Happy Friday. It’s time for pizza.

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We’re off to the San Francisco Ferry Building in today’s newsletter

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If you’re attending Tales of the Cocktail in NOLA next week, think about coming to my panel, “Small Cities, Big Cocktail Programs.” I’ll be talking with three bar owners who run great programs in smaller locales about the challenges - and opportunities - that working in a smaller market can provide.

The fancy take on Jollibee spaghetti at Kultura in Charleston is a dish I’m going to be thinking about for a long time. More in this week’s newsletter!

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Salted caramel cruller and eggnog latte.

📍 Public Espresso, Buffalo, New York

In this week’s issue, we talk with George Motz about regional burgers, like the butter burger from Solly’s Grille in Milwaukee.

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A perfect night out in Hyde Park, Chicago: Cocktails (get the frozen guava colada and chicken tamale) and snacks at Cantina Rosa, followed by dinner at Virtue (loved the fish and grits, lemon chicken, and nduja oysters).

Get our Boston bar picks in the latest @americanweekender.bsky.social:
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Wrapping up 24 days on the road for the holidays and reporting. Made stops in Cleveland, Buffalo, western Massachusetts, Kingston, Philadelphia, Charlottesville, Charleston WV, and Cincinnati - so much to write about once I get back but for now I need a good night’s sleep and a lot of salads.

Recommended!

Scenes from a cozy getaway to Viroqua, Wisconsin