vodka or gin martini for just $12. // 2301 Chestnut St. (Marina), littleoriginaljoes.com
Roka Akor’s Girl Dinner
At upscale Japanese restaurant and steakhouse Roka Akor, happy hour is for the girlies. It’s just “a little something to take the edge off,” as they say: a signature martini with your choice of gin or vodka, a side of truffle fries, and two oysters for just $25. // 801 Montgomery St. (Jackson Square), rokaakor.com