A brand new plant-centric cocktail bar is bobbing up in San Francisco
Heather Hoffman just wants to spread a good mood.
A bartender in San Francisco for 15 years, she finally fulfilled her dream of owning a bar in town and started Propagation, a “garden-centric” cocktail bar that opens to the public on Wednesday in the Lower Nob Hill area.
“We [didn’t] I want to try too hard for a topic, but it just came by itself, “said Hoffman from the bar.” … After this COVID stuff, we need something again to feel good about, you know? “
Hoffman’s wife, Lauren Nguyen, designed and built the bar – and luckily, is a plant person who gave the bar its plant feel and helped fill the space with lots of green. And while the company looks risky after a year of restaurant and bar shutdowns during the pandemic, Hoffman said the time felt right with the introduction of vaccinations and the change of political parties at the White House. Hoffman found the space for the new bar in the former Tonic on Post Street and felt like “there was no better time than now”.
“It was like, ‘Well, we’re going to do it. Let’s just do it, ‘”Hoffman said of her discussions with Nguyen about opening the bar.” Self-doubt is a real thing and sometimes you can’t let it take over. You just have to walk with your stomach. [Nguyen] believed in me and I believed in her and we just looked at each other and said, ‘We’ll try.’ “
Hoffman uses her years of experience as a bartender with her cocktail menu. For the opening on St. Patrick’s Day, Hoffman is preparing a Teeling Irish Whiskey Cold Brew with a salted pistachio crema top, a variant of the Irish coffee cocktail. Hoffman is also excited to share an acai cali champagne – a piña colada served with California cuvee – and a beet-washed Japanese gin drink called red snapper, which is in the style of a Bloody Mary.
Pop-up Mezcla will provide the accompaniment for the multiplication, with dishes such as yucca fries with aji amarillo cheese sauce, shrimp ceviche and Colombian empanadas at the beginning of the opening week.
Hoffman imagines Propagation as a neighborhood bar reminding of the places she went to when she moved to San Francisco. Over the past few years she said she felt like there weren’t too many bars like hers, instead tending to be stuffy or divine.She hopes propagation will fill that middle space for those who like the fun parts of San Miss Francisco and just want a casual happy hour to hang out without the overpriced drinks.
“When you go out, you want to feel like it’s the place that maybe a little nicer than your own house,” Hoffman said. “That’s why you go to a bar, isn’t it? You can always be at home and have a drink – so this place is only for people who want to enjoy a nice neighborhood drink and don’t have to think about it too long.
“Our bar welcomes everyone,” Hoffman added later. “We’re not a gay bar. We’re not a straight bar. We’re not a trans bar. We’re everyone’s bar, and everyone is welcome. So come on down, bring your good attitudes with you.”
Multiplication, at Post St. 895 in San Francisco, opens Wednesday, March 17th. Their opening times are Thursday, Saturday, 4 pm-11pm. The opening times are subject to change. So check out the latest information at instagram.com/propagationsf.
