The Pawn Shop

SAN FRANCISCO

“CASH FOR GOLD…WE BUY GEMS COINS ANTIQUES GOLD,” reads the window sign of this wine bar which was indeed a pawn shop in the 1900s. To enter, one must pick up the gold phone and chat with the sometimes prickly pawn master, who allows entry depending on his mood. “Something interesting to pawn or sell…may help your cause,” the bar hints. Featuring Spanish tapas cuisine, the menu consists of mostly European wines, small plates and late-night-craving bites.