In pre-colonial America, townspeople tried accused witches by sticking their hands into a pot of hot, melted cheese. Later, as breadsticks began being accused of witchcraft, hysterical preachers slowly invented fondue. Relive this tasty bit of American history with today's Groupon: for $10, you get $20 worth of fondue, small plates, and drinks at Melt!, located in North Beach.
Inside Melt!’s European-style fondue forum and café, guests can sample paninis, salads, and soups while coating their favorite edibles with molten cheese. The menu shines a spotlight on fan-favorite fondues ($30 for a small size), but also features a supporting cast of other eats. A small fondue feeds one to two and comes with a side salad, red and green apple wedges, sweet grapes, and French bread for dunking or for slipping into a pants pocket for later crouton consumption. Culinary cauldrons come filled with cheesy concoctions such as the classic Neufchâtel, which features a blend of imported Swiss gruyere, white wine, and Kirsch cherry brandy. In terms of undippable eats, the eatery features tasty tuna melts served open-faced on sourdough and topped with swiss ($10), Croque Monsieur ($10.50), and homemade soups of the day, such as french onion.
Along with wine, Melt! solves mankind’s eternal struggle with thirst quenching by offering coffee, tea, and beer at the bar. The venue, which is decorated by dark-green panels of wood and violet-colored wall makeup, sets the stage for relaxing on royal-purple-topped barstools, surfing the free WiFi, or challenging an alter ego to a game of backgammon or chess. As if playing with the food wasn't entertaining enough, Melt! often hosts movie nights and open mics with local artists.
This Groupon is not valid with happy hour or other discounts.
Reviews
Yelpers give Melt! a four-star average, as do three Citysearchers:
- The fondue is excellent and the wine and beer selection keeps me satisfied. – hamstercream, Citysearch
- Melt fits this bill perfectly! It wasn't crowded. The fondue was delightful. The owner was attentive. A totally charming place for a nice relaxed dinner in north beach. – Matt W., Yelp
- This is one of my favorite places to go. The staff has always been friendly, very cute cozy place. Everything I've had from melt has been really really good. – Deborah H., Yelp
Melt!
Hailing from the British Isle of Jersey, just off the coast of Normandy, Gaynor Lloyd skipped across the pond to San Francisco, where she opened Melt! in 2004. A place where local art hangs on the walls and local musicians frequently perform, the casual and colorful café serves classic cheese fondues with rustic bread and crisp apples. Meanwhile, rich melted Belgian chocolate simmers in waiting for sweet dippers such as strawberries, cream puffs, and frozen cheesecake. French-influenced plates filled with cheeses and croque monsieur sandwiches populate intimate tables, and events nearly every night of the week light up the space—with comedians performing on select Mondays, and singer-songwriters with strobe lights on Fridays.