Occitania opened in May this year and found itself amid an unprecedented wave of new French restaurants opening across the Bay Area. It joins Mijoté, a French bistro with a Japanese twist, and Le Fantastique, the lavish raw fish and French wine project. In August, San Francisco saw the opening of La Société, and the Rendez-Vous, a cozy French bistro, opened its doors that same month. Basically, there’s never been a better time, perhaps outside of the 1970s, to tuck into beef Bourguignon and dunk a baguette into buttery, garlic-laced escargot in the Bay. And, as with all things French, the reasons for the big bistro boom — and the ways they’re manifesting on the local dining scene these days — are simple: Unbridled decadence is fun. Tap the link in our bio to read more. 📸1-2: Albert Law 📸3: Occitania 📸4: Arcsine