Laiola
Laïola (lye-OH-la): An archaic Catalan word meaning ‘small church.’
Opened in the fall of 2007, Laïola is inspired by the energy and casual attitude of Barcelona’s tapas bars and ingredient-driven, sustainably-committed Bay Area restaurants. The result is a casual neighborhood restaurant and bar serving California food with a Spanish sensibility (or the reverse, depending on our mood), just a hop and skip from the Golden Gate Bridge.
The menu focuses on tapas and small plates and changes weekly, if not daily: cazuela bubbling with sweet clams and butter beans, tomaquet topped with thick slices of heirloom tomatoes, local Petrale sole cooked a la plancha, housemade requesón cheese with roasted butternut squash.
Our 100-plus-bottle wine list focuses exclusively on the wines of Spain and internationally produced Spanish varietals. Our cocktail program is philosophically straightforward: We make drinks using only the highest quality spirits blended with fresh and seasonal juices.
The length of the 50-seat space is dominated by a polished copper bar that overlooks the open kitchen, where people come to enjoy an entire dinner or just a killer cocktail and a bite to eat. Look up, and you’ll see a pressed copper ceiling. Add a lot of votive candles, and you’ve got the kind of lighting that makes everyone look good (i.e. bring a date). The dress code is t-shirt casual and the vibe is bustling and convivial. As a neighborhood joint, we save plenty of room for walk-ins. Make a reservation or just wing it. Either way, we will welcome you here.