El Chato, a Spanish-style taberna nestled in the Mission, San Francisco, has become a lively venue for locals to unwind and enjoy drinks. Owners Rafa Sáenz and Erin Rickenbaker have built a space conducive to camaraderie, where patrons enjoy traditional Spanish drinks like vermouth and take part in social rituals such as using the porrón. This approach fosters community connections and embraces a slow, enjoyable drinking culture, providing a welcome escape from the rush of surrounding areas.
"It's something to share, like a bond," says Rafa, a Madrid native. "It's an act of trust." This emphasizes the community and connection fostered by sharing drinks.
Away from the heavily-trafficked-and higher rent-Valencia Street, El Chato offers an atmosphere that, as Rafa says, is more tranquilo.
The taberna observes the Spanish tradition of the 5 p.m. vermút, a vermouth that their proposal is less about chugging and more about stretching out the pleasure of a drink.
It’s a slow, social kind of drinking—the kind that pairs best with unhurried conversation, a little something to snack on, and the understanding that there’s no rush to the next round.
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