Today’s newsletter is 898 words - a 3-minute read (5-minute if you’re…🐌)

Welcome everyone,

Who we are: We’re Chris & Nolan (@chrisnolansf), two former colleagues who met via investment banking in San Francisco and bonded over the f***ing horrible incredible learning opportunities. We’re now working on a couple ventures together and thought, why not add a newsletter to the ever-growing list. So here we are. What we’ll be writing about → the latest business and cool local news in San Francisco.

Why the name: SF Whisper? Because… at the end of each newsletter 👇, we’re going to have a whisper. This could be a secret, or a fun prize like:

• dinner & drinks with us at Quince Taco Bell Cantina

• trending spots in the City for entertainment & nightlife

• new hot restaurants and bites

• our feet pics 🦶 👀

Scroll to the bottom, and you’ll see what we mean

Anyways. Let’s get started.

North America top 50 bars: SF claims two spots

What’s Happening: World’s 50 Best began ranking North America’s 50 Best Bars since 2022. The 2024 list just came out, with San Francisco claiming two coveted spots. Selected by a secretive panel of 270 industry experts, this ranking stirs excitement across the cocktail community.

True Laurel Leads: Ranked 30th, True Laurel is born from the creative minds behind the Michelin-starred Lazy Bear. Located in the Mission District, the bar dazzles with its botanical cocktails and standout dishes. Lauded for sustainability, it also earned the 2024 Sustainable Bar Award for its eco-friendly initiatives. (Address: 753 Alabama St, San Francisco)

Pacific Cocktail Haven Packs a Punch: Close behind at 38th, Pacific Cocktail Haven shines with its vast menu of Asian-inspired drinks. Founded by Kevin Diedrich, this spot is known for its inventive use of ingredients like calamansi and pandan, reinforcing its global reputation. (Address: 550 Sutter St, San Francisco)

Coast to Coast Competitors: No surprises this year, New York and Mexico City still lead with the most bars listed. Here are the top 10 below. Check out the rest of the list here

1. Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City

2. Superbueno, New York

3. Overstory, New York

4. Martiny's, New York

5. Rayo, Mexico City

6. Jewel of the South, New Orleans

7. Double Chicken Please, New York

8. Thunderbolt, Los Angeles

9. Licorería Limantour, Mexico City

10. Tlecān, Mexico City

Benson Boone performs at The Masonic

Who is this rising star??

Meet Benson Boone, the breakout artist making waves with his incredibly talented pop style. Born in 2002, he’s amassed a dedicated fanbase of over 12.5M followers via TikTok, Instagram, Youtube, American Idol, and more.

With his smooth voice and heartfelt lyrics, Benson Boone has quickly become a favorite among music lovers everywhere. He dropped his debut single "Ghost Town" in 2020, earning props for its raw emotion and catchy beats. Since then, he's been on a roll, churning out tracks like Beautiful Things that hit you right in the feels.

Chris and his wife attended the concert where he performed his debut album Fireworks and Rollerblades. He’s an incredibly talented artist who claimed on American Idol that he didn’t start taking singing seriously until the age of 17 (he’s 21 today), and now has 56M monthly listeners on Spotify alone.

Search Engine Showdown: OpenAI Gears Up for a Google Challenge?

What’s Happening: For long people have speculated that OpenAI might throw its hat into the search engine ring to take market share from Google. Now get ready to say hello to “search.chatgpt.com”

Some Background: People have uncovered SSL certificates for a mysterious new domain and cryptic tweets hinting at a big reveal (Link). OpenAI could be gearing up to introduce an AI-driven search engine that not only browses the web but also dishes out AI-summarized answers with the speed and style of Google's Search Generative Experience.

Strategic Timing: The timing is no coincidence. The rumored launch (May 9th) is slated just a week before Google's big I/O event, where the tech titan plans to unveil its latest gadgets. OpenAI seems poised to steal some thunder and give tech enthusiasts a new toy to talk about.

David vs. Goliath: With Google dominating the search engine market at a whopping 92.08% share and its $2 trillion market cap, OpenAI’s venture into search could be a real threat to Google. Every 1% of the market share loss would represent billions of dollars in market value.

Catch up on the latest:

• City’s project to renovate Japantown Peace Plaza is officially underway (Link)

• SF just had its rainiest day in May over the past 26 years (Link)

• Tesla uses the Sunset District as its training ground for autonomous driving (Link)

• ICONIQ Growth raises $5.75B for its 7^th flagship fund (Link)

• SF-based Francisco Partners & Clearlake discuss acquisition of Synopsys for $2B+ (Link)

• The Sam Altman Playbook: Fear, The Denial of Uncertainties, and Hype (Link)

• Berkshire and Warren Buffet cuts Apple investment by about 13% (Link)

Today’s whisper 🤐

The hottest spot in FiDi to take meetings, chill, and work. Open to the public. It opened last year, but foot traffic has been picking up, and we’re seeing a lot of folks inside during the weekdays, and tons of events in the evenings. Go check it out!