Ales Unlimited

Beer guru Steve Smith now oversees two locations: a well-appointed beer store in Pac Heights and a basement bar-plus-bottle shop in the Tenderloin. The former is a holy grail for hopheads, containing more than 700 bottles and 60 cans—tasting notes included. The ever-changing selection spans local, domestic and far-flung breweries, with a particular emphasis on rare Belgian ales. The newer Beer Basement, opened in 2016, offers eight beers on tap, as well as a smorgasboard of over 100 bottles—all of which are also available to-go.