Tangerine, apricot, rose & fizz — Tiya SF
The Spritz format — something bubbly, something acidic, something aromatic — is the most civilised way to start a meal. Tiya's zero-proof version uses tangerine (kinu in Japanese, santara in Hindi) for its sweeter, more floral character compared to orange; apricot (khumani in Urdu/Hindi, a fruit central to Mughal and Kashmiri cooking) for stone-fruit depth; rose syrup (gulab syrup) for the floral signature that runs through so much of the North Indian and Persian confectionery tradition; and sparkling water to lift it all. Named Tiya Spritz after the restaurant's own name, this is the house opening drink — the one that arrives while you read the menu.
Tangerine juice is sweeter and less acidic than orange — clementines or Satsumas are fine substitutes when tangerines are out of season. Rooh Afza (the classic Indian rose sharbat) is more intensely flavoured than Monin Rose; start with 15ml and adjust to taste. The lemon juice is the balancing element — don't skip it.
Tiya takes the intersecting immigrant histories of San Francisco's Japanese and Indian communities and distils them into a cocktail menu. Each drink is named after a San Francisco neighborhood, building a portrait of the city through layered flavour — yuzu meets curry leaf, matcha meets chai, Calpico meets tamarind. A genuinely original vision in American craft bartending.
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