March 28 and 29

If you really feel like splurging this week, head toAtelier Crenn for their haute-concept dialogue dinner with Pure Berlin. Like Atelier Crenn’s fiercely modern French cookery, Pure Berlin is a restaurant and “culinary design studio” with firm German roots, but fresh gastronomic sensibilities. The night consists of eleven courses, five from each side and a final collaborative course. Tickets are $300 if you want both the food and their wine pairings.

3127 Fillmore Street, 415-440-0460

March 30

Short film buffs now have even more reason to hang out at Foreign Cinema, thanks to their "Future Shorts" Festival, taking place this Friday. This late-night evening begins with libations at 10 pm in the adjacent Lazslo Bar. At midnight, guests will be asked to take their seats in the Foreign Cinema courtyard. Movie-goers will be entertained by 90 minutes of visually striking, celebrated short films, like Spike Jonze's new film and Director Nash Edgerton’s Cannes and Sundance hit “Bear”. At the end of the night, guests will vote on their favorite shorts to be considered for the “Future Shorts” Audience Award.

2534 Mission Street, 415-648-7600

April 1

Maverick is hosting a fun "Mystery Night" dinner for April Fool's Day. Think of it as your chance to flex your food knowledge and impress your date. They'll decide what you eat (no menu! gasp!), and you try to identify at least four ingredients from each of the three courses to earn points (ie. potato = 5, fingerling potato = 10). Delish wine pairings will allow you to earn an extra point, per course, by correctly identifying the grape varietal. If you score the most points at your table, you'll win a prize! Dinner is $40, wine pairings $15.

3316 17th Street, 415-863-3061

Ongoing

We're guessing you need a bit of a rest from all this tax nonsense right about now. Hotel Vitale's Americano restaurant is coming to the rescue. Take advantage of their half-priced bottles of wine now through April 15 during lunch (11:30 am-2:30 pm) and dinner (5:30-10 pm) service to get yourself through these difficult times. Pair the wine with Americano's robust Italian fare, and you're good to go.

8 Mission Street, 415-278-3700